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After a public outcry, ABS-CBN News Channel pulls plug on CNTV airing

ANC recently pulled the plug on airing Chinatown News TV’s (CNTV) Mandarin-only newscast one night after its first broadcast.

When netizens first heard of ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) looking to air an hour-long, Mandarin-only newscast late at night, they were livid.

Those days are now gone. ANC recently pulled the plug on airing Chinatown News TV’s (CNTV) Mandarin-only newscast one night after its first broadcast.

Previously, ABS-CBN news chief Ging Reyes defended its airing. The newscast, according to her–was produced by Filipinos for the benefit of the Filipino-Chinese community.

She also claimed that they had full [editorial] control over its content as ABS-CBN vigorously covered issues on China and its incursion into Philippine waters, specifically the hotly-contested West Philippine Sea.

It made netizens wringing ANC’s necks, calling them traitors to their cause, especially after their reporter, Chiara Zambrano, was recently chased away by Chinese coast guard vessels.

Netizens called out Reyes for “only thinking about money” when the news and her statement first broke.

The same Netizens are now calling this a redemption arc; after seemingly heeding feedback from its many viewers.

https://twitter.com/vinzesmonologue/status/1382938237442789381

Some netizens also noticed how those “supportive” of ABS-CBN suddenly changed their tune, saying they didn’t deserve a franchise after all—only to take it back.

https://twitter.com/dollofasia/status/1382951053348401152

Those “supportive” ones who made the callout were supporters of President Rodrigo Duterte.

ABS-CBN made it social media official by announcing the cancellation via their paid service, iWantTFC.

And it also got confirmed by one of ABS-CBN’s journalists, Mike Navallo.

According to official reports, CNTV, produced by Horizon of the Sun Communications, the same team behind Chinatown TV, has been airing lifestyle programs for the Filipino-Chinese community for 16 years.

They are also the same minds behind the controversial Iisang Dagat (One Sea) video, which went viral after Filipino talents partook to promote China’s claim over the West Philippine Sea.

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