ABS-CBN

This article is about the television network. For the company, see ABS-CBN Entertainment.
Check out an entire wiki about ABS-CBN over at ABS-CBN Wiki.

## Information

### Type

Terrestrial commercial television network

## Links

### Website

abs-cbn.com

**ABS-CBN** (an initialism of its two predecessors' names, **Alto Broadcasting System** and **Chronicle Broadcasting Network**) is a Philippine former free-to-air network. Referred to as the "Kapamilya Network", it was launched on October 23, 1953, and is one of the the Philippines' largest networks.

On May 5, 2020, ABS-CBN was issued a cease-and-desist order to stop its operations immediately, following the non-renewal of its legislative franchise after its expiration a day prior. On June 13, 2020, many of its programming are temporarily being aired on Kapamilya Channel, and later via free TV on A2Z Channel 11.

On January 18, 2021, ABS-CBN announced a partnership with Brightlight Productions, TV5, and Cignal TV to air ABS-CBN Entertainment programming on free-to-air TV nationwide for the first time since the main ABS-CBN terrestrial network shuts down. The first programming to be aired on TV5 is *ASAP Natin 'To* on January 24, 2021, ABS-CBN's current programming under the *Primetime Bida* block are also being aired since March 8, 2021.

## Overview

### Pre-2020

The network was launched on October 23, 1953 as the Alto Broadcasting System. It merged with the Chronicle Broadcasting Network in 1961 to form ABS-CBN. The network shut down on September 23, 1972 as a result of the Martial Law under Ferdinand Marcos; ABC (now TV5) also stopped operating by then. The network was relaunched on September 14, 1986 after the People Power Revolution.

### 2020 shutdown and franchise renewal controversy

On May 5, 2020, after its legislative franchise expired a day prior, the network was forced to shut down after being issued a cease and desist order by the National Telecommunications Commission.

### Partnership with TV5/Cignal

On January 18, 2021, ABS-CBN Corporation and TV5 were allegedly doing a partnership agreement to further expand the reach of Kapamilya Network on Free TV. There are some possible results that most of ABS-CBN shows and programs that were not able to be broadcast on ABS-CBN and ZOE's A2Z Channel 11 will be aired on TV5.

On January 21, 2021, ABS-CBN jointly announced with TV5 and Cignal TV, in conjunction with Brightlight Productions, that both *ASAP Natin 'To* and the *FPJ: Da King* movie block will be simulcasted on the Kapatid network's lineup every Sunday afternoon beginning January 24, 2021. This also marks the first time that ABS-CBN programs will be aired on free-to-air television nationwide since the May 5, 2020 shutdown. Despite this development, both shows will continue to air on Kapamilya Channel, Kapamilya Online Live (except FPJ: Da King), and A2Z Channel 11.

On March 5, 2021, ABS-CBN and TV5/Cignal announced that TV5 will also simulcast the ABS-CBN Entertainment's primetime shows beginning March 8.

## Footnotes

1. ↑ (*Kapamilya* is the Filipino term for "sibling")

## External links

 ABS-CBN on Wikipedia

* ABS-CBN on Facebook
* ABS-CBN on Twitter
* ABS-CBN on Instagram