ABS-CBN

Duterte Ally Now Controls ABS-CBN TV Signals

A billionaire businessman and political fundraiser linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has wrested control of the broadcast frequencies used by the country’s largest television network ABS-CBN before the government forced it to close, raising concern about a further erosion of media freedom.The National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) said in a statement on Tuesday that it had granted Manuel Villar’s company, Advanced Media Broadcasting System (AMBS) a “provisional authority” t

27 January 2022
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The ABS-CBN Shutdown Controversy

The Philippines at the moment is not only confronted by the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, rather it is also faced with a huge controversy surrounding one of the most influential media networks in the country, ABS-CBN or popularly known as the “Kapamilya” (Family) Network. The reason for the whole controversy is due to the expiration of its congressional franchise on 4 May, 2020 followed by a “cease and desist” order (CDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commissi

23 December 2020
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EU Parliament Resolution: A Double Standard?

The bilateral relations between the Philippines and the European Union (EU) have been relatively friendly for quite some time until it soured when the Duterte administration launched its war against illegal drugs. The somewhat embittered relationship started when the EU Parliament in September 2016 passed a resolution expressing its dismay, calling on the Philippine government to look at the casualties of its war on drugs, more specifically on the extrajudicial killings.

23 September 2020
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Duterte's History Of Clashes With Philippine Media

Journalist Maria Ressa's libel conviction on Monday has raised fresh concerns about press freedom under Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, who has a history of clashing with the media.Here are some notable confrontations:'Shameless' InquirerThe Philippine Daily Inquirer is one of the nation's top publications and brands itself as delivering "balanced news, fearless views".When Duterte launched his deadly crackdown on narcotics in 2016, the paper covered it ext

16 June 2020
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The ABS-CBN Shutdown Controversy

The Philippines at the moment is not only confronted by the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, rather it is also faced with a huge controversy surrounding one of the most influential media networks in the country, ABS-CBN or popularly known as the “Kapamilya” (Family) Network. The reason for the whole controversy is due to the expiration of its congressional franchise on 4 May, 2020 followed by a “cease and desist” order (CDO) issued by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)

24 May 2020
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Democracy Watchdogs Worry Over ABS-CBN's Shutdown

The shutting down of the Philippines' top broadcaster crosses a dangerous line in eroding the nation's democracy and sends a warning to those who risk angering President Rodrigo Duterte, watchdogs said.Since rising to power in 2016, Duterte has steadily tightened his grip on the nation's key institutions and jailed or side-lined his loudest detractors, but until now his worst threats against critical media had not been fully realised.Tuesday's halting of broadcasting giant

7 May 2020
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Philippines Forces Top Broadcaster Off Air

The Philippines' top broadcaster ABS-CBN was forced off air Tuesday over a stalled operating licence renewal, drawing fresh charges that authorities were cracking down on press freedom.Since running afoul of President Rodrigo Duterte in 2016, ABS-CBN has seen bills to extend its franchise languish in Congress as the leader repeatedly attacked the conglomerate in speeches.Duterte is notorious for tangling with media outlets critical of his policies, sparking concern that press freedoms ha

6 May 2020
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Philippines feels the heat from hackers

Among all ASEAN member countries, the Philippines is said to be the most susceptible to cyberattacks. Despite the dire warnings, the republic’s media and entertainment giant ABS-CBN still fell victim to a hack recently.

22 September 2018
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