Author: Ron Mia

ABS-CBN’s franchise can be extended even after March 30, 2020. House Committee on Legislative Franchises Vice Chairman Rep. Antonio Albano said ABS-CBN will not automatically shut down even if it reaches the franchise expiration. In a statement to the media, Albano explained that after March 30, 2020, the Kapamilya network’s franchise will be deemed extended. “May I remind the public that even if the ABS-CBN franchise expires on the said date on March, it does not mean that ABS-CBN will close completely because the rule of thumb in the committee, we were briefed on this while this 18th Congress is…

The Supreme Court has asked ABS-CBN Corporation and its subsidiary ABS-CBN Convergence to comment on the quo warranto petition filed by the Office of the Solicitor General. On Tuesday, February 11, Supreme Court spokesman Atty. Brian Hosaka said the high court has given the media company and its subsidiary 10 days to comment on the petition filed by the OSG. OSG led by SolGen Jose Calida filed on Monday, February 10, a quo warranto petition against ABS-CBN for having allegedly violated several provisions of their broadcast franchise. According to Calida, ABS-CBN violated the constitutional provision on foreign ownership of media…

Kapuso stars Christian Bautista and Kyline Alcantara are open to welcoming Kapamilya stars if ever the network fails to secure their franchise renewal. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLWTHoJw8ZY During the presscon of their concert ‘The Sweetheart and the Balladeer Fun Night Only’, Christian Bautista and Kyline Alcantara were asked about their take on the impending franchise renewal of their former home network ABS-CBN. At first, Christian was adamant about not answering the question. “Next question, next question. No answers to this, whatever it is, we’re not gonna go there,” he said. But when asked if they would welcome Kapamilya stars if ever they transferred…

Solicitor General Jose Calida confronted ABS-CBN reporter Mike Navallo after filling his quo warranto case against the Kapamilya network at the Supreme Court. An obviously agitated Calida accused the ABS-CBN reporter of constant hitting him through his news reports. “Palagi mo akong binabanatan ah, abogado ka rin pala eh,” Calida told Navallo. Navallo politely said in response that he’s just doing his job as a journalist. “No, sir. I’m just doing my job, it’s a story,” said Navallo But Calida didn’t stop and challenged the reporter to see him in court. “Mag-practice ka na lang, magkita tayo sa court,” said…

Solicitor General Jose Calida filed a quo warranto case against ABS-CBN. The Office of the Solicitor General led by Atty. Jose Calida has asked the Supreme Court to nullify ABS-CBN’s franchise through a Quo Warranto petition. In a statement after filing the case, Calida said ABS-CBN has violated their franchise when it started their pay-per-view channel KBO on their ABS-CBN TV Plus. “We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices of ABS-CBN benefitting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers. These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded…

Kathryn Bernardo and Alden Richards were named 2019 Phenomenal Box Office Stars. Known for his record-breaking films, Vice Ganda has been consistently awarded the Guillermo Mendoza Memorial Scholarship Foundation Box Office Entertainment Award’s Phenomenal Box Office Star for eight consecutive years. But this year, Vice missed out on the award as his 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival entry The Mall, The Merrier fell to the second place following top grosser Miracle in Cell No. 7. The Phenomenal Box Office Star title is the highest award given annually by GMMSF. Previously the highest honors given at the Box Office Entertainment Award…

Grand slam Queen Lorna Tolentino ended speculations that FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano will finally end its run this coming March. In a sideline interview during the grand opening of Skinfrolic by Beautederm at the Ayala Malls Manila Bay, LT said there’s no truth to the rumors that the long-running Kapamilya action-drama series will end in March. Instead she said that her character first lady Lily Ann Cortez Hidalgo will be the one to end in March. “No, hindi. Ako hanggang March. Pero si ‘Probinsyano’ tuloy pa. I think until May pero I’not sure kasi tuwing okey naman ‘yung naging istorya at…

Netizens slammed Sen.Villar for insensitive nCov remark. Senator Cynthia Villar opined that the current global nCov scare will be good for local agritourism. In a statement in front of hundreds of farmers during the 1st Agribusiness Tourism conference, Villar said the current apprehensions about nCov will benefit local tourism in the country. “Since there’s a ban on any flight coming in from China, Hong Kong, and Macau, so they can’t cruise for fear of getting infected of nCoV so we will rely on farm tourism and it is local tourism,” the senator said. She also added that this will be…

ABS-CBN has only a month to renew its franchise. Congress has yet to start deliberating ABS-CBN franchise renewal. Just a little over a month and ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal seems to be ticking down to the last few minutes. With the 11 bills still not enacted by the House of Representatives, the future of ABS-CBN continues to be uncertain. Expiring on March 30, 2020, ABS-CBN will have to cease operations if ever they failed to secure another 25-year license to operate. While House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano assured that there will be enough time to tackle ABS-CBN’s impending renewal, the Committee…

The National Union of Journalists in the Philippines has called out the House Committee on Legislative Franchises for its inaction on the impending franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. In a series of tweets Friday, February 7, the journalist group blasted the House Committee and its chairman Rep. Franz Alvarez for delaying the deliberation on the 11 franchise bills pending in Congress. https://twitter.com/nujp/status/1225725083194249216?s=21 According to NUJP, they received reports from the Makabayan bloc that up until now, Rep. Alvarez has yet to calendar in his committee’s agenda, the franchise renewal of the Kapamilya network. https://twitter.com/nujp/status/1225725225301504001 https://twitter.com/nujp/status/1225725332570853378 NUJP said they see no reason…

Senator Grace Poe has revealed that even GMA Network is in support of ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal. In an ambush interview with the press during the surprise birthday party of her sister Lovi Poe, the Senator revealed that even rival network GMA Network favors the renewal of the Kapamilya network’s franchise. “Alam mo, ‘yung mga kapatid natin, kaibigan natin sa GMA, nakakausap ko. Sila ay supportive rin. Kasi sa industriya, ‘di ba, ayaw mo naman na wala kang pagkakataon, ‘di ba?” as quoted by Vinia Vibar. Just recently, former Kapuso journalist Michael Fajatin came out on Facebook supporting ABS-CBN’s franchise renewal.…

ABS-CBN claimed nationwide leadership via Kantar results. GMA Network boasted NUTAM leadership via AGB Nielsen. Archrival networks ABS-CBN and GMA network both claimed number 1 standing in national ratings for the month of January 2020. In the latest numbers from Kantar Media and AGB Nielsen, the country’s 2 largest media networks claimed separate leadership in nationwide ratings. Using Kantar’s rating report, ABS-CBN started the new decade with a soaring 38% overall ratings for January 2020, 6% higher than its competitor GMA network which scored 32%. In Metro and Mega Manila, ABS-CBN also beat GMA Network at 38% vs 32% and…

Love of My Life wins pilot NUTAM ratings vs rival. Love of My Life replaced One of the Baes. GMA Network’s latest primetime drama series Love of My Life debuted last Monday, February 3. The new series replaced One of the Baes which had its finale episode on Friday, January 31. From the latest available data from AGB Nielsen NUTAM report, Love of My Life’s pilot episode successfully beat Kapamilya rival A Soldier’s Heart. Love of My Life registered a rating of 8.6%, 0.2% higher than its rival’s 8.4%. However, the latest Kapuso series didn’t manage to topple its competitor in…

Entertainment workers Ice Seguerra and Bembol Roco became emotional as they exposed the dismal working conditions in local showbiz. During the hearing of several bills following the death of screen veteran Eddie Garcia, Seguerra and Roco revealed the sad state of showbiz workers in the country. Seguerra, a former child star, couldn’t help but cry while recalling his experiences and those of the extras whom he said were abused and have no outlet for their complaints. “Sa init ng araw nasa ilalim lang ho kami ng payong, nakaupo, walang maayos na lugar. Medyo nag-level up para sa mga artista but…

Prima Donnas beats It’s Showtime on Saturday. Kapuso afternoon drama Prima Donnas extended their winning streak to weekends. Based on the latest numbers from AGB Nielsen NUTAM People survey, Prima Donnas won its timeslot on Saturday, February 1 beating Kapamilya rival It’s Showtime. Prima Donnas’ weekend debut scored a rating of 7.7%,1.8% higher than It’s Showtime’s 5.9%. In Saturday’s episode, Wendell Ramos finally introduced Brianna (Elijah Alejo), Donna Belle (Althea Ablan), at Donna Lyn (Sofia Pablo) as their heirs. Meanwhile, James Blanco will be joining the soap in the role of Ruben. https://twitter.com/BlujayHannah/status/1223510889514463233 https://twitter.com/1998caarl/status/1223507905103593472 https://twitter.com/Jesus72302724/status/1223559024391540736 https://twitter.com/hotcuteguys3/status/1223506575685369857 https://twitter.com/truk08kurt/status/1223595642779340804 Prima Donnas’ extended…

ABS-CBN franchise bills still not calendared. In less than two months before ABS-CBN’s franchise expires, the House of Representatives has yet to calendar the hearing of the 9 bills pending in Congress. In a report by Politiko, the House Committee on Legislative Franchises is about to tackle 5 franchise bills on Wednesday, February 5, but it does not include the Kapamilya network. Among the list of scheduled franchise bills that will be discussed by the panel include FBS Radio Network, Century Communications Marketing Center, Caceres Broadcasting Network, and Philand Communications Network Corporation. However, based on the published schedule on the…