The Lopez family is apparently ready to say goodbye to the original ABS-CBN headquarters, almost three years after the once-dominant broadcasting company lost its franchise.
According to Babbler, Rockwell Land, the Lopez family’s property arm, has snapped up the 3.4-hectare property on Sgt. Esguerra Avenue and Mother Ignacia Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City, where ABS-CBN has been operating since 1968.
ABS-CBN has informed some officers and staff that their news offices and facilities, including the iconic Studio 7, which is the birthplace of the popular news show “TV Patrol,” will relocate to the 15-storey adjacent Eugenio Lopez Jr Communications Center later this year to make way for the planned demolition of the low-rise building.
Babbler said the move makes practical sense, as ABS-CBN had to sell the land to keep its operations going, and the old building has practically been empty due to the mass layoffs resulting from the loss of the franchise and an increase in remote work, even after the pandemic.
ABS-CBN’s franchise expired in May 2020, and Congress declined to renew it a few months later.
Since then, it has let go of almost 6,000 employees, and its TV frequencies have been granted to other networks – AllTV of Manny Villar (Channel 2), Aliw TV of Cabangon-Chua family (Channel 23), and Sonshine Media Network Inc. (SMNI) of Pastor Apollo Quiboloy (Channel 43).
To stay in the game, ABS-CBN has transitioned to a content provider with its shows airing on other networks – TV5 of Manny V. Pangilinan and A2Z of Bro. Eddie Villanueva- and has even teamed up with former bitter rival GMA Network for films.
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