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Villar company bags 2 broadcast channels previously held by ABS-CBN

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Art Fuentes, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Manny Villar" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/01/25/20220125-villar-abscbn.jpg"/></figure></div><p>MANILA - A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp., whose application to renew its broadcast franchise was rejected by a congressional committee in 2020.</p><p>Business news website bilyonaryo.com said it has obtained documents showing the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) had granted a temporary permit to the Villar-owned Advanced Media Broadcasting System Inc. (AMBS) to do a test broadcast on analog Channel 2.</p><p>The NTC, in a statement Tuesday night, confirmed that it granted a provisional authority to the Villar-owned company to install, operate, and maintain a digital television broadcasting system in Metro Manila using Channel 16.</p><p>&quot;After the technical evaluation of AMBS request for a simulcast channel, Channel 2 (the paired analog channel in Mega Manila of digital channel 16) was temporarily assigned to AMBS,&quot; the NTC said. &quot;This temporary assignment is for simulcast purposes only, and only until the analog shut-off scheduled in 2023.&quot;</p><p>The NTC order dated January 6 said Advanced Media will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. at Villar’s Starmall in Mandaluyong City, and that the permit shall be used only for test broadcast purposes.</p><p>“The temporary permit does not confer any vested right or interest in the grantee thereof,” said the document signed by NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba.</p><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/news/01/25/doc1.jpg"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/1.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/2.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/3.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/4.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/5.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/6.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/7.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/8.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/9.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/10.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/11.png"/></div><div><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/business/01/26/12.png"/></div></div><div class="slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div><div class="item-desc"><p>A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp.</p></div></div></div><p>Another NTC order signed by Cordoba and deputy commissioners Edgardo Cabarios and Delilah Deles also gave Advanced Media provisional authority for a digital TV broadcasting system using yet another frequency previously held by ABS-CBN. </p><p>“It appearing that the applicant is legally qualified, and that the proposed Digital Terrestrial Television (DTTB) broadcasting station in Metro Manila/Mega Manila is technically and economically feasible, in the interest of public service, the Commission hereby grants Advanced Media System Inc. a provisional authority to install, operate, and maintain a digital TV broadcasting system…using Channel 16…for 18 months,” said the order, a copy of which was shown to ABS-CBN News.</p><p>According to Bilyonaryo, the NTC sought the Justice Department’s opinion on this.</p><p>“The DOJ declared that the digital TV service could be opened to new players like Advanced Media because… the applicability of Memorandum Circular No. 07-12-2014 (which limits digital TV licenses only to those with analog TV operations) has been “altered by the change in factual circumstances”, according to Bilyonaryo.</p><p>The circumstances refer to ABS-CBN’s franchise expiration and non-renewal by Congress.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/abscbn-shutdown-stories">Dead Air: Stories from the night of the ABS-CBN shutdown</a></li></ul><p>Bilyonaryo noted that Villar’s daughter-in-law, Emmeline Aglipay, was appointed Justice Undersecretary in 2018.</p><p>Villar’s daughter, Las Piñas Rep. Camille Villar, meanwhile voted in 2020 against granting ABS-CBN a new franchise.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/spotlight/07/12/21/abs-cbn-franchise-rejection-70-congressmen">In the 2022 elections, remember the 70 who voted vs ABS-CBN franchise: labor leaders</a></li></ul><p>Forbes lists Manny Villar as the country’s richest person, with interests in real estate, telecom, utilities and media.</p><p>The billionaire is a major supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, and his son Mark was head of the Department of Public Works and Highways before resigning last year to run for a Senate seat in Halalan 2022.</p><div><em>news.abs-cbn.com is the news website of ABS-CBN.</em></div><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/09/20/21/villar-is-richest-ph-senator-in-2020-de-lima-has-lowest-net-worth">Villar is richest Philippine senator in 2020 with net worth of over P3.87 billion</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/04/06/21/forbes-manny-villar-still-philippines-richest-in-2021">Forbes: Manny Villar still Philippines&#x27; richest in 2021</a></li></ul><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1906106" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

A company owned by Manny Villar has taken over the broadcast frequencies formerly held by ABS-CBN Corp., whose application to renew its broadcast franchise was rejected by a congressional committee in 2020.

Villar company bags 2 broadcast channels previously held by ABS-CBN

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Villar company bags 2 broadcast channels previously held by ABS-CBN

Art Fuentes,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 25, 2022 10:03 PM PHT

|

Updated January 27, 2022 10:22 AM PHT

Read More:

Manny Villar

ABS-CBN franchise

NTC

National Telecommunications Commission

Gamaliel Cordoba

Mark Villar

Camille Villar

Emmeline Aglipay

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