The ABS-CBN frequencies, shut down on May 5th, 2020, will be used by a television station for distance learning lessons given that Manila is back in lockdown (27 million people are in quarantine) and Covid-19 is running rife in the rest of the country. It is not clear how this will be put into action and ABS-CBN has wisely offered the use of their infrastructure and educational programmes produced over the last twenty years. What is going to happen? This is the fourth episode of the soap opera…
Here are the previous events:
THE PHILIPPINES: IF THIS TV IS INCONVENIENT MAYBE I’LL SHUT IT DOWN… OR MAYBE NOT
THE PHILIPPINES: ABS-CBN SHUT DOWN ON MAY 5TH, 2020
THE PHILIPPINES: PARLIAMENT REFUSES TO RENEW LICENCE AND ABS-CBN APPEALS
THE PHILIPPINES: Parliament refuses to renew licence and ABS-CBN appeals
The hard line taken by President Rodrigo Duderte has the upper hand. Parliament has refused to renew ABS-CBN’s broadcasting licence, that was due to last for another 25 years. The first problems began in March 2020 (we spoke about this here). The reasons for the dispute were unfavourable news coverage of the president and not broadcasting election commercials. Radio and TV frequencies have been turned off since May 5th, 2020, while awaiting a decision (we spoke about this here). The multimedia group that owns 16 radio stations and employs 11,000 people) has appealed.