Three years after losing its congressional franchise, ABS-CBN Network is "taking back" its former flagship television channel in Metro Manila.
Well, sort of.
The media conglomerate recently partnered with Villar-owned Advanced Media Broadcasting System (ABMS), which now holds the Channel 2 frequency once held by ABS-CBN.
"ALLTV [the official brand name of AMBS] will host the airing of nostalgic Kapamilya shows under the Jeepney TV brand and likewise simulcast the longest-running primetime newscast in the country, TV Patrol," ABS-CBN said in a joint media statement on April 23.
The move is seen as a "win-win" for both networks, as well as a sign that the Lopezes and the Villars, which had locked horns over the issue of extending ABS-CBN's legislative franchise before it expired in 2020, are finally burying the hatchet.
AMBS, which had taken over the Channel 2 frequency after ABS-CBN lost its franchise, had struggled to gain a foothold in the country's media space as ABS-CBN and its rival, GMA Network, both managed to maintain their tight hold in the country's broadcast sector amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
ALLTV, which had mainly hosted telenovelas imported from ABS-CBN as well as a few original programs, also took a hit after CNN Philippines, whose flagship news program was also aired on ALLTV, ceased operations this January.
The new partnership also marks a new chapter in ABS-CBN's strategic partnership with other media networks in lieu of regaining its legislative franchise.
Earlier this year, ABS-CBN and GMA signed a "historic" agreement that saw the airing of the former's flagship noontime show "It's Showtime" over GMA-7.
(With report by Paolo Mendez)
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