| Type | Public Media conglomerate |
|---|---|
| Traded as | PSE: ABS and ABSP |
| Industry | Conglomerate |
| Predecessor | Bolinao Electronics Corporation (1946–1952) |
| Founded | June 14, 1946 |
| Founder(s) | James Lindenberg |
| Headquarters | ABS-CBN Broadcast Center, Sgt. Esguerra Ave. corner Mother Ignacia St., Barangay Laging Handa, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines |
| Area served | Worldwide |
| Key people | Eugenio Lopez III, Chairman and CEO Charo Santos-Concio, President and COO |
| Products | television radio cable television telecommunications publishing sport motion picture recording television programming pay per view website |
| Revenue | PHP32 billion (FY 2010)[1] |
| Operating income | PHP8.6 billion (FY 2010)[1] |
| Net income | PHP3.2 billion (FY 2010)[1] |
| Total assets | PHP37.3 billion (FY 2010)[1] |
| Total equity | PHP17 billion (FY 2010)[1] |
| Employees | 11,500+ (FY 2010)[1] |
| Parent | Lopez, Inc. |
| Divisions | ABS-CBN Global Ltd. ABS-CBN Interactive ABS-CBN Licensing Group ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs ABS-CBN Sports Cable Channels and Print Media Group Central Library Creative Communications Management Group Entertainment I-Post Manila Radio Division Radio Division Star Entertainment Group Traffic |
| Website | ABS-CBN.com |
ABS-CBN Corporation (PSE: ABS and ABSP) is a Philippine-based media conglomerate. It is the Philippines' largest media and entertainment company.[2][3][4][5] The corporation was the merger of Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) which at that time owned by James Lindenberg and Antonio Quirino, and the Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN) owned by the Lopez's. Founded on June 13, 1946 by James Lindenberg as Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC), it was incorporated as ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation in February 1, 1967. On August 18, 2010 the corporate name was changed to ABS–CBN Corporation, after dropping the name "Broadcasting." The common shares of ABS-CBN PSE: ABS were first offered in July 1992. The PDRs (Philippine Depository Receipt) PSE: ABSP were offered in October 1999.[6]
The company is best known for pioneering radio and television in Southeast Asia and for its flagship television network ABS-CBN, the first commercial television network in Asia.[7] Today the company has expanded to be the largest media empire in the Philippines with reaches still unmatched up to this day. ABS-CBN Corporation owns two-thirds of the country's largest cable company SkyCable, the youth-oriented television network, Studio 23 as well as the cable channels ANC, Balls, Cinema One, Cge TV, DZMM TeleRadyo, Hero, Knowledge Channel, Lifestyle Network, Myx, Kapamilya Channel, Tambayan TV, Velvet and international networks like Myx TV and TFC.[6] ABS-CBN also owns and operates a film studio, Star Cinema, a recording studio, Star Records, a visual effects firm, Roadrunner Network, Inc., a publishing firm, ABS-CBN Publishing, radio networks like DZMM, and Tambayan 101.9 HD, websites like push.ph, cge.tv, and choosephilippines, and the direct-to-home cable service like ABS-CBN pay per view.[8]
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The nucleus of ABS-CBN began in 1946 with Bolinao Electronics Corporation (BEC). BEC was established by James Lindenberg, the father of Philippine television,[9] an ex-GI and electronics engineer who went into radio equipment assembly and radio broadcasting. At that time, the giant Philippine network was Manila Broadcasting, with DZRH as the top station. In 1949, James Lindenberg shifted Bolinao to radio broadcasting with DZBC and masterminded the introduction of television to the country in 1953.
In 1951, Lindenberg partnered with Antonio Quirino, brother of then President Elpidio Quirino, in order to try their hand at television broadcasting. In 1952, BEC was renamed as Alto Broadcasting System or ABS. "Alto" was a contraction of Quirino’s and his wife’s first names, Tony and Aleli. Though they had little money and resources, ABS was able to put up its TV tower by July 1953 and import 300 television sets. The initial test broadcasts began on September of the same year. The very first full-blown broadcast, however, was on October 23, 1953, of a party in Tony Quirino's home. The broadcasting channel was known as DZAQ-TV Channel 3.
In turn, on September 24, 1956, the Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN) was organized. The network was owned by Don Eugenio Lopez, Sr. The following year, Don Eugenio acquired ABS from Quirino and Lindenberg. However, it was only on February 1, 1967 that the corporate name was changed to ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation (before it was named ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation, the name was reverted back to the precursor of the network, Bolinao Electronics Corporation or BEC). In 1958 the network's new headquarters at Roxas Boulevard was inaugurated, and all radio and television operations were consolidated into its two buildings, the radio stations at the Chronicle Building at Aduana Street, Intramuros, Manila, and the TV operations at the brand new Roxas Boulevard building in Pasay City.
In the late 1950s, Don Eugenio's son, Geny Lopez saw the potential of TV to reach and link Filipinos across the archipelago. By the mid-1960s, the ABS network was leading the radio industry, with stations like DZXL and DZAQ Radyo Patrol, which featured journalists like Ernie Baron, Bong Lapira, Orly Mercado, Joe Taruc, Mario Garcia, Bobby Guanzon, and Rey Langit. ABS also made breakthroughs in the TV industry by achieving the country's first color TV broadcast, first satellite feed, and first use of videotape, among others. It featured top shows then, such as Your Evening with Pilita and Tawag ng Tanghalan, the country's first comedy show Buhay Artista, first Philippine gameshow, What's My Living and the first noontime show Student Canteen, among others.
On June 14, 1961, Eugenio Lopez, Jr. built the first provincial TV station in Cebu airing 4 hours with the tallest tower (in that time) in Cebu measuring 216 feet.
Two years later, the network's first test color broadcasts began. Color broadcasts started in November 1966, the first in the Philippines and Southeast Asia as the network was tagged as the First in Color Television, with full color broadcasting beginning in 1971 at all national television stations.
On December 18, 1968, ABS-CBN opened its new Broadcast Center on Bohol Avenue, Quezon City, where it still stands today. At the time, it was the most advanced facility of its kind in Asia. The station again made breakthroughs by using live satellite transmissions from abroad, foremost of which was the first moon landing in 1969 and in the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico the year before. The network enjoyed a big portion of the ratings and won many awards and recognitions from various organizations.
In 1970, the network owned and operated 2 national television and 12 regional television stations, 6 national radio and 15 regional radio stations nationwide.
The station suffered a setback upon the declaration of martial law. On midnight of September 22, 1972, a day after the declaration of Martial Law, ABS-CBN and its affiliate stations were seized. Geny Lopez, the president of the network, was imprisoned and held without trial for five years until he and his cellmate Sergio Osmeña III launched a daring jailbreak in 1977 and sought asylum in the United States. The network itself was taken over by Roberto Benedicto, a presidential crony, who used the Broadcasting Center at Bohol Avenue, then renamed as "Broadcast Plaza", as the home of MBS-4.
At the height of the People Power Revolution, military reformists, believing that television would be a powerful tool to aid the revolution, attacked and took over the ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center. On February 24, 1986, former ABS-CBN talents put the station back on the air and televised the drama of the unfolding uprising, thereby contributing to the strength of the revolt.
On February 28, 1986, after the Marcos regime was brought to its end by the revolution, Geny Lopez returned to the country after his self exile to the United States and started rebuilding what was left of the station. Recovery was difficult and resources were low. Hence, former ABS-CBN employee Freddie M. García was brought in to rework the station's programming. By 1988, ABS-CBN had regained its foothold in Philippine TV ratings.
On March 1, 1987, Channel 2 was relaunched with the live musical special, "The Star Network: Ang Pagbabalik Ng Bituin" (The Return of the Star) which noted for the numerical white tri-ribbon channel 2 logo laced with a white rhombidal star (from 1988–1992 the ribbons were tri-colored in red, green and blue) as a centerpiece of the network's revival to return its glory days. It was ABS-CBN became the first network to reclaim dominance in TV ratings.
In 1987, ABS-CBN also beefed up their news programs with TV Patrol, anchored by a team of announcers led by now former Vice-President Noli de Castro. (Its original lead anchors included de Castro, Mel Tiangco, Frankie Evangelista, and Angelique Lazo, with the late Ernie Baron telling the daily weather newscast.) Other reputable news programs followed, such as Magandang Gabi, Bayan and Hoy Gising!. The entertainment programs of ABS-CBN were also beefed up with a mix of programs that aired previously on RPN-9 and IBC-13 (Eat Bulaga!, Okey Ka Fairy Ko!, The Sharon Cuneta Show, Coney Reyes on Camera) while producing homegrown shows through the years that made an impact on Filipino viewers (The Maricel Soriano Drama Special, Palibhasa Lalake, Home Along Da Riles, etc.)
In 1989, ABS-CBN shifted to satellite broadcast, enabling the entire country to watch the same programs simultaneously. Slowly, the station inched its way to financial recovery, which it achieved by 1990. It regularly garnered around 70% of the market.
According to their website, they reach 97% of all households in the country and provide content for Studio 23 on UHF and for the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), DZMM TeleRadyo, Hero, MYX, Knowledge Channel, Lifestyle Network, Cinema One, Balls, Velvet, and Maxxx on cable.
In May 27, 2010, the multimedia conglomerate changed its name after dropping "Broadcasting" in its corporate name, a response to the changes in the media landscape brought about by technology, said ABS-CBN chairman and chief executive officer Eugenio “EL3” Lopez III. “The media business has gone beyond merely broadcasting to encompass other platforms,” EL3 said. ABS-CBN has interests in radio, free-to-air and cable television, movie production, publishing, and online news and content distribution service.[10]
Aside from its flagship terrestrial network ABS-CBN 2 Manila, ABS-CBN broadcasts to many predominantly Filipino people in the Middle East, United States, Europe, Australia and several other countries via The Filipino Channel or TFC. The network has also diversified into film (Star Cinema – ABS-CBN Film Productions, Inc.), music recording (Star Records), publishing (ABS-CBN Publishing), and interactive media (ABS-CBN Interactive). In August 2008 it inked a deal with Sorenson Pacific Broadcasting to broadcast news and other content from the network and its sister channels to its television and radio broadcasting properties in Guam and The CNMI. Former ABS-CBN president Eugenio Lopez III became chairman of the network since 1996.
The network has also introduced its second terrestrial channel, Studio 23 (UHF band) in 1996, as well as cable channels MYX (a music channel), ABS-CBN News Channel (a cable news channel), CinemaOne Global/Cinema One (a cable movie channel), the Lifestyle Network (home and lifestyle channel), Pinoy Central TV (regionally produced shows. This channel was replaced by Kapamilya Channel), Hero (the country's first Tagalog-dubbed anime channel, ANIMAX's only known competitor in Southeast Asia), DZMM TeleRadyo (the country's first interactive TV on Radio) and Knowledge Channel (all educational channel). Recently in the first quarter of 2008 three additional cable channels namely Balls (Sports Channel), Velvet (women's Channel) and Maxxx (all men focus channel). The network's radio stations include DZMM 630 kHz (AM-Manila), DWRR 101.9 (FM-Manila), and My Only Radio regional FM stations.
ABS-CBN has established regional stations and news bureaus to handle operations in different areas throughout the Philippines. It also broadcasts to locations all over the world via The Filipino Channel, managed by ABS-CBN International. Shows are also available for live viewing and subscription via the Internet through ABS-CBN Interactive's TFCnow! service.
ABS-CBN affirms its social responsibility in its slogan, "In the Service of the Filipino", and through the work of ABS-CBN Foundation. Through multimedia, the foundation has delivered E-TV (Educational Television) VCDs to hundreds of public schools in the country that benefitted students. The foundation is also the umbrella organization of such foundations such as the Knowledge Channel (KCh) Foundation, Bantay Bata (Children's Watch), Bantay Kalikasan (Environment Watch), and ABS-CBN Bayan Foundation (formerly, ABS-CBN Bayan MicroFinance).
Geny Lopez died of a heart attack and cancer on June 29, 1999 in West Avenue Medical Center in Quezon City. This happened on the same year when the network inaugurated its Millennium Transmitter in the corporation grounds, resulting in a more clear signal for its television and radio stations nationwide, and put up its own grand New Year's Day broadcast for the year 2000 in 3 simultaneous locations, another network first.
ABS-CBN Holdings Corporation(PSE: ABSP) is a holding company incorporated on March 30, 1999 as Worldtech Holdings Corporation, for the primary purpose of investing, purchasing and holding real and personal properties, including but not limited to, shares of stock, bonds, debentures, notes, evidences of indebtedness or other securities or obligations. On September 16, 1999, the Securities and Exchange Commission approved the change in the Company’s corporate name to ABS-CBN Holdings Corporation.[11]
The Company has not conducted any business other than in connection with the issuance of PDRs (Philippine Depository Receipt), the performance of obligations under the PDRs and the acquisition and holding of shares of ABS-CBN Corporation in respect of PDRs issued.
The Company is 50% owned by Lopez, Inc., a Philippine entity, and 50% owned by certain directors and officers of Lopez, Inc.
The registered office address of the Company is 4th Floor, Benpres Building, Exchange Road corner Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.
In 2003, during the television station's 50th anniversary, ABS-CBN launched its present slogan, "Kapamilya" (literally means "a member of the family").
Its international unit ABS-CBN Global Ltd. plans to undertake an initial public offering (IPO) the following year and might list on the Singapore Stock Exchange to help finance its expansion plans.[12]
The network celebrated its golden anniversary in 2003. The network held its Kapamilya Homecoming, which gathered over 4,000 former employees and talents for a grand reunion at ABS-CBN’s compound in Bohol Avenue, Quezon City. The network also launched a promo called "Treasure Hunt", where the people were invited to bring their oldest television, radio sets, microphones, and posters. The network also celebrated its 16th year reign in the TV ratings, with 13 of their shows included in the Top 15 daily programs in TV. ABS-CBN also launched new shows such as the then phenomenal Meteor Garden etc. The company also did a nationwide caravan, showcasing the network's talents.
On October 2003, the network held a month-long celebration of ABS-CBN and Philippine TV's 50th year.[13] The station produced two commemorative documentaries about the station's contribution in news and entertainment. Sa Mata ng Balita encapsulated some of the most unforgettable, most remarkable, and most celebrated landmarks of the last 50 years as captured by television news. 50 Taong Ligawan: The Pinoy TV History, on the other hand, was the first extensive television documentary done about the history of Philippine Television and the evolution of Philippine entertainment. For the celebration's finale, the broadcasting giant capped its 50th anniversary with a spectacular extravaganza dubbed as Kapamilya: ABS-CBN at 50,[14] held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City. It was hailed as one of the biggest media events of the year. The Lopez-led network rolled out the red carpet to welcome its high-profile guests from the business, advertising and media sectors, politics, members of the diplomatic community, with many of the society’s luminaries and glitterati. Valued friends and supporters of the network throughout the five decades also attended the grand affair. The network's official 50 Years station id won an Award for Excellence in the 2004 Golden Quill Festival.
On November 7, 2006, ABS-CBN unveiled its flagship coffeetable book, "Kapitan: Geny Lopez and the Making of ABS-CBN." The 453-page book chronicles the hardships and odds that the network founder had to face, as well as the achievements and contributions of ABS-CBN in Philippine Television history.[15][16] The book won various awards, including Best Biography/Autobiography in the 26th National Book Awards,[17] and a merit award in the publications category of the 2007 Gold Quill Awards.[18]
On September 29, 2007, ABS-CBN acquired the exclusive rights to the whole movie library of the late Fernando Poe, Jr., after Susan Roces signed the contract. ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio Lopez III, Cory Vidanes, Senior Vice President of TVP Production (currently the Channel 2 Head), and Poe’s daughter Grace Poe-Llamanzares were present.[19]
In 2008, ABS-CBN celebrated their 55th year in television. For the first time in Philippine TV History, ABS-CBN started the year by launching three primetime shows namely Lobo, Palos and Kung Fu Kids last January 28, 2008. ABS-CBN also launched Walang Iwanan sa BayaniJuan on June 12, 2008 in coincidence with the celebration of 110th Philippine Independence.
On April 26, 2009, ABS-CBN is the only media organization to be cited as one of the country's top 15 listed companies in corporate governance, as shown by an annual survey of the Institute of Corporate Directors (ICD).[20] It is the only media company to garner a score of 90 percent or higher in the 2008 Corporate Governance Scorecard, a survey of corporate governance practices among 172 publicly listed companies in the country.[20]
The ABS-CBN logo features three main elements, the vertical line rooted on a horizontal origin, the three extending circles, and the text ABS-CBN. The vertical line or bar represents a tower (broadcasting tower), with the circles symbolizing its signals representing the red, green and blue or RGB colors which makes up a pixel shown on the television. The 3 divisions of the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, are also denoted by the three circles.
ABS-CBN once used a logo with ABS on top and CBN on the bottom, meaning the broadcasting corporations owned by two different families, the Quirino-owned ABS and the Lopez-owned CBN. Three circles, from the past years having no color variety, represent the three main islands of the Philippines, Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. While the vertical bar represented the ABS-CBN TV transmitter tower. The whole logo is boxed, meaning ABS-CBN connects all the islands of the country with one family. The logo first introduced and appeared in 1966 including the colored circles when the network is the first color television network in the Philippines and 1967 rended in black and white. The colored circles used from its switching to color TV from 1966 to its closure by Marcoses by declearing Martial Law in the country in 1972 and 1992 when the network broadcast the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain until late 1999. When the black and white from 1967 to its clousure in 1972 and from resume broadcast from 1986 until 1992. Then, the latter years, ABS-CBN launched The Filipino Channel, making the ABS-CBN logo unboxed, and represented as ABS-CBN is not only for the Filipinos inside, but also outside of the country. Merging the two stations, ABS and CBN, with one owner, the Lopez family, the ABS-CBN logo now uses "ABS-CBN", instead of having ABS and CBN, in one variation, situated on the bottom of the logo.
Since 1969, the network has started using a channel logo beginning on DZAQ-TV with the early channel 2 logo for use as a promotion from 1969 to 1972 as The Family Channel. The frequency was later awarded to BBC as DWWX-TV from 1973 to 1986, and had a different logo used.
ABS-CBN introduced an innovation to the channel 2 logo from 1986 to 1992. At first, the channel 2 logo is introduced into ABS-CBN, after the dissolution of BBC in July. The features of the first channel 2 logo is a wing-shaped blue crest with a white curve at the top and a white line as a tail, the broadway 2 logo was used from 1986 to 1987. It has a slogan name Watch Us Do It Again! as the station ID aired since the network's revival.
After six months of carefully selected plans, the first tri-ribbon 2 logo laced with a rhombidal star came to be on March 1, 1987. The tri-ribbon 2 logo's color is white carried the slogan The Star Network when it aired as a station ID to reclaim the dominance in TV ratings. By 1988, the ribbons in the tri-ribbon 2 logo are tri-colored with red, green and blue. Truly, the tri-ribbon 2 logo was accidentally came from a shooting star in the form of 2. Similarly, most numerical channel logos within this slogan have with a star and versions came into regional TV channels like 3 (DYCB-TV in Cebu and DZRR-TV in Baguio), 4 (DYXL-TV in Bacolod and DXAS-TV in Davao) and other regional stations.
The Sarimanok, a legendary bird in Philippine Folklore was first used in 1966 to identify color broadcasts (somewhat similar on how the NBC peacock has been utilized). In 1993, which happens to be the Chinese Year of the Rooster, ABS-CBN relaunched the Sarimanok with a new station ID featuring the legendary bird. The Sarimanok ID became utmostly associated with the channel that ABS-CBN opted it to become the station's mascot. Incidentally, ABS-CBN named its new 24-hour news channel the Sarimanok News Network, the precursor of the ABS-CBN News Channel.
The ABS-CBN corporate logo started from the Alto Broadcasting System's (ABS) radio tower transmission waves graphic element and original typography that was conceptualized in 1956. James Lindenberg, the father of Philippine television, instructed Delfin L. Borrero, then a fresh fine arts graduate of the University of the Philippines in Diliman, to develop the ABS logo and its logotype.
In 1966 before ABS and CBN merged, the original logo was modified by Davis Architects which were the architects of the Bryant-Denny Stadium and Leandro Locsin, architect of the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).
In 1967, with the incorporation and final merger of the Quirino-owned Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) and the Lopez-owned Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN), the logo was revised with the same original graphic elements and including the CBN typography. The logo was rendered in black and white for station ID. The colored rendition of the logo first appeared on the first color TV broadcast in the country within the year. The tri-band circles are in RGB. Red for Luzon, Green for Visayas and Blue for Mindanao. The colored variation was used subsequently until 2000.
On January 1, 2000, ABS-CBN modified its corporate logo. The previous logo, which heralded ABS-CBN as the largest TV network in the country gave way to the present logo's styling. The tri-band circles derived from the original radio transmission waves graphic element with colors, red, green, blue with the vertical line at the center still remained and the logotype was enhanced.
Today, the tri-band radio transmission waves graphic element and the original typography are used in derivatives as logos and logotypes of subsidiaries of the ABS-CBN Corporation worldwide media conglomerate. Arquitectonica, a Miami-based international architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and urban planning corporation, designed the logo derivatives.
ABS-CBN Broadcast Center (or ABS-CBN Broadcasting Complex) is located on Sergeant Esguerra, corner Mother Ignacia Street, Barangay Laging Handa, Diliman, Quezon City. Situated on 14"38' N and 121"02' E and built in 1968. The complex contains the ABS-CBN Main Building, ABS-CBN News Center Manila, Eugenio Lopez, Jr. Communications Center (ELJCC), ABS-CBN Health Center and Clinic Center, ABS-CBN Loop Studios, ABS-CBN Studios, ABS-CBN Studios' Annex, ABS-CBN Chapel, the ABS-CBN Foundation building, ABS-CBN Garden, ABS-CBN Audience Entrance, ABS-CBN Transmitter Tower and the Fitness First ABS-CBN. Also in front of the ABS-CBN Broadcast Complex are the sound-stages used by the reality shows Pinoy Big Brother and Pinoy Dream Academy.
The ABS-CBN Studios is comprised by 12 studios. Studio 1, now known as the Dolphy Theatre, which is one of the oldest studios of ABS-CBN. Studio 2, also one of the oldest, is one of the three permanent set-up studios, where the morning talent variety show Showtime is currently taping. Studio 3 is home to the noontime variety show Happy Yipee Yehey. Studios 4, 9, 11 and 12 are temporary studio set-ups, where the props are dismantled after the show. Studio 5 is home to the showbiz talk showThe Buzz and the comedy talk show Gandang Gabi, Vice! while Studio 8 is the home to another showbiz talk show Entertainment Live, ABS-CBN's news programs permanently use Studios 6 and 7. Studio 6 houses programs of the ABS-CBN News Channel, while ABS-CBN flagship news shows TV Patrol, Bandila, and News Patrol air from Studio 7. Studio 10, the largest studio is home to the Sunday musical variety show, ASAP Rocks, the drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya and the magazine show Rated K. The Studio also houses the Studio 23 News Studio, a miniature news studio used by Studio 23's news programs such as Iba-Balita Ngayon, Iba-Balita ni Anthony Taberna, and Bilis Balita. ABS-CBN Newsroom is used by the ABS-CBN News Channel.
The Eugenio Lopez, Jr. Communications Center (ELJCC) is a 15-storey building with three basement-level parking areas. It occupies 10,000 sqm of land area and it has a 101,608.32 sqm of gross floor area.[21] The Ground Floor level is a retail area, 2nd to 4th are studios and technical floors, 5th to 12th are corporate offices while 13th to 15th are the executive offices. It is named after the late Eugenio Lopez, Jr.. It was constructed in 2000. On November 4, 2010, which would have been Geny Lopez' 82nd birthday, Pres. Noynoy Aquino and other Philippine politicians participated in the building's dedication ceremony.[22] ABS-CBN Film Archives, the cinema library of ABS-CBN, which the Philippine Inquirer describes as the "de facto National Archives" for cinema of the Philippines, has been located in the basement of ELJCC since 2003. Out of the estimated 8,000 films created since the birth of the Philippine cinema industry, an estimated 5,000 have been lost; of the remaining 3,000, ELJCC holds 2,500 of the total.[23]
The building is listed as an approved IT Center by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority, making export-oriented companies located therein eligible for temporary tax holiday, permanent reduced rate of corporate income tax, and other incentives.[24] It gained this approval in February 2003; however ABS-CBN itself does not receive PEZA tax benefit from this status.[25]
Recently, the conglomerate announced the construction of a 6 billion peso worth of state-of-the-art sound stage facility in a 15 hectare lot in Novaliches, Quezon City. The ABS-CBN Sound Stages will be comprised by six sound stages and a backlot. The first three sound stages is expected to be completed by 2013 with a cost spiraling up to 3 Billion peso.[26][27][28]
The Regional Network Group is the provincial network subsidiary of ABS-CBN Corporation. It is responsible for simultaneously airing most of the shows seen on ABS-CBN's flagship station in the provinces. The Regional Network Group has several stations in each region outside Mega Manila to ensure nationwide coverage. The local stations also produce their own newscasts which air prior to TV Patrol and other local programming which air on Sundays. Regional Network Group (RNG) glorified its roots while reaching out wider audience in 2007, consistently building on local content and developing infrastructure to deliver better service and cement its position as the top-rating regional network in the country. RNG's journey of innovation reached Filipinos through the network's 43 TV and 16 radio stations, and even went the extra mile to cross the oceans and touch OFW's everywhere. Regional versions of favorite TV shows were created, enabling ABS-CBN to reach out and connect with wider audiences worldwide. The launch of the local game show Kapamilya Winner Ka! in Visayas and Mindanao. Gandang Umaga, Pilipinas in Northern Luzon, and the 17th local TV Patrol in Southern Tagalog (Region IV-A & IV-B), provided more relevance to regional audiences.
ABS-CBN first applied for a license from the National Telecommunications Commission to operate a digital television service in 2007, initially utilizing the DVB-T standard.[29] In Metro Manila, ABS-CBN planned to offer DWWX-TV and DWAC-TV, plus 6 other premium channels through its digital television platform. It also planned to help supply DTV converter boxes in areas where reception is weak, such as Valenzuela, Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite and Laguna.[30] ABS-CBN utilized UHF Channel 51 (692–698 MHz) for test broadcasts in the DVB-T format. ABS-CBN was originally expected to begin digital broadcasts in January 2009.[29][31][32]
On June 11, 2010, the NTC announced that it would officially adopt the Japanese DTV standard ISDB-T for the transmission of digital television in the country.[33][34]
However, a month before the NTC's Technical Working Group would begin to implement regulations regarding digital television, a representative for GMA Network, Inc. objected to its decision to use ISDB-T, proposing a review of using DVB-T2 for digital television instead, due to its superior quality.[35] However, the NTC decided not to, and stuck with ISDB-T in preparation to introduce regulations for DTV in June 2011.[36]
In April 2011, ABS-CBN announced further details about its DTV plans, which would offer ABS-CBN 2, Studio 23 as well as the affiliate networks GEM TV and NBN 4. In addition, five new channels which will be exclusively available to its digital users will be offered once the digital broadcast start. The premium channel line-up include three channels for the kids, a channel for the Dads and a channel for the moms. The launch of DTV in the Philippines is still pending for a "go signal" from the NTC.[37]
On April 19, 2009, ABS-CBN announced its intention to acquire 24 Sony HDC-1400R HD portable studio cameras which cost a total of $1.56 million.[38] ABS-CBN is upgrading its studio facility at Quezon City, north of Manila, from SD to HD.
ABS-CBN Sports produced the first nationally produced true high definition program, which was the UAAP season 72 a test broadcast of Filipino collegiate basketball games on the network's Balls HD (SkyCable Channel 166) channel.[39] It, along with the NCAA games can be seen on SkyCable HD. This marked the first live HD broadcast of a locally produced program in Philippine television history.
ABS-CBN also uses its three Sky Patrol Eurocopter AS355 news chopper fleet for live breaking news, two of the news helicopters are capable of transmitting HD live feed from its 5 axis gimbal HD Camera mounted on the nose of the aircraft.[40]
At the beginning of 2008, ABS-CBN became the first media company in Asia to introduced the tapeless technology that provided the company a non-linear post production workflow and wireless access on remote areas via media access management system's OB Van and Xt(2) provided by EVS with the integration with WAM Pacific, Inc and Avid Technology.[39][41][42]
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