FILE PHOTO: Senator Robinhood Padilla during a January 23, 2024 plenary session. Padilla has expressed regret over the impending closure of CNN Philippines: “While politicking in all corners, this is what will happen to public information..” (Joseph Vidal/Social Media Unit)
MANILA, Philippines — Senator Robin Padilla on Tuesday lamented the impending closure of CNN Philippines amid the political turbulence in the country.
On Monday, owner and operator Nine Media Corporation (NMC) announced the “discontinuation of its news and production operations on all media platforms, branded as CNN Philippines, effective 31 January 2024.”
The closure, according to Padilla, “is a great loss to public information.”
“Bayan ko. Sa kalagitnaan ng politicking sa lahat ng sulok, ito po ang magaganap sa public information,” said the senator, who heads the Senate committee on public information and mass media.
(My country. While politicking in all corners, this will happen to public information.)
READ: CNN Philippines shutting down as losses exceed P5B
“O Allah, patawarin mo ako sa aking mga nakaraang pagkakamali at gabayan mo ako patungo sa tamang landas,” he added in a statement.
(O Allah, forgive me for my mistakes and guide me to the right path.)
Padilla called on the media industry to help combat fake news.
According to NMC, its decision to discontinue the television network operations “follows significant financial losses sustained over the past years, despite rigorous efforts to adapt and innovate in a rapidly evolving and challenging media landscape.”
Since its first airing in 2015, news reports said the network has incurred financial losses that have ballooned to more than P5 billion.
Using the CNN license alone has also reportedly cost NMC around P55 million to P60 million a year.
“We express our deepest appreciation to our dedicated team for their unwavering commitment over the years that has elevated CNNPH as a trusted source of news and information in the Philippines,” NMC said in a statement.