CAGAYAN de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez today urged the owners of radio-TV network ABS-CBN to absorb the staff of Teleradyo in their surviving broadcast-related businesses.
He made the appeal following the announcement by ABS-CBN chief operating officer Karlo Katigbak that Teleradyo, the forerunner of radio station DZMM, should stop airing by June 30 this year to further reduce the network’s operating losses.
“We are anxious about the continued employment of the radio station staff, many of whom have worked for ABS-CBN for many years. We are as well concerned about the welfare of their families,” he said.
He said the network’s owners should find ways to accommodate the staff in cable television channel ANC and their residual businesses.
“They could also be absorbed in their joint ventures with other media companies,” Rodriguez said.
DZMM, and the network’s television channels, had to close shop three years ago during the Duterte administration after Congress refused its congressional franchise.
However, ABS-CBN continues to operate ANC, a cable television channel, which Katigbak said would remain on air as it is viable.
Rodriguez said he continues to believe that Congress should have renewed the 25-year franchise of ABS-CBN.
“The expiration of the network’s broadcasting privilege had left a void in the information dissemination and public service space, which we continue to feel up to now,” he said.
On May 6, 2020, the Mindanao lawmaker filed Bill No. 6694, which proposed to grant ABS-CBN a new 25-year franchise.
“The franchise of ABS-CBN expired May 4, 2020 midnight. In order to continue to provide uninterrupted and improved delivery of its services to the Filipino people, the franchise should be granted in the soonest possible time,” he said.
He also filed a joint resolution that sought to give the network a provisional broadcast permit until June 2022.
He said the temporary license would give both the House and the Senate “time to review, assess and determine whether or not ABS-CBN shall be granted a new franchise.”
A similar resolution was introduced by then Cebu City Rep. Raul del Mar.
