MVP's P500 billion offer for the Kapuso network

A P500 billion offer from Manny V. Pangilinan to buy GMA 7? A rumor to that effect spread like a disease last week, touching off speculations about the fate of the broadcasting industry. But both GMA and Pangilinan’s TV5 quickly denied the report.

Kapuso network CEO and President Felipe Gozon gamely went along with the rumor. “If it’s really P500 billion, like they say, I would sell right now. If the offer is P500 billion, then wake me up if I’m sleeping. Below that, I’ll give it a thought,” he told reporters.

He admitted, however, that GMA’s income last year was smaller than that of the previous year. But that, he said, was because 2010 was an election year, and political ads brought in more than P2 billion for the network.

Mr. Gozon’s counterpart at TV5, Ray Espinosa, simply said the buyout report was not true.

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Is that really Charice on the cover of Preview magazine? That was the initial reaction of many who saw the magazine’s first issue for 2012. And I couldn’t blame them. The face on the cover only vaguely resembled the international singer. It was more mature, more sensuous. Preview had succeeded in presenting a totally different Charice.

The magazine’s editor admitted the picture was “Photoshopped”, but explained that digitally touching up images was common practice among fashion mags.

Just the same, the cover triggered a heated debate in the media and the Internet about photoshopping pictures. Digitally correcting minor imperfections is acceptable, but is a major remake going beyond the limits of truthful presentation? "Too much photoshop can kill you," was one comment on Facebook.

Earlier, the cover picture of Jinkee Pacquio also drew attention for being heavily altered.

The joke going the rounds was that Jinkee’s face was touched up to the point that even her husband, People’s Champ Manny Pacquiao didn’t recognize her.

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Sarah Geronimo was named Yahoo! OMG’s most talked-about celebrity in 2011.

Sarah got 47 of the vote, followed by Marian Rivera with 35 percent, and Kris Aquino and Willie Revillame who were tied with 25 percent.

I’m not surprised that Sarah was the most-talked about celebrity last year. She had two movies that were big grossers – Catch Me I’m In Love and Won’t Last A Day Without You both with Gerald Anderson as her leading man. There was her concert with Martin Nievera at the Araneta Coliseum and their provincial tour together.

Another hot topic last year was Sarah’s being linked to the issue involving Rayver Cruz and Cristine Reyes.

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Several streets in Metro Manila will be closed off for the shooting of several scenes of the movie Bourne Legacy starting this month. Previous Bourne movies featured spectacular car and motorcycle chases, and Legacy will carry on the tradition.

But don’t expect Matt Damon, who had played the role of Jason Bourne, to be flying in for the movie. Jeremy Renner will be taking over Matt’s role in Legacy.

There are reports that Jeremy is already in town, but MMDA chief Francis Tolentino would not confirm or deny them. The film’s producers are closely coordinating with the MMDA for the street shoots.

There is also a rumor that several Filipino actors will be in the movie, but Mr. Tolentino isn’t revealing anything.

Motorists have been advised to avoid the following streets on these days to avoid getting up in traffic because of the shooting: San Andres Street from January 11 to 15; J. Bocobo Street corner Remedios Circle from January 18 to 19; Leveriza Street (from Balingkit to San Andres) on January 15; San Andres Street corner Quirino and Taft Avenues January 14; Riverside Road, Real and Sta. Lucia Streets in Intramuros on January 25, and February 17 and 18; Jones Bridge on February 5; and R. Magsaysay Boulevard from February 8 to 15.