Philippine's top broadcaster signs off after government order to cease operations

Record ID: 1550685

  • Title: Philippine's top broadcaster signs off after government order to cease operations
  • Date: 5th May 2020
  • Summary: MANILA, PHILIPPINES (MAY 5, 2020) (REUTERS) WOMAN WATCHING FINAL NEWS BROADCAST OF ABS-CBN ON ITS MAIN CHANNEL TELEVISION MONITOR SHOWING ABS-CBN SIGNING OFF EXTERIOR OF ABS-CBN COMPOUND ABS-CBN LOGO ON BUILDING ABS-CBN BROADCASTING BUILDING ABS-CBN LOGO ON BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 19th May 2020 15:49
  • Keywords: ABS-CBN Rodrigo Duterte news operations sign off
  • Location: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • City: MANILA, PHILIPPINES
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA001CCNK2FB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: QUALITY AS INCOMING
    The Philippines' telecoms body ordered the country's leading broadcaster ABS-CBN Corp to cease operations on Tuesday (May 5), as a parliament dominated by President Rodrigo Duterte's loyalists dragged its feet over renewing its license.
    In a statement, ABS-CBN said it will stop operations to comply with the order from the National Telecommunications Commission, while imploring lawmakers in Congress to renew its franchise, which expired on May 4.
    Duterte has repeatedly threatened to block the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise, after the channel angered him during the 2016 presidential election by refusing to air his campaign commercials.
    Opposition lawmakers described the order for the channel to suspend operations as "ill-timed" given the need to inform the public in the battle against the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
    ABS-CBN, a 66-year-old entertainment and media conglomerate, employs nearly 7,000 people, operates radio and television stations nation-wide and distributes online content.
    Its cable news channel ANC and online services will keep operating as it is not covered by the order, ABS-CBN said.
    Earlier on Tuesday, about a dozen activists held a candle lighting ceremony outside the company's Manila compound in solidarity with the media giant while condemning the government order as an attack on free speech.
    (Production: Jay Ereno, Adrian Portugal, Peter Blaza)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2020. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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