Comedian Vice Ganda is launching his own digital network, the Vice Ganda Network after ABS-CBN was shut down by the government. It would go live on Friday, July 24.
Vice said during an online press conference Monday that he is developing the digital network to serve a wider audience. “We as artists have to find our ways of reaching out to the audience and to serve our purpose,” the comedian said.
According to Vice, the digital network also aims to assist ABS-CBN employees who lost their jobs after Congress denied the network’s franchise application. He also wants to help stand-up comedians affected when comedy bars that ceased operations amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vice said he was encouraged to continue the project after conducting a pilot testing to his friends and teacher a million-strong audience.
He explained that Vice Ganda Network could give a platform to stand-up comedians who lost their jobs in comedy bars.
“Bukod sa nagagawa nila ‘yung passion nila, karagdagan kita sa kanila, para sa mga bakla,” he said.
(Aside from doing their passion, it’s also added income for them.)
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But Vice said they would prioritize the retrenched ABS-CBN employees in the digital network.
“Dito lahat ang kailangan namin unahin i-accommodate ay ‘yung mga taga-ABS-CBN na wala munang pinagkakakitaan ngayon,” he said. “Kailangan ko buksan itong proyektong ito para makapag-extend ng help sa kanila,” Vice said.
(The first people we will accommodate are those from ABS-CBN who won’t have any income for now. I need to open this project so I can also extend help to them.)
The Vice Ganda Network will be exclusively accessed through its official website, www.viceganda.com.ph.
The network would feature Vice News, documentaries, comedy shows, and Vice Beauty tips. Subscribers could also get a chance to win some Vice giveaways by joining the fun Vice Games. But the most awaited launch in the network is its online show “Gabing gabi na Vice.”
Vice Ganda clarified that the digital shows are different from his previous television shows like ABS-CBN’s noontime show, “It’s Showtime.”