Media freedom suffers as Philippines' ABS-CBN loses bid to regain franchise

ABS-CBN employees and supporters holding candles outside the broadcast network's headquarters, following Philippine congress' vote against the broadcast network's franchise renewal, in Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines, on July 10, 2020. - Reuters

MANILA, July 10 (Reuters): ABS-CBN, long the leading broadcaster in The Philippines, was Friday (July 10), denied a bid to win a new franchise. The company had been forced off air in May in what many critics saw as a move to silence critics of the country's President Rodrigo Duterte.

Since the abrupt decision in May, two of ABS-CBN's digital channels which were not subject to the same license, were also closed. There have also been multiple discussions of the matter in Congress.