Philippines’ broadcaster ABS-CBN continues to fight for its life against a powerful lobby opposing a franchise renewal.

Meanwhile, network execs are determinedly fast-tracking a digital channel rollout. Announcements on the new services are expected any minute.

In the country’s corridors of power, hearings into the renewal continue this month with the country’s solicitor general, Jose Calida, insisting that ABS-CBN violated its previous franchise too many times to even contemplate a renewal. 

ABS-CBN has always denied the allegations, including foreign ownership accusations, and has spent months playing up its service to the Filipino people amid the Covid-19 crisis.

Calida has accused the broadcast giant of being motivated not by service, but by greed and power. 

Although he has denied meddling in the franchise renewal process, his advice to the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) was not to grant a provisional licence. 

The provisional licence would have kept ABS-CBN on air while the formal franchise hearings were under way. Instead, the NTC issued a cease and desist order that forced ABS-CBN off air on 5 May.

In another passionate plea to lawmakers, ABS-CBN president and chief executive, Carlos Katigbak, said on 1 June that “I believe there are many voices who will speak out and assert that our service to them has been genuine and real”. He also strongly refuted the claim that ABS-CBN had been illegally returned to the Lopez family after martial law.