is the largest media conglomerate in the Philippines. They own the movie studio Star Cinema as well as the ABS-CBN TV channels, among other things.The company was formed in 1967 through a merger between two companies, Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) and Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN), though its origins can be traced as far back as on June 13, 1946, just after World War II and a month before the Philippines was granted independence, when an American radio engineer named James Lindenberg formed Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC). Lindenberg would later partner with Antonio Quirino, brother of then-Philippine President Elpidio Quirino to try their hand at television broadcasting, renaming BEC to Alto Broadcasting System and started airing test broadcasts on September 1953.
They were forced to cease operations in 1973 following the Marcos dictatorship—ABS' flagship station was seized from the Lopezes and became Banahaw Broadcasting Corporation (BBC-2, not to be confused with the other BBC in the UK), a state-run network bankrolled by oligarch and Macros crony Roberto Benedicto, who also owned RPN-9 and IBC-13. BBC-2 ran for thirteen years from 1973 up to the People Power Revolution in 1986, where reformist troops captured the station amidst the ensuing turmoil and sabotaged the transmitter which was supposed to be airing Marcos' inauguration from Malacañang Palace. ABS-CBN then resumed operations in September 1986.
On February 10, 2020, the solicitor general's office filed a petition at the Supreme Court to end ABS-CBN's franchise due to allegations of foreigners involved in the company's ownership, though several journalist organizations and groups contend that this is politically motivated by the Duterte administration.note On May 5, 2020, the National Telecommunication Commission ordered ABS-CBN to cease broadcast operations after Congress failed to renew its operational license. ABS-CBN had no choice but to comply with the order with TV Patrol as the last show to sign off, making it the first time since 1972 that the station shut down.
Needless to say, journalists, celebrities and even arch-rival GMA Network took great umbrage at what was seen as a draconian, inconsiderate and underhanded move by the government, contending that not only did it stifle freedom of journalism and expression, but it put the livelihoods of those affected by the shutdown in jeopardy, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2020 typhoon season, resulting in residents and authorities in remote provinces facing difficulties with getting updates on the typhoons' onslaught as ABS-CBN was the only station they had clear access to; internet access wasn't an option either due to intermittent signals in said regions. On July 10, 2020, the House committee formally rejected the franchise renewal of ABS-CBN. 70 members of the committee voted for denial while 11 voted for renewal. The verdict unsurprisingly led to massive outcry both from the public (75 percent called for a franchise renewal in a survey), and from ABS-CBN staff and cast members. Other artists and even rival network GMA commiserated, knowing how the shutdown set a dangerous precedent over freedom of journalism and expression of dissent.
ABS-CBN began re-starting operations as a cable channel known as the Kapamilya Channel, in 2020, and started blocktime agreements with religious broadcaster ZOE TV (which operates Channel 11 in Mega Manila) to launch A2Z that same year. Alongside the agreement with ZOE TV, ABS-CBN's programming also aired on TV5 note until 2023 when they moved to GMA.
ABS-CBN is notable for producing a lot of telenovelas of the pink variety, but has also produced other kinds of shows, such as edutainment shows back in The '90s, the variety series It's Showtime and the animated series The Nutshack, which aired on Myx TV. (also owned by ABS-CBN) The company also licenses thousands of content from all over the world.
Selected TV series produced, distributed, and aired by ABS-CBN:
- 100 Days to Heaven
- Almost Paradise (in collaboration with Electric Entertainment)
- Anghel Na Walang Langit
- Bagani
- Batang Quiapo
- Beauty Queens (released as a digital series on IWantTFC)
- Dirty Linen
- Drag You & Me
- Eat Bulaga! (aired on the network from 1989 to 1995 before Channel Hopping to GMA Network)
- Forevermore
- Game Ka Na Ba?
- Goin Bulilit
- Got to Believe
- He's Into Her
- Home Along Da Riles
- Ikaw Lamang
- The Iron Heart
- It's Showtime
- Jet and the Pet Rangers (released as a digital series on IWantTFC)
- Jollitown (2011-2012)
- Juan dela Cruz
- Kadenang Ginto
- Lobo
- Maalaala Mo Kaya (Philippines' continuously running drama anthology)
- Mara Clara
- May Bukas Pa
- The Nutshack (American-Filipino co-production)
- Oki Doki Doc
- Palibhasa Lalake
- Princess and I
- Senior High
- Sine'skwela
- Ang Probinsyano (2015)
- Wansapanataym
- Wildflower (2017)
Tropes associated with ABS-CBN itself:
- Network Death: A lapse of ABS-CBN's broadcasting license in 2020 caused its channels to stop broadcasting. So far, none of them have been revived. This didn't stop ABS-CBN from broadcasting - they shifted to broadcasting their shows on rival networks Channel 5 and GMA Network.
