Bilyonaryo Felipe Gozon is continuing to build up GMA Network’s star power despite being the dominant media company in the country.
A Babbler said GMA has ramped up its pursuit of one of ABS-CBN’s biggest talents, celebrity host Boy Abunda.
The Babbler said Abunda, after staying put for two years, is expected to walk away from ABS-CBN by the end of this year.
“He (Abunda) misses free TV and there is nothing ABS-CBN can offer him,” the Babbler said.
Abunda, who was talent of GMA before he joined ABS-CBN 23 years ago, has not had a show on free TV since ABS-CBN’s franchise lapsed in May 2020.
ABS-CBN’s application for a new franchise was trashed in Congress a few months later.
He conducted interviews with presidential aspirants during the campaign under “The Boy Abunda Talk Channel” which was streamed on YouTube and the Kapamilya Channel online.
Abunda has long been rumored to be the target of not only GMA 7 but also its rival, TV 5 of bilyonaryo Manny V. Pangilinan in the middle of the pandemic.
In September 2021, Abunda confirmed these negotiations: “I have been in discussions with various parties, including people who are affiliated with 7. I’ve been offered by other channels. I’ve been asked by people affiliated with TV5. I’ve been negotiating with other independent producers to do talk shows…But I’m still waiting for ABS-CBN to have free TV.”
ABS-CBN’s bid to return to free TV has become more difficult after the National Telecommunications Commission awarded its previous frequencies to Advanced Media Broadcasting System of utra bilyonaryo Manny Villar (Channel 2), Pastor Apollo Quiboloy’s Swara Sug Media (Channel 43 or formerly ABS-CBN TVPlus), and Aliw Broadcasting of the Cabangon-Chua family (Channel 23).
With no franchise and no digital frequencies on the block, ABS-CBN’s only route to free TV is to buy in or merge with a network with a franchise and frequency

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