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: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 05, 2020) (UNRESTRICTED POOL) WIDESHOT REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOHN RATCLIFFE, THE NOMINEE TO BECOME DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, SEATED IN A HEARING ROOM OF THE SENATE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE, AND WIDELY DISTANCED FROM THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE REPUBLICAN REPRESENTATIVE JOHN RATCLIFFE TAKING AN OATH (SOUNDBITE) (English) DEMO
  • 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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