 | |
| Type | Free-to-airtelevision network |
|---|---|
| Country |
|
| Headquarters | Upper Ground Floor Worldwide Corporate Center, Shaw Boulevard cornerEDSA,Mandaluyong, Philippines |
| Owner |
|
| Parent | Radio Philippines Network (Broadcast Spectrum and License) |
Key people |
|
Launch date | March 16, 2015 (2015-03-16) |
| Dissolved | January 31, 2024 (2024-01-31) |
| Language | English (main) Filipino (for News Night,Newsroom,Balitaan,Eat Bulaga!,PBA andUpdates) |
| Replaced | 9TV |
| Replaced by |
|
CNN Philippines (abbreviated sometimes asCNN PH) was aPhilippinefree-to-airtelevision network owned and operated byNine Media Corporation, together withRadio Philippines Network (RPN), under a license fromWarner Bros. Discovery Asia-Pacific. CNN Philippines was the fifth local franchise ofCNN in Asia afterCNN Indonesia,CNN Türk,CNN Arabic, and CNN-IBN (nowCNN-News18 in India).[1] It was formed after a brand licensing agreement with CNN Worldwide and Nine Media in 2014.[2] It then launched on March 16, 2015, replacing9TV, and was available on various platforms, including cable, satellite, live-streaming, and RPN's television stations.[3][4]
CNN Philippines' local programming was produced from the Worldwide Corporate Center inMandaluyong. It maintained its analogtransmitter located at the RPN Compound in Diliman,Quezon City, while digital transmission facilities were located at the Crestview Subdivision inAntipolo,Rizal.[5][4]
Citing financial losses, CNN Philippines ceased its operations on January 31, 2024. Its terrestrial television channel space was replaced byRPTV, a channel co-owned by Nine Media Corporation andTV5 Network, while its remaining news operations and assets were absorbed by Nine Media's indirect parent Broadreach Media Holdings to formNewsWatch Plus.
Solar TV was launched on November 29, 2009, onRPN as part of a blocktime agreement withSolar Entertainment. It ended its broadcast on February 25, 2011, after Solar bought a stake of RPN; programming ofETC (now Solar Flix) was then transferred to the network. Following its closure, Solar TV retains as aSolar's broadcast media arm.
Talk TV ran March 2, 2011 to October 29, 2012 onSBN Channel 21. It was formed by theSolar Television Network (now Nine Media Corporation), then-owned bySolar Entertainment Corporation after the latter led the privatization of the state-sequesteredRadio Philippines Network (RPN) in 2011. The first programs that aired on the channel wereDateline NBC,The Today Show,Today's Talk,NBC Nightly News,Inside Edition,The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, andLate Show with David Letterman.[6]
Solar News, known for its back-to-basics and unbiased journalism, was formed in January 2012 during the coverage of the impeachment trial of former Chief JusticeRenato Corona. Post-EDSA revolutionABS-CBN newsmen Pal Marquez, Jing Magsaysay and Pia Hontiveros, together with former ANC anchors Claire Celdran, Mai Rodriguez and Nancy Irlanda, were known as the pillars of Solar News. A reporting team was composed of the former reporters ofRPN NewsWatch, the sole and longest-running English newscast of Radio Philippines Network, which stopped airing in 2012 due to RPN's privatization.[6]
The hourly news bulletinSolar News Update (later renamedHeadlines) first aired in March 2012, followed by the primetime newscastSolar Network News andSolar Nightly News, which respectively started airing on June 18 and July 16 of the same year;Daybreak andNewsday started airing on October 1. On October 30, Talk TV finally signed off to make way for the launching of the first 24-hour English news channel on both cable TV and free-to-air TV: the Solar News Channel.[6]
Dubbed then as the "First 24/7 All-English News Channel on Free TV," Solar News Channel (SNC) replaced Talk TV. SNC was launched on October 30, 2012 on SBN Channel 21.[7]
During its first months of operation, the channel produced local newscasts such as the native language newscastSolar News Cebuano, the sports newscastSolar Sports Desk, and public affairs programsLegal HD,Medtalk,News.PH,Opposing Views,Elections 2013, andNews Cafe.60 Minutes,Top Gear,Undercover Boss, and theStories documentary block were also launched for SNC. SNC then launched its own mobile application for smartphone users with features such as live streaming, catch-up episodes (newscasts andStories) and news from solarnews.ph.[8]
In November 2013,San Miguel Corporation President and COORamon S. Ang personally acquired the minority stake of STVNI; at the time, brothers Wilson and William Tieng were the then-majority stockholders of STVNI.[9] On December 1, 2013, SNC moved to RPN Channel 9 to improve signal and cate tor a wider audience after RPN's former occupant and Solar Entertainment-ownedETC returned to SBN Channel 21. (ETC was aired in SBN-21 from 2008 to 2011 then at RPN-9 from 2011 to 2013.) Solar News Channel then began to phase out its Solar branding on its newscast as it leaned away from the Tiengs. It also launched theKapampangan national newscastKapampangan News along with the public service programSerbisyo All Access in the Filipino language. Solar News Channel closed down before midnight on August 22, 2014.[10]
SNC was relaunched as 9TV on August 23, 2014. The Solar brand on Channel 9 was retired after the ALC Group of Companies, throughAliw Broadcasting Corporation, bought out the 34% stake of the Tiengs' group with Solar Television Network and RPN 9; the Tiengs had been losing money after they invested in RPN 9 and focused on the cable channels ofSolar Entertainment Corporation. Solar News was then rebranded as 9News, with the programming and personnel retained.Kids Weekend,Home Shopping Network,TV Mass for the Homebound, along with local informative shows likeSomething to Chew On,Boys' Ride Out,Drive,Good Company,Two Stops Over andBogart Case Files, became part of 9TV's programming line-up.[11]
Controversies hounded 9TV, as one of themotorpool drivers of the news division allegedly violated traffic rules when a news crew cab entered a no-left/no-entry road while on hazard in the Balara area on September 14, 2014. 9News management then imposed disciplinary actions and penalties against the driver and his designated reporter and cameraman.[12]
On October 14, 2014, Cabangon-Chua announced their partnership with the Turner Broadcasting System's Cable News Network (CNN).[13] Under the brand licensing agreement betweenTurner Broadcasting System and Nine Media, the latter would pay CNN an undisclosed amount per month for programs and expertise fromCNN International andCNN U.S. to air in CNN Philippines; this was in exchange for locally produced news, current affairs and lifestyle programs, and rolling news coverage from 9News, all based on the standards of CNN. 9News would also be trained by CNN staff at theCNN Center inAtlanta,Georgia to enhance their reporting in order to help them contribute reports to CNN International and its news bureaus worldwide; consultants from the latter would additionally help Nine Media/RPN for further development and expansion of CNN Philippines. Finally, the official news website, 9news.ph would be redesigned and changed into CNNPhilippines.com.[14]
On the day of the soft launching of CNN Philippines held on October 14, 2014 atSolaire Resort & Casino, CNN Worldwide PresidentJeff Zucker stated:
The global news gathering power of CNN combined with the local perspective Nine Media Corporation brings enables us to provide first-class news and information to millions of Filipinos in a way that we have not been able to previously. I couldn't be happier to welcome CNN Philippines to the CNN family.[5][15]
The following day,Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Sonny Coloma was the guest of honor at the trade launch of CNN Philippines at the Philippine International Convention Center. RPN, the broadcaster of CNN Philippines, was under the portfolio of PCOO, also known as Media Ng Bayan, from 1986 (sequestration from the Benedicto family, the original owner of RPN) until 2011 (whenSolar Entertainment Corporation privatized the station). However, PCOO still owned 20% minority share on RPN.[16]
As a part of its transition to CNN Philippines, 9TV temporarily used a green screen as its news studio in December 2014. Along with newsroom renovations and strategic hiring of personnel, its newscasts began adopting the CNN-style on-air graphics starting on January 15, 2015 in time for 9TV's coverage ofPope Francis'svisit to the country.Home Shopping Network (nowShop TV) andKids Weekend block were axed in the same month; foreign non-CNN produced programs (NBC andCBS programs) were also dropped in February, includingNBC Nightly News.
(2015-04-28)_1.jpg)
CNN Philippines was launched on March 16, 2015, with the tagline:"We Tell The Story Of The Filipino." At its inception, the network retained many of its predecessor's newscasts, current affairs, and lifestyle programs—some rebranded, others left unchanged—while gradually integrating CNN-produced content into its lineup. During its initial broadcast, the channel continued using the4:3 standard definition format, although the14:9 aspect ratio was tested overnight. Beginning inHoly Week of 2015, CNN Philippines transitioned to full-time broadcasts in the16:9 widescreen format, aligning with other CNN channels worldwide. However, the output was presented in a 14:9 letterboxed format on both free-to-air and cable/satellite platforms. This made CNN Philippines the first free-to-air television channel in the country to adopt the 14:9 aspect ratio for widescreen presentation—a distinction it held until April 2017.
In September 2015, Nine Media Corporation President Reggie Galura and CNN Philippines Senior Vice President for News and Current Affairs Jing Magsaysay left the network after the "right-sizing" retrenchment of 70 junior staffers and contractual employees who worked in its Programming and Technical Engineering divisions. Additionally, Magsaysay left his sole newscast,CNN Philippines Newsroom, leavingMai Rodriguez as the solo anchor.
On November 2, 2015, CNN International'sArmie Jarin-Bennett took over as the managing editor of CNN Philippines, replacing Magsaysay. Bennett had been the head of CNN Content Sales and Partnerships in Asia Pacific after 17 years of working as a writer and producer on various programs forCNN andCNN International; in particular, she had earned a2012 Emmy Award for coverage of theEgyptian Revolution of 2011 and a nomination forTyphoon Haiyan coverage in 2013. Born and raised in Manila, Jarin-Bennett had begun her career as radio newscaster before moving as an intern in theCNN Center in 1996.[17]
On February 15, 2016, CNN Philippines updated its station bumpers, removed the station's voiceover, and improved intros for newscasts to resemble some CNN International programs likeCNN Newsroom,CNN Today,International Desk,CNN Money, andCNN Money View; newer bumpers for general segments and current affairs shows followed suit. The channel also changed their theme music for their newscasts and bumpers while also adding new programs like the Philippines edition ofNew Day.Nightly News was axed in favor of an expandedNewsroom, makingCNN Philippines Network News the sole lineal brand holdover from its Solar tenure. Former ABS-CBN anchorPinky Webb also joined CNN Philippines where she became the main anchor ofBalitaan, its first ever newscast inFilipino.[18][19]
Since February of 2016, CNN Philippines started to phase out current affairs shows that debuted underSolar News Channel (Legal Help Desk), former CNN shows (Eco-Solutions), and HLN produced shows (Nancy Grace andDr. Drew On Call) that had been aired as filler programming; they were replaced by newer staple programming such asSmerconish and news programming.[citation needed]
In August 2016, CNN Sans (the corporate font of their mother network) replaced theHelvetica that had been used in the on-air graphics during CNN Philippines' transition and first year of operation; the new font was implemented in all CNN-operated and CNN-franchised networks worldwide. The font was slowly rolled out upon its February 2016 revamp of its on-air presentations, and duringPiliPinas Debates 2016 (vice presidential leg).
HLN-produced programs such asMorning Express,Weekend Express, andThe Daily Share (which ended on HLN's programming on mid-November 2016) were axed from the local lineup during the main network's coverage of the respective Republican and Democratic National Conventions, but they returned on August 23 when the premieres of CNN International programming (Amanpour andAnderson Cooper 360°) were placed on hold.Amanpour (whose select stories were featured on CNN Philippines'sGlobal Conversations) was eventually aired but only during its discussions of Philippine affairs in global contexts; its first independent broadcast on CNN Philippines was on August 31, 2016 withChristiane Amanpour interviewing SenatorsAlan Peter Cayetano andLeila de Lima. CNN U.S. programming (The Lead,Smerconish, andReliable Sources) that aired during CNN Philippines' first year of operation were also limited then.Erin Burnett OutFront remained on the local lineup until September 22, 2016.
Since mid-September 2016, HLN programming was relegated to the cable-onlyovernight graveyard slot to make way for the expansion of current affairs blocks.The Service Road with James Deakin debuted on September 19 whileThe Source with Pinky Webb followed suit a week later. TwoCBS-produced shows (60 Minutes andUndercover Boss: Canada) were axed during the same month.
On October 9, 2016,Armie Jarin-Bennett was appointed as the president ofNine Media Corporation. With her promotion, more CNN International shows began airing as weekend staples, notablyThe Art of Movement andVital Signs with Dr. Sanjay Gupta, which premiered near the end of October.
Sweeping restructuring started out in February of 2017, starting with the further replacement of shows carried over from the network's predecessors.Newsroom was further expanded to include a mid-morning Filipino newscast with Ruth Cabal, a former news anchor and reporter fromGMA Network, which replacedSerbisyo All Access on February 6; it started a weekend edition on March 4. Additional political shows also premiered such asPolitical Insider withGilbert Remulla, which was later axed in July 2017, 4 months after its premiere due to the host's controversies involving hisstrong opinion stance leaning towards then-PresidentRodrigo Duterte on engaging word wars against with theLiberal Party supporters onTwitter.[20]CNN Philippines Network News would be retired and replaced withNews Night with Pia Hontiveros on March 27, and weekend slots would be filled bySports Desk Weekend on March 11. Upon cancellation ofCebuano News andKapampangan News by the end of March, the second hour ofCNN Newsroom (simulcast fromCNN International) replaced their vacant slots.
In April 2017, CNN Philippines reconfigured to a16:9anamorphic widescreen standard-definition format, eliminating the use ofletterboxing. The change allowed for a widescreen presentation, optimizing the viewing experience for viewers with compatible widescreen televisions. CNN Philippines also introduced the new slogan "At the Heart of The Story."
On September 1, 2018, CNN Philippines launched its weekend morning block, consisting of cartoons from sister channelCartoon Network, infotainment showKidDo, and a 15-minute "junior edition" of its news programNewsroom hosted by teenagers. Initially called theCNN Philippines Junior, it was similar to theKids Weekend block from its predecessor,9TV. This additionally marked the return of the Cartoon Network block on RPN after it was discontinued in 2010.[21]
On November 13, 2019, CNN Philippines announced its intention to air weekend broadcasts of selectedNBA games on an interim basis as a blocktimer following the expiration of broadcast rights ofSolar Entertainment andABS-CBN Sports which led to the closure ofNBA Premium TV andBTV (CNN Philippines's free TV partner, RPN 9, previously aired the games also underC/S 9 orSolar TV affiliation).[22][23] This was due to the pending evaluation of the joint bid of ABS-CBN Sports andCignal TV/ESPN5 (nowOne Sports) for the aforementioned broadcast rights.
Based from a December 2019 report of Media Newser Philippines, Nine Media Corporation and WarnerMedia agreed to extend its 2014 brand licensing agreement until the end of 2024. The extension of partnership was brought about by the positive performance, improved ratings, and financial stability of CNN Philippines.
From March 18 to 22, 2020, CNN Philippines was forced to go off-air after an employee working at the Worldwide Corporate Center, the network's headquarters, was confirmed positive withCOVID-19.[24] The channel resumed broadcast operations on March 23, 2020. However, the network went off-air again on July 7, 2020 when a utility staff member tested positive.[25] Broadcasts resumed on July 11, 2020.
On January 10, 2022, CNN Philippines was forced to go off-air again for the third time due to limited staff and lack of implementation of health protocols in the broadcast center. Broadcasts resumed on January 11, 2022 at noon.[26]
On December 22, 2023,TV5 Network entered into a blocktime agreement with Nine Media Corporation to broadcast the Philippines' longest-running noontime variety and entertainment showEat Bulaga! and selected games from thePhilippine Basketball Association (PBA) every Saturday and Sunday on CNN Philippines starting January 6, 2024. This marked the return of the two programs previously aired on RPN in order to strengthen CNN Philippines' weekend line-up.[27]
On January 25, 2024,Media Newser Philippines reported that Nine Media Corporation and CNN mutually agreed to terminate its brand licensing agreement ahead of its expiry by the end of the year due to increasing financial losses, poor ratings of the network, and waning support from advertisers. Reportedly, theRadio Philippines Network branding is scheduled to return to its free TV affiliates for some time in the future while CNN assesses its future options, including possible plans to set up its own news bureau in the Philippines.[28]
On January 29, 2024, CNN Philippines confirmed that it would cease live news productions immediately, after which it shut down entirely on January 31; they cited financial losses and a decision to shift its focus toward the operations of their sister channel,Aliw Channel 23.[a] Nine Media President Benjamin Ramos said: "the employees were given their severance package and their salary for the whole month of February."[35]
CNN Philippines will discontinue operations on all media platforms effective Wednesday, January 31, 2024.
A trusted source of news and information, CNN Philippines is accessible on free-to-air TV, cable, and digital platforms.To our staff, we thank you for your commitment and dedication.To our partners, including CNN Worldwide / Turner Broadcasting Corporation, we are grateful for your support.
And to our viewers, our sincerest gratitude for your loyalty and trust over the past 9 years.
— CNN Philippines' statement on the channel's closure was broadcast and shared across their social media accounts
On January 31, 2024, CNN Philippines quietlysigned-off for the last time after their finalinterstitialA Moment of Serenity was played. Its last program aired was an episode ofBuilding Bridges.[36] On the same hour, all digital platforms of CNN Philippines were permanently deactivated.[37]
On February 1, 2024,TV5 Network formally launchedRPTV as the channel's replacement, with programming of TV5 andOne PH, as well as re-runs of Nine Media's current affairs programs, carried over onto the new channel.
On June 7, 2024, several news anchors and reporters from CNN Philippines officially announced the launch ofNewsWatch Plus, a digital multicasting news service operated by Broadreach Media Holdings. This media investment firm, which owns Nine Media Corporation, took over the assets and operations of CNN Philippines following its closure. NewsWatch Plus was designed as a revival of RPN's flagship newscast,NewsWatch. It was first launched online on July 1, 2024, through theYouTube channel previously branded as CNN Philippines.[38] Its programming block later premiered on August 12, 2024, on Aliw Channel 23.[39]
Several personalities and remaining staff who were not part of its successor outlet either have an undisclosed status or have transferred to different news organizations, such asMediaQuest's news divisions (includingNews5 whose currently supply most of news and current affairs content for RPTV as part of wider blocktime agreement between TV5 and RPN; andCignalnewschannels),ABS-CBN News (which took over the CNN Philippines' role of supplying news content forAMBS'All TV since April 15, 2024),[40][41][42]GMA Integrated Newsand Public Affairs, RPN's part owner theGovernment of the Philippines (throughPresidential Communications Office), andPrage's newly launchedBilyonaryo News Channel.
In April 2016, CNN Philippines earned 6 awards from theGolden Dove Awards hosted by theKapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas. Most notably, the Best Newscaster Award went to Mitzi Borromeo, a newsroom anchor.[43] On June 30, 2016, CNN Philippines was recognized as the Television Station of the Year in theRotary Club of Manila's Journalism Awards.[44]
During the sixth EdukCircle Awards,Pia Hontiveros andPinky Webb were given a special citation for their work on the vice presidential leg of thePiliPinas Debates 2016.
Two of CNN Philippines' news programs were recognized by theAsian Academy Creative Awards for national categories on October 15, 2020:The Source with Pinky Webb won as Best Current Affairs Programme or Series whileThe Final Word with Rico Hizon won as Best News Programme in the country.[45]
On January 28, 2016, CNN Philippines, through RPN, conducteddigital terrestrial television testing using ISDB-T on UHF Channel 19 (503.143 MHz).[46] One year later, in 2017,Nine Media Corporation and RPN acquired a UHF transmitter complex in the Crestview Heights Subdivision ofAntipolo,Rizal fromProgressive Broadcasting Corporation. It was then used for RPN's DTT broadcasts inMetro Manila and nearby provinces in anticipation of digital television in the Philippines; full implementation was expected for 2024.
CNN Philippines broadcast local news and international reports from the CNN U.S. and CNNI reporters pool. Current affairs and lifestyle programs were also aired and produced by different local production outfits. As a part of the deal between CNN andNine Media Corporation, select programs from CNN U.S. and HLN were also aired, mainly during overnight hours.
When warranted, breaking stories and special scheduled events were also broadcast on CNN Philippines via the CNN U.S. or CNNI feed. Notable coverage included theParis andBrussels terrorist attacks,trapped cave survivors in Thailand, New Year's Eve, select U.S. presidential speeches, and U.S. presidential election coverage.
Media related toCNN Philippines at Wikimedia Commons