ABS-CBN heeds NTC’s halt order; stops digital transmission via Channel 43
MANILA, Philippines — Embattled media giant ABS-CBN Corp. on Tuesday announced that it will comply with the National Telecommunications Commission’s (NTC) cease-and-desist order (CDO) against the operation of its digital television transmission, TV Plus, via Channel 43 in Metro Manila.
In a statement, ABS-CBN confirmed it has received the alias CDO at 2:26 p.m., June 30.
“While channel 43 is not mentioned in NTC’s cease and desist order (CDO) of May 5, 2020, and it is ABS-CBN’s informed understanding that Channel 43 is not included in the CDO, digital TV transmission in Metro Manila using Channel 43 will cease tonight (June 30), consistent with the intent of the alias CDO,” the media giant said.
AMCARA Broadcasting Network or Channel 43 is where ABS-CBN airs TV Plus channels like Cine MO!, Yey!, TeleRadyo, and pay-per-view channel KBO.
In issuing the alias CDO, the telecommunications regulator said that ABS-CBN’s TV Plus channels were among the radio and television stations that were ordered to stop operating on May 5.
ABS-CBN noted that it has a pending petition before the Supreme Court questioning the NTC’s May 5 order and “hopes that such petition will be resolved soon in its favor so that it can resume broadcasting on both analog and digital platforms in the service of the Filipino.”
Article continues after this advertisementABS-CBN was ordered shut on May 5 following the expiration of its legislative franchise on May 4.
Article continues after this advertisementIn a House hearing on Monday, NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba bared that he was advised by the Office of the Solicitor General to shut down ABS-CBN TV Plus and Channel 43 because of the network’s expired franchise.
It was Solicitor General Jose Calida who filed a quo warranto petition before the high court to revoke the legislative franchises of ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiary ABS-CBN Convergence Inc., citing what he described as “highly abusive practices” of the network.
But the Supreme Court has recently junked Calida’s quo warranto petition against the broadcasting giant, citing “mootness” since ABS-CBN’s legislative franchise already expired in May.
At least 10 bills on ABS-CBN’s franchise grant are pending at the House of Representatives. Hearings on this matter are currently ongoing at the lower chamber.
