Philippine broadcaster ABS-CBN granted reprieve after being forced off air
- The bill needs to be approved by the Senate and President Rodrigo Duterte, who first made his threat to block ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal in April 2017
- ABS-CBN was ordered shut on May 5, a day after its franchise expired, but may now be allowed to operate until October
“Today, to end all conflicts and discussions, we will begin the process of turning on your transmitter by giving you a franchise until October 31, 2020,” House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano said in a speech at the bill’s committee approval on Wednesday. “We will not pass the buck. We will have hearings and finish this.”
ABS-CBN said in a statement on Wednesday it welcomes the provisional permit and will participate in the process of renewing its franchise. The network, in a petition filed last week with the Supreme Court to halt the shut order, said it has lost 35 million pesos (US$696,000) each day it has been off the air, constraining its ability to service debts.
ABS-CBN was ordered shut by the telecommunications commission on May 5, a day after its franchise expired. Trading on shares of ABS-CBN remains suspended since a halt by the bourse on May 6.
“Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment … when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the Covid-19 pandemic,” the media giant said in a statement after being ordered off the air.
Duterte accused the network of failing to air his 2016 campaign advertisements and not returning the payments.