Last week, Philippines’ National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) ordered the country’s largest media network ABS-CBN to ABS-CBN to “cease and desist” from broadcasting on radio and television, one day after the company’s 25-year operating franchise expired.
ABS-CBN runs 18 FM stations, 5 AM stations, 42 television stations and 10 digital broadcast channels across the country.
Citing the Radio Control Law, the NTC gave the network 10 days “to respond as to why the frequencies assigned to it should not be recalled.”
“Upon the expiration of RA 7966, ABS-CBN no longer has a valid and subsisting congressional franchise as required by Act No. 3846,” it said.
The move is widely seen to be politically-motivated as the network has been targeted by President Rodrigo Duterte since 2016, when he accused it of not airing his political campaign advertisements. The network has also been critical of his brutal war on drugs, in which the police has been accused of executing thousands of drug users and dealers.
The NTC order comes despite steps taken by Congress leaders to show that they favour a renewal of ABS-CBN’s broadcast franchise.
“Millions of Filipinos will lose their source of news and entertainment when ABS-CBN is ordered to go off-air on TV and radio tonight (5 May 2020) when people need crucial and timely information as the nation deals with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said ABS-CBN Corp. in a statement.
“ABS-CBN has been providing comprehensive news coverage on the public health crisis and working with local governments and the private sector in providing food and basic goods for those in need through its “Pantawid ng Pag-ibig” campaign. To date, it has delivered over P300 million worth of goods for the benefit of over 600,000 families affected by the enhanced community quarantine.
“We trust that the government will decide on our franchise with the best interest of the Filipino people in mind, recognizing ABS-CBN’s role and efforts in providing the latest news and information during these challenging times.”
Meanwhile, the Association for International Broadcasting [AIB] says it is dismayed by the forced close-down of multiple award-winning broadcaster.
“This is a bad day for the Philippines, a bad day for Filipinos and a bad day for media freedom,” says Simon Spanswick, chief executive of the AIB. “ABS-CBN is one of the Philippines' prime providers of news, information and entertainment, reaching almost the entire 106 million population. Its programmes are award-winning domestically and internationally, recognised by judges in our own annual awards as the best in class as well as in other competitions. To remove a country's most-watched TV news broadcaster during a global pandemic where reliable news, information and advice are essential for citizens' wellbeing is an appalling misjudgement.”
“The closure is a direct attack on free media in the Philippines,” continues Spanswick. “The failure of the authorities and Congress in the Philippines to renew the franchise in a timely manner and in accordance with the country's legislative framework sends a chilling message to anyone in the media in the Philippines: Duterte's government will do anything to prevent free speech and to stop it from being held to account.”