PhilSTAR TV: A destiny fulfilled
It was only a year ago when The Philippine STAR braved a new path to conquer an unchartered territory no other newspaper title has ever set foot in before — television.
After more than two decades of being “the newspaper you read from cover to cover,” The STAR knew it was about time for a grander venture, thus, the birth of PhilSTAR TV. And it was only a matter of time before the paper finally breathed new life into its well-loved sections.
Amid the noise of doubters and hurdles the new platform had to overcome, PhilSTAR TV premiered two TV shows —
Modern Living TV (MLTV) and Wheels TV. The former is already renewed for a fourth season while the latter has been getting rave reviews for its groundbreaking episodes (think Ferrari versus MRT) since April, and on the horizon are four more exciting programs: Let’s Eat, Single/Single, Young Start, At Home
With Lucy, and The Business Life. Though the visionaries at The STAR always believed that the paper’s content is destined to fly and land on several platforms, the move seemed larger than life in the beginning. The success that PhilSTAR TV is currently enjoying is the result of hard work, courage, and confidence — the journey from print to television was definitely not a walk in the park.
“We encountered a lot of challenges, and the biggest one has something to do with finances, of course. During the conceptualization stage of the project, we realized that a huge investment was at stake and we had to make sure that this foray into TV would yield a convincing ROI. Thankfully, the whole team came up with a brilliant print and TV positioning for our shows and we have successfully gained a bigger audience that has translated to bigger profit,” says The STAR’s SVP for sales and marketing Lucien Dy Tioco.
PhilSTAR TV, more than just a new project, is more importantly a solid statement: The Philippine STAR is now everywhere — print, mobile, digital, social media and now, television. It is the paper’s way of showing how it remains unfazed despite the incessant threats of the ever-evolving media landscape. The STAR embraces change; it sees obstacles as opportunities to reach a wider audience and create more values for advertisers.
“Crossing borders means gaining more audience. In the case of PhilSTAR TV, I am very happy to note that we have strengthened our ABC1 appeal by having attracted a younger set that’s outside of The STAR’s core readers. Advertisers have warmly received our foray into TV; for print, we have given them their money’s worth by exploding their campaigns through a multi-channel approach, while we have also started attracting non-print users who are thirsting for credible content,” shares Dy Tioco.
From a possibility to a profitable reality, PhilSTAR TV is now a growing force to reckon with.
“I think what viewers can look forward to is our shows becoming more engaging, which makes way for more interactions with like-minded people. With The STAR’s print, television, and digital properties, our readers will be encouraged to speak their minds on different issues that our shows tackle — living spaces, cars, financial literacy, health, dining, motherhood, and a lot more. With our expanded roster of platforms, we will build and foster new and progressive communities,” Dy Tioco proudly concludes.