My Thoughts On The Shutdown - Part II

 

Last Thursday, I discussed how ABS-CBN needs to capitalize on their remaining platforms (cable and internet) in the event they are unable to renew their terrestrial franchise. Tonight, let's talk about how they can get back to free TV while their franchise renewal is being discussed.

It is possible for ABS-CBN to buy airtime from other stations, but not from currently existing channels like GMA and 5. However, they can buy airtime from any defunct channel.

One of the most recent analog frequencies that went defunct is Channel 11. On April 24, 2019, GMA/Citynet announced that it will terminate its blocktime agreement with ZOE Broadcasting by the end of May 2019. The split comes after the release of GMA's 2018 financial report which declared the increasing lease payments that the network contributes to ZOE for the past three years (from ₱899.89 million in 2016 to almost a billion pesos in 2018). Third-party sources reported that Channel 11 would simulcast ZOE's sister station DZOZ-DTV channel 33 after the termination of the agreement, but ZOE has no official statement yet on its future plans.

GMA managed to extend GNTV's run on channel 11 until the planned conversion date of June 4. To facilitate this, GMA/Citynet and ZOE conducted the conversion into two stages: all of ZOE's in-house programs were pulled out from GMA and GNTV's programming lineup on June 3; then on June 4, as channel 11 is slated to shut off after the termination, GNTV Manila's intellectual unit (master control, sales, and employees) successfully transferred to the newly rehabilitated DWDB-TV for the remainder of the analog broadcast run. Engineers and technicians from ZOE missed the said shutoff notice of channel 11, which caused the cut off to be delayed until midnight of June 5. Afterwards, GMA revived UHF channel 27 after 18 years of inactivity, and placed GNTV there.

Since Channel 11 has not been used for almost a year, ABS-CBN can lease this channel from ZOE to air ABS-CBN until their franchise is renewed.

Aside from Channel 11, there are other analog frequencies that are currently inactive due to their stations shifting from analog to digital. Several examples are: SBN 21 (closed September 12, 2019), Net 25 (closed October 2018) RJTV 29 (closed June 5, 2018), and 3ABN Channel 45 (closed December 1, 2018). ABS-CBN can also negotiate blocktime agreements to any these networks so they can air S+A and other free TV channels that are also included on the cease-and-desist order issued by NTC.

I am not an expert in telecommunications, and I know the above suggestions may not be easy. However, I am making this proposal because I believe that in every problem, there is always a solution, both short-term and long-term.