While three new VJs have been added to MYX's already talented roster, two have been let go.
In a press conference for the Pinoy music channel last Monday, August 2, at ABS-CBN, channel head Andre Allan Alwarez told the press "no guilt feelings" should be cultivated over what had happened. The new MYX VJs, Alvarez said, were not hired as replacements.
Robin Nievera, Ton Vergel de Dios, and Julz Savard, the three who won this year's MYX VJ Search, have already started taping for their own shows. Former VJs Robi Domingo and Nel Gomez, on the other hand, have "graduated."
"For us historically when we do the search, we don't announce how many will win, how many will graduate," Alvarez explained. "We don't want them to focus on 'Two people won, so dalawa rin ang matatanggal.' It was never a one plus one equals two situation. We always assess them based on their performance, and how they are received by the public, if they're effective as VJs."
Alvarez said the showbiz careers of VJ Robi and Nel are a factor in their "graduation." Robi, a former Pinoy Big Brother Teen Edition housemate, is a young actor, while Nel is a host in ASAP XV.
"Their availabilities come into play," Alvarez said. "It has long been an issue for the group because back when we had Heart [Evangelista], Karel [Marquez], Geoff Eigenmann... we always have the disappointment factor. Like we would do events and they're not available."
"So we're trying to always play that balance wherein [non-artista VJs] become accepted and received as the VJs themselves of MYX. Obviously the artistas always have the benefit of the advantage, but we don't want [non-artista VJs] to be seen as minor characters in the channel because they all carry the same weight when we give them assignments to do their programs," he said.
The remaining MYX VJs are Luis Manzano, Iya Villania, Nikki Gil, Chino Lui-Pio, Janine Ramirez, and Bianca Roque.
NEW MIX OF ATTITUDE. VJs Robin, Ton, and Julz have been chosen because of their "quirky combination of personalities."
"I think they will bring a different chemistry to what the channel has to offer," Alvarez said. "And we've never had personalities like these three, so I'm excited to see how they will fare in the different shows that we will give them in the coming weeks. So that's something I think all our viewers should look forward to."
The MYX management also had to take into consideration that the three "really wanted" to become VJs, said Alvarez.
"We took into consideration that the three of them were not, at least from my point of view, that they didn't look like it was just going to be a stepping stone into something else," he said. "It felt like they really wanted to do this. Because you know, it's so easy for you to use MYX as a platform for you to become an artista, for you to become a singer, but even though yun ang magiging part ng kanilang intentions, I saw that they really believed in what they could do and bring for MYX."
EXCITED AND HAPPY. Robin Nievera, eldest son of Martin Nievera and Pops Fernandez, was the most nervous in his first shoot as a new MYX VJ. This is because he did not expect to win.
"I was super-shocked that they called my name because I was sure that I would not get it but I'm still thrown off. I would sometimes tell myself, 'Oh, I'm a VJ.' [So] I had a rough first day. I was nervous; I took a lot of takes. But towards the end of my first day I got used to it so we'll see how it is on my second day," the 21-year old musician said.
Robin added that he was intimidated by his batchmate, new VJ Ton.
"I was intimidated by Ton, e," he said. "It took me maybe almost an hour to finish my first show. Took him ten minutes."
VJ Ton, another 21-year old musician, answered, "It was the first time to work together with Robin so parang it was funny. Awkward funny, pero, yun nga, we're trying to get better, trying to learn the ropes."
VJ Julz felt the same way. "It's the same thing for me as well, of course, your first day at the job you're gonna be nervous. You're still anxious about everything that's happening. I think it was harder for me because I was by myself. Robin and Ton were able to work together," the 18-year old college student from Ateneo said.
What made them win the job?
VJ Robin thought he was the wittiest of the bunch. "From the other 11, they wanted something better than me. I though I was the wittiest one, but that it was my only thing. That was it. Besides I had no idea how many are going to win. I though it's just going to be two. And then when he said one more, I thought someone else was going to get it. And then they called my name. So that's why I was really shocked."
He thinks his good looks could have helped, too. "I didn't know if it was just my name. I really hope not. I hope it was because I'm as funny as my dad than I used my generic charisma to help myself. It was my good looks," joked VJ Robin.
VJ Julz was more specific. "Well, even before the search happened when they were auditioning people to be the next VJs, I saw sort of a list of qualities they were looking for: someone who was outgoing, spontaneous, energetic... And I believe I have all these qualities. But I also had the fact that I'm very spunky. I think that really shines, that really shows, and I do sort of have this attitude... the in-your-face kind of attitude, but I still bring it with class," she explained.
VJ Ton believed being a great MYX fan helped him a lot.
"I think I was really a fan. I knew about the shows, I have been watching the show since, parang it was pretty much the channel that I would go to. It was pretty natural for me to be part of the team. I understand more or less what was going on [since I'm] a fan," he said.