Philippines' main channel forced off-air amid coronavirus lockdown
Source: The Guardian
Television screens tuned into the Philippines’ biggest broadcaster ABS-CBN went blank on Tuesday evening, after the network was forced off air by a cease-and-desist order that has been condemned as a brazen attack on press freedom.
The media group, which has been repeatedly attacked by the country’s president, Rodrigo Duterte, has faced months of uncertainty over its future. An application to renew its franchise, a requirement in order to continue operations, had been delayed in congress.
It had been expected that the network would be allowed to continue broadcasting during the coronavirus lockdown, when access to reliable information is crucial to public health. Millions of people living in the country’s capital and main cities remain under quarantine measures until mid-May.
On Tuesday, however, the network went off air just before 8pm, following the decision by the country’s telecoms body, National Telecommunications Commission. Its 25-year congressional franchise ended on Monday.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/05/philippines-main-channel-abs-cbn-forced-off-air-amid-coronavirus-lockdown
And Trump looks on longingly, wishing he were more like Duterte, who gets to shoot people on 5th Avenue and muzzle the media.
= new reply since forum marked as read
