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| Solar Entertainment | |
| Company type | Private |
| Industry | Mass media |
| Founded | January 3, 1976; 49 years ago (1976-01-03) (as a TV movie company) July 15, 1988; 37 years ago (1988-07-15) (as a film distribution company) June 17, 2000; 25 years ago (2000-06-17) (as a cable television network) January 1, 2008; 17 years ago (2008-01-01) (as a broadcast company) |
| Headquarters | Solar Century Tower, 100 Tordesillas St., Corner H.V. Dela Costa St., Salcedo Village,Makati, Metro Manila ,Philippines |
Area served | Worldwide |
Key people |
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| Products | |
| Brands |
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| Services | Broadcasting Television Cable television TV Production Motion Picture Film distribution Digital media Streaming Foodservice |
| Revenue |  ₱1.372 billion(FY 2015)[1] |
| ₱124.43 million(FY 2015)[1] | |
| Owner | Solar Films Inc.(38%) Wilson Y. Tieng(21%) William Y. Tieng(15%) |
| Divisions | Former: Nine Media News and Current Affairs (formerly Solar News) (2011—2014) |
| Subsidiaries | Current: ETC Productions Southern Broadcasting Network Solar Digital Media Holdings Domestic Satellite Philippines, Inc.[2] Former: Nine Media Corporation (formerly Solar Television Network, Inc.) (2011—2014)
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| Website | www |
Solar Entertainment Corporation (also known asSolar Entertainment, and simply known asSolar orSEC) is aPhilippinemedia company based inMakati,Philippines. Founded and owned by the brothers Wilson, William and Willy Tieng,[3] Solar Entertainment operates fourdigital free-to-air channels and onecable channel.[4] Solar also owns a film distribution company (Solar Pictures) and defunctfreemiumdigital television service (Easy TV Home).
Solar Entertainment owns and operates four digital TV channels:SolarFlix,Solar Sports,Solar Learning, andShop TV. It also owns television networkSouthern Broadcasting Network (SBN).
Solar Entertainment formerly ownsNine Media Corporation, a Solar's former broadcast media firm, which privatizedRadio Philippines Network (RPN) in 2011. NMC and RPN are currently owned by ALC Group of Companies and operatesRPTV, afree-to-air channel in partnership withTV5 Network.
Solar Entertainment was founded by the brothers William Tieng, Wilson Tieng and Willy Tieng in 1976.Solar Films was then formed in 1988 (one of the first films distributed by Solar Films wasRambo III ofSylvester Stallone), bringing international films (and later, local films since 2009) to the Philippines. Since 2012, Solar has collaborated with independent film directorBrillante Mendoza for a multiple film contract.[5] On March 18, 2015, Solar launched the Sinag Maynila film festival, which featured five films from a talented group of directors, each with a different vision and approach. The films were shown in select SM Cinemas from March 18 to 24, 2015. The winners were announced at the “Gabi ng Parangal” on March 22.
On April 2, 2004, Solar announced that they distribute films fromUnited International Pictures (UIP, ajoint venture ofViacom'sParamount Pictures andVivendi Universal'sUniversal Pictures) in the Philippines starting withDreamWorks Animation'sShrek 2 in May 2004, until an temporary restraining order stopping UIP's operations in the country in March 2014.[6][7]
On January 1, 1994, Solar launched on cable television as the Solar Entertainment Channel.
On December 22, 2000, Solar acquired Domestic Satellite Philippines Inc. (DOMSAT) from the Philippine government throughPresidential Commission on Good Government after Solar won the bidding for the franchise and assets formerly owned by DOMSAT, making DOMSAT a 100% Solar subsidiary.[8] As a result, DOMSAT's teleport is being used by Solar to produce, originate, and distribute its various television program services. Its full service digital broadcast teleport features server technology facility located in Barangay Sta. Cruz, Sumulong Highway,Antipolo, Rizal. It is built around two encoder platforms, Scientific Atlanta Power Vu Classic(DVB) and Motorola Digicipher II(MPEG-@). Program origination is done on a SeaChange Media Cluster Server System. The facility includes a 500-square-meter studio and various linear and non-linear production bays.[9] Solar Entertainment first launched its namesake entertainment cable channel in the early 2000s, one devoted to American programs. This channel was later known as Solar USA (the acronym stands for "Ultimate in Suspense and Action"), and then later simply as USA before it was replaced by two separate channels (Jack TV and Crime/Suspense or C/S).
On January 17, 2004, Solar launched on cable sports alternative channel as Sports Plus.
On March 1, 2004, Solar Entertainment launchedETC or Entertainment Central, which is positioned as the country's premier cable female entertainment channel. ETC is a platform that brings its audience closer to their aspirational lifestyle, as embodied by their idols.
On April 5, 2005, it test launched delivering debuting service. Intended for a predominantly male audience, the company launched the country's leading general entertainment cable channel,Jack TV, in July.
On October 15, 2005, Solar Entertainment launched a crime and action cable channel, Crime/Suspense orC/S
On December 15, 2005, Solar Entertainment launched a spin-off channel to ETC, ETC 2nd Avenue, a lifestyle and general entertainment channel. Started as a test broadcast on December 15, 2005, and had its full launch in 2006. The channel was later renamed as 2nd Avenue on January 17, 2007.
On October 1, 2006, Sports Plus ceased broadcasting and replaced by theBasketball TV channel formed by Solar, while moving most of Sports Plus programs toSolar Sports.
On January 1, 2008, Solar Entertainment Corporation entered into a partnership withRPN,SBN andRJTV to lease block time for its cable TV channels. The move was a result ofSky Cable pulling out C/S, ETC, and 2nd Avenue from the cable company's lineup[10] at their own right. Those three started carrying shows from Solar's, withC/S on RPN,ETC on SBN, and 2nd Avenue on RJTV.
On May 22, 2009, a victory party forManny "Pacman" Pacquiao, who just became the new IBO (International Boxing Organization) andRing Magazine Light Welterweight Champion, was held at the Renaissance Hotel inMakati, in partnership withGMA Network Inc. Solar andGMA executives at that time signed for a partnership in TV coverage of Manny Pacquiao's upcoming boxing matches.[11]
The C/S cable channel was later rebranded asC/S Origin in September 2008, while the RPN network later changed its branding toC/S 9 the next month.
On November 29, 2009, Solar rebranded C/S9 asSolar TV at 11:00 am with a sloganIt's A Bright New World on RPN. On October 31, 2010, it changed some of its programming content to English/Tagalog with a new sloganKung Saan Lahat Panalo!.
In mid-2010, GemCom ceded its 97% equity share inSBN to Solar for Php 368.8 million. Since then, SBN became the Solar's fully owned subsidiary.
On February 11, 2011, SEC partnered withABS-CBN Corporation to airNational Basketball Association (NBA) games over free TV starting February 19, 2011. The games are aired onStudio 23 (laterS+A, IZTV and nowAliw 23) andABS-CBN, but Solar still airs the games daily onBTV.[12]
On January 5, 2011,Solar TV transitioned as a broadcast media company and rebranded asSolar Television Network, Inc., becoming the new corporate television arm subsidiary of Solar Entertainment Corporation.
On March 2, 2011, after SEC acquired 34 percent of RPN's shares from the Philippine government as part of RPN/IBC privatization in 2011, Solar TV finally ventured into news at the end of 2011. On that same day, ETC moved toRPN whileTalkTV launched overSBN. TalkTV was formed by then Solar-ownedSolar Television Network. The first programs that aired on the channel wereDateline NBC,Today Show,Today's Talk,NBC Nightly News,Inside Edition,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno andLate Show with David Letterman.[13][14]
On April 8, 2011, Solar Entertainment Corporation launchedThe Game Channel onDestiny Cable. It conducted its initial test broadcast from April 8, 2011, until September 29. It then began airing onBEAM Channel 31 on August 15, 2011, after BEAM and Solar signed an affiliation deal, which gave the latter the use of the former's facilities. Full broadcast started on September 30, 2011.
In May 2011,ETC launched the slogan "Young and Loving It". It also saw new programs such as the reality seriesThe Rachel Zoe Project andBachelor Pad, drama seriesNikita, andThe Secret Circle, US reality seriesThe Glee Project, comedy shows likeNew Girl and2 Broke Girls, and local lifestyle showEtcetera. In 2012, ETC includes the reality showAmerican Idol, local programs likeProject Runway Philippines (season 3), drama seriesThe Lying Game,Emily Owens MD andBeauty & the Beast, and local infotainment showETC HQ. In 2013, ETC aired comedy-drama seriesThe Carrie Diaries, sitcom seriesSuper Fun Night, supernatural drama seriesRavenswood, horror fantasy drama seriesThe Originals and among others.
Solar News, known for its back-to-basics and unbiased journalism,[according to whom?] was formed in January 2012 during the coverage of the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona. Post-EDSA revolutionABS-CBN newsmen Pal Marquez, Jing Magsaysay andPia Hontiveros together with former ANC anchorsClaire Celdran, Mai Rodriguez and Nancy Irlanda, known as the pillars of Solar News.[according to whom?] Most of its news reporters are fromABS-CBN andANC, as well as fromRPN NewsWatch.[15][16]
On December 24, 2011, The Game Channel limited its broadcast on daytime sharing with a new programming service calledCHASE which takes over the evening block. In February 2012, both services aired a promotion, announcing the split of CHASE and TGC to form themselves as separate channels. On February 15, 2012, The Game Channel finally shuts down on free TV and was relaunched as a cable channel; CHASE was also relaunched as a separate channel, now occupying the entire BEAM broadcast airtime on Free TV.
On April 3, 2012, Solar transferred its former Salcedo Village facilities to their new facility in Worldwide Corporate Center inMandaluyong.[17] It also featured a newly constructed set for Solar's then-news division, which would become fully functional three months later.
On July 16, 2012, Solar News launched its first local newscastSolar Network News, followed bySolar Nightly News, an hourly Solar News Update, Solar Daybreak, and Solar Newsday.
On September 7, 2012, Jack TV plugged their announcement through CHASE programs bearing the title "Another Jack TV is rising, coming soon on this channel" (BEAM Channel 31). This indicated that CHASE was being replaced; finally, on October 20, 2012, Jack City was then launched, marking October 19 as the end of CHASE's broadcasts.Jack City still does carry some of CHASE's programs however.
In October 2012, it was found out that Solar News would replace the government-controlled RPN News, as a result of RPN's privatization, making Solar TV covering the entire network's airtime. More than 200 RPN employees, particularly those from the labor union and the NewsWatch staff, were retrenched and RPN News was closed down on October 29, effectively axing NewsWatch and NewsCap. Some retrenched government employees were relocated to eitherPeople's Television Network (PTV 4) orIntercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC 13) (both State-run broadcasters).
On October 30, 2012, at 5:45 am, TalkTV was replaced asSolar News Channel on Channel 21 viaSBN. The channel saw the relaunch of sports news programSolar Sports Desk (now known asCNN Philippines Sports Desk), as well as the initial telecast of the Solar News and Current affairs block in November 2012 comprising five public affairs programs (Legal HD,MedTalk,News.PH,Opposing Views,Elections 2013 andNews Café),60 Minutes,Top Gear,Undercover Boss and the "Stories"documentaries block. In January 2013, Solar News Cebuano (now known asCNN Philippines Cebuano News) made history as the first national newscast delivered in a local dialect. In 2014, it also launched theKapampangan national newscast,Kapampangan News and the public service programSerbisyo All Access, which is shown inFilipino language.
Prior to the channel's transfer to RPN, SNC's flagship newscast (Solar Network News) simulcasted on RPN 9 (free TV only) from the SNC's launch. The news content for RPN (then affiliated with ETC), however, was switched toSolar Nightly News on January 14, 2013, onwards, to avoid backlash from free TV viewers, particularly Free TV viewers ofAmerican Idol (in which the original plan was to replace the 6 pm via satellite broadcast to Free TV viewers by Network News, then airs the AI episodes at the 8 pm rerun in simulcast with cable and satellite viewers). Throughout theAmerican Idol season, as the episodes are repeated at 8 PM on cable, Solar used the separate free TV-only feed, that contains reruns of selected ETC shows (but with advertisements replaced by ETC teasers and promotions) at 8 pm andNightly News at 9 PM (with additional ETC programs, if necessary) to be used by RPN after each AI via satellite episode before RPN returns to the main ETC feed at 10 PM. This is to retain RPN's news content as it then has no newscast since the axing of NewsWatch.
On January 3, 2013, SEC launched Blink Cinema (later renamed asMy Movie Channel) with the full broadcast taking effect later that month.
On April 14, 2013,TV5 Network Inc. and Solar Entertainment Corporation joined to broadcast the2013 FIBA Asia Championship in Manila on Philippine television on August 1–11. Aside fromTV5 and its sister channel (AksyonTV), the games were also broadcast over Solar's cable channelBasketball TV.[18]
On May 22, 2013, Solar Entertainment Corporation appointed two officers to manage its broadcasting and cable businesses: Manuel “Meckoy” Quiogue as chief commercial officer and Maria Theresa “Mitos” Borromeo as chief operating officer (COO).[19] Quiogue, however, suddenly died on May 31, 2013, prior to assuming his position.[20]
On June 28, 2013,Jack City reduced its free TV broadcast to 18 hours a day on BEAM in compliance with theNational Telecommunications Commission's guidelines. However, it still continues to air as a cable channel 24 hours a day.
On November 9, 2013,San Miguel Corporation's president and COO,Ramon Ang, explored the possibility of acquiring a controlling stake in Solar Entertainment Corporation in his personal capacity.[21][22] However, no further announcements were made after this and Ang subsequently reached an agreement to acquire a minority stake.[citation needed]
Solar News Channel and its partnership moved toRPN 9 on December 1, 2013 in favor to expand its nationwide coverage, while ETC returned to SBN Channel 21 a day before. (ETC was aired onSBN-21 from 2008 to 2011 then to RPN-9 from 2011 to 2013),[23] as well as the launch of Solar's video-on-demand website Blink. As a result of the channel swap (on RPN's part), Network News and Nightly News became newscasts on its own right.
In 2014, Solar Entertainment's Solar One Boracay happened during the Labor Day weekend to showcase its channels (ETC, 2nd Avenue, JackTV, JackCITY, My Movie Channel, The Game Channel, Solar Sports, BTV and NBA Premium TV) through various summer activities all over the island.[24]
On August 20, 2014, Solar Entertainment Corporation chief Wilson Tieng announced that he had sold his entire share onSolar TV Network, Inc., including its 34% majority share on RPN, toAntonio Cabangon-Chua, owner of business dailyBusinessMirror andAliw Broadcasting Corporation.[25][26] Tieng sold Solar TV because their revenues were deteriorated after its investment in RPN. As a result of this ownership change, STVNI (now known asNine Media Corporation), Solar News Channel and RPN's majority stake were separated from the Tiengs; while ETC, 2nd Avenue, and Jack City reverted to Solar Entertainment's ownership.
On September 1, 2014,Jack City ended its run on free TV due to the preparations being made byBEAM 31 for the incoming transition to ISDB-T digital television, though it continues to be broadcast as a separate cable channel. However, Jack City continued to broadcast on cable networks until March 21, 2015. After Jack City's closure to free TV, BEAM aired under blocktime programs from various local production and religious companies. On November 15, 2014, BEAM began being carried onSky Cable and Destiny Cable subscribers (per compliance with NTC's "must-carry" basis). This move resulted of Jack City in a change of its channel assignment for SkyCable andDestiny Cable subscribers, as well as several pay TV companies.
In 2015, Solar Entertainment Corporation launched the #1stonPHTV brand of Solar channels forETC, 2nd Avenue,Jack TV, Jack City andMy Movie Channel, with the brand implemented on January 6, 2015. Since then, all SEC channels broadcast first-run foreign television programs with the hashtag #1stonPHTV (First on Philippine TV), which was formerly known as "Match Airing" (ETC), "Playing 1st" (Jack TV), "The Newest in the US" and "FastCast" (2nd Avenue) and "See It First" (Jack City).
The Game Channel, after almost three years on broadcasting, selling or ceased on February 28, 2015. The channel space was taken over byMy Movie Channel on March 1.
On March 22, 2015, Jack City was replaced by CT, thus becoming independent from its parent network. Upon launch, the channel broadened its programming focus by adding talk shows, sitcoms and men's lifestyle programs to its roster.
On March 26, 2015, Solar Entertainment announced its broadcast of the "Fight Of The Century" betweenManny Pacquiao andFloyd Mayweather Jr. on May 3, 2015.[27] As stated in a press conference that day, it was broadcast on May 3 via delayed broadcast in three major television stations in the Philippines,ABS-CBN,TV5, andGMA Network (who waived its exclusive contract with Solar to allow its multi-network coverage, but maintained its exclusive live broadcast on its radio division), withSolar Sports as its main content provider for this historic event in boxing.[28][29]
On July 1, 2015, My Movie Channel ceased broadcasting. The closure or selling was announced by Solar a day before.
On October 16, 2016, Solar relaunched its flagship channels ETC, 2nd Avenue, Basketball TV and Solar Sports. The four networks unveiled their new logos, on-air graphics and station IDs, which took effect on that day. CT, Jack TV, Shop TV and NBA Premium TV on the other hand remains unchanged. Also that day, Solar launched its corporate campaign slogan...There's More To Come, which evolved in 2017 asWe go for More.
In 2017, Solar Entertainment became the official Philippine broadcaster of the 65th edition of theMiss Universe in Manila. This led to another deal withABS-CBN,TV5 andGMA (the second time that such deal happened between Solar and the Big 3 networks). According to some sources, a directive fromPresident Duterte ordered that the major networks must cover the prestige pageant as it happens live in thePhilippines. Alongside the Big Three, Solar Entertainment channelsETC, 2nd Avenue,Jack TV and CT aired the pageant simultaneously. It was also in the same year when Solar Entertainment forged a joint venture with the Bermuda-based communications satellite companyAsia Broadcast Satellite to launch the first nationwide free-to-airdirect-to-home satellite television services using theC-band, which is set to launch on the 3rd quarter of the year.[30]
On August 18, 2025, Solar Entertainment launched livestreaming exclusive and recapping episodes for old, new and well-loved shows of SolarFlix and Solar Sports and movies on their digital and online platforms such as YouTubeSolar Watch Now.
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Solar's channels have ceased airing onSky Cable, the Philippines' largest cable television provider. An insider[who?] claims that these troubles with Sky Cable started when boxerManny Pacquiao, whose fights Solar Entertainment has the exclusive right to air and distribute to, moved fromABS-CBN, the flagship television network ofABS-CBN Corporation and the primary owner ofSky Cable Corporation, to rivalGMA Network. Another insider[who?] claims that SkyCable wanted to removeETC andJack TV to make room for their own channels,Velvet (now defunct) andMaxxx (now defunct). Sky Cable wanted to retainC/S, 2nd Avenue,Solar Sports andBasketball TV, but Solar made a decision that they would only renew their contract if Sky Cable carried all six channels. Thus, Solar decided to pull out all their channels rather than remove ETC and Jack TV.
However, Solar has signed a deal with local terrestrial channelsABC,RPN,SBN andRJTV for block-time programming. C/S, ETC and 2nd Avenue programming are seen on terrestrial TV channels RPN, SBN and RJTV, respectively, whileNBA andWWE programming were seen on TV5, now moved to RPN (WWE programming are currently being broadcast thru TV5, while its terrestrial NBA coverage were moved toABS-CBN Sports under Solar).
Most of its channels were later returned to Sky Cable, while Jack TV would eventually return to its lineup on October 1, 2010, replacing Maxxx.
Meanwhile, Pacquiao's boxing promotion,Top Rank, signed a non-guaranteed contract withABS-CBN Sports to exclusively air fights promoted by Top Rank, with the exception of Pacquiao fights which are still signed exclusively through Solar Entertainment.
On April 10, 2017, 3 days before the2017 NBA playoffs was scheduled to begin (and coincided with the final day of the2016–17 NBA regular season), Basketball TV,NBA Premium TV, Solar Sports, Jack TV and CT (now defunct) were removed by Solar from Sky Cable (includingSky Direct,Destiny Cable &Sky On Demand thru video on demand) without any prior announcement from Solar.[31] Initially, both Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV were replaced by airing a simulcast ofABS-CBN Sports and Action with a ticker announcing the unavailability of the channels, with Solar Sports, Jack TV and CT (now defunct) also doing the latter albeit with a black screen. Later, almost all of the pulled-out Solar channels were replaced by an imaging card, initially detailing the unavailability of the channels and then later, announcing that they will discuss with Solar on returning the aforementioned channels; while for BTV and NBA Premium TV, a schedule of the NBA games that will air onABS-CBN, ABS-CBN Sports and Action andFox Sports within the week and a loop of an NBA promo. Solar did not comment on the situation for the removal of the channels, but sources and some netizens pointed out a carriage dispute between the two parties for not paying an undisclosed price to continue broadcasting these channels, which was later proven true by an article published by thePhilippine Daily Inquirer.
As the dispute continued, some media enthusiasts and netizens raised concerns of whether these Solar channels will return to Sky and/or Destiny. Others pointed that inaction between the two parties could affect the next long-term local broadcast franchise with the NBA, slated to begin at the Association's 2019–2020 regular season. (Solar and Sky's parent, ABS-CBN, would share the airing of NBA games on pay and terrestrial television. Rumours circulated that both networks may bid separately, if they could not reach renewal, and use their respective infrastructure to broadcast adequate NBA coverage. Otherwise, rival networks with a functioning sports department likeThe 5 Network may also seek their own bidding to take over the 2019 contract from both Solar and ABS-CBN.)
Netizens and viewers were dismayed and frustrated by the removal of the said channels by Sky Cable, most notably for BTV and NBA Premium due to the importance of the Playoffs. Some netizens were angered by the removal of the said channels and asked Sky Cable to return the channels before the scheduled Playoffs would begin, however Sky Cable would respond to angered netizens on social media that they are "fixing the situation with Solar". Other netizens and viewers would otherwise switch providers from Sky Cable to other cable companies that carried these channels or to other satellite providers likeCignal.[32]
On October 16, 2018, Basketball TV and NBA Premium TV returned to Sky Cable, Sky Direct, & Sky On Demand after an 18-month absence;[33] however it was removed on October 28, 2018, for unknown reasons.[34]
The carriage dispute officially ended on January 1, 2019, when all Solar channels: Basketball TV, NBA Premium TV, Solar Sports, and Jack TV were restored on Sky (including Sky On Demand & Sky Direct).[35]
Ironically,MTVph, which is a Solar channel, ended its operations on the same day at that time Sky resumed the affected Solar channels. As of 2019, Sky's sister company Destiny Cable still did not carry all the aforementioned Solar channels despite its aforementioned return on Sky Cable.
During the aforementioned period,Shop TV, ETC and 2nd Avenue (now defunct) were kept on-the-air, due to the "must-carry" rules by the NTC. MTVph was also kept on the air (until it was discontinued on January 1, 2019) since it was carried in a separate programming agreement outside of the affected channels despite its ownership.
Dream Satellite TV ceased carrying three Solar Channels, namelySolar Sports,ETC (which was at that time a cable channel prior to its move to free TV and cable) and 2nd Avenue (now defunct) (exceptC/S 9) effective February 1, 2009. Dream's carriage contract with Solar Entertainment, which expired on December 31, 2008, was not renewed by Dream, citing financial constraints as its main reason. The three Solar channels were replaced by A&E'sThe History Channel,Biography Channel andCrime and Investigation Channel. As of 2017, ETC and 2nd Avenue remained on its lineup due to the "must-carry" rules of the NTC.
Unfortunately, Dream Satellite ended its operations on December 31, 2017, due to bankruptcy and its competition with other satellite providers.
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1 Joint venture. 2 Partnership. 3 Distribution. 4 Continued broadcast on international and online. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
