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MANILA, Philippines – Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. is returning to broadcast television in Metro Manila and nearby provinces after forging an alliance with the television network of Eddie Villanueva, the influential evangelist and founder of Jesus is Lord. Church.
ABS-CBN will begin broadcasting entertainment programs and movies from October 10 on the recently renamed “A2Z”, formerly known as Zoe TV Channel 11, following an agreement to lease airtime from Zoe Broadcasting Network Inc. of Villanueva, both companies announced Tuesday.
The agreement ends months of speculation about how ABS-CBN will reactivate its core television business after the Duterte administration complied with previous threats and ordered the company to shut down its free television and radio broadcasts on May 5 one day after his 25 years. expired franchise.
Members of the House of Representatives allied with President Rodrigo Duterte finally denied ABS-CBN’s offer for a new franchise on July 10, forcing the company to cut thousands of employees and significantly reduce business operations.
The shutdown affected tens of millions of viewers and listeners across the country.
The agreement with Zoe Broadcasting allows ABS-CBN a path to win back some viewers on free television after a five-month absence. After the broadcasts closed, ABS-CBN limited itself to its online and pay TV platforms.
“ABS-CBN and Zoe are committed to working together to bring entertainment, public service programs and educational content to the public,” ABS-CBN said in its statement.
On its website, Zoe Broadcasting was described as a healthy, family-run Christian television and broadcasting company that had been operating for the past two decades.
Its franchise covers AM radio in Calamba, VFH channel 11 in Mega Manila and UHF television channels 33 in Mega Manila and the city of Puerto Princesa in Palawan.
ABS-CBN’s rival, GMA Network, had previously broadcast GMA News TV’s analog signal on Channel 11 until their block-time agreement expired on June 5, 2019.
A Zoe Broadcasting spokesperson said the rebrand to A2Z only covered Zoe TV’s channel 11.
Zoe Broadcasting said the channel “would serve viewers with uplifting and inspiring programs of life, love and hope, educational programs, local and foreign films.”
In addition to ABS-CBN programs, A2Z will have programs from licensors such as Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN Asia), Knowledge Channel and others. Some of the shows on Zoe’s Light TV 33 will also air on A2Z, he added.
“Zoe Channel 11 TV receives a new name, a new look and a new journey in the service of God and the Filipino people. We strive to provide Filipinos with the best kind of programming and bring glory to the Lord above, ”said Zoe Broadcasting Chairman and President Sherwin N. Tugna in a statement. INQ
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