January 8 ------ ABS-CBN expressed its gratitude to Albay Representative Joey Salceda for his efforts in filing a franchise renewal bill for the media giant, more than four years after its shutdown in May 2020. Salceda filed a House bill calling for the renewal of the media giant’s legislative franchise to “construct, install, operate, and maintain television and radio broadcasting stations” across the country.
The Albay representative’s bill marks the fifth attempt to seek the media giant’s franchise renewal through a House bill after Rep. Gabriel Bordado Jr. (Camarines Sur’s 3rd District), Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro’s 2nd District), Makabayan bloc lawmakers Raoul Manuel, Arlene Manuel, and France Castro, and Rep. Johnny Pimentel (Surigao del Sur’s 2nd District).
On the same day, ABS-CBN thanked Salceda for his efforts to bat for the media giant’s franchise renewal in a statement. It also expressed its gratitude to the lawmakers who filed for similar franchise renewal bills before the House. “While we were not aware of Rep. Joey Salceda’s filing of a bill to grant a broadcast franchise to ABS-CBN today, we are deeply grateful for his support and belief in [our] contributions and mission to serve the Filipino public,” it said.
ABS-CBN’s free TV and radio channels were forced off-air in May 2020 after the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) denied the renewal of its franchise, which took place under the administration of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Since then, ABS-CBN’s head of TV production Laurenti Dyogi said in March 2023 that the media giant has been operating as a “content creator,” and is set on bringing its content to various platforms including former network rival GMA.
Source: inquirer.net
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