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KBP chief defends ABS-CBN's blocktime deals, says it's 'standard practice'

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Jessica Fenol, ABS-CBN News

<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3BP3_jJqfik?enablejsapi=1"></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>MANILA (UPDATE) - Blocktiming or the purchase of air time in a channel from a franchise holder is a &quot;standard practice&quot; in the broadcasting industry, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas&#x27; (KBP) president said on Monday.ABS-CBN president and CEO Carlo Katigbak said in a joint House committee hearing on the company&#x27;s franchise renewal application that the company has an annual blocktime agreement with Amcara Broadcasting Network, and that Amcara&#x27;s Channel 43 was not part of the National Telecommunications Commission&#x27;s (NTC) cease-and-desist order issued against ABS-CBN on May 4.ABS-CBN is currently airing various programs digitally via Amcara Broadcasting Network&#x27;s Channel 43. ABS-CBN sold its 49% stake in Amcara in 2019.&quot;Itong practice po ba na bumili ng blocktime ay standard practice. Karaniwan po yung blocktime arrangement sa industriya ng broadcast and it ranges from a few hours to almost the whole day ang arrangements sa blocktime ngayon,&quot; KBP president Jun Nicdao said when asked by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Zarate.(The practice of blocktime is standard practice. This arrangement is usual in the broadcast industry and it ranges from a few hours to the whole day.)Nicdao added that in a blocktime agreement, the control of the station remains with the franchise holder. A violation would occur if a blocktimer takes control of the station, he said.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/08/20/marcoleta-targets-abs-cbn-programs-on-sky-cable-ntc-explains-legal-basis">Marcoleta questions ABS-CBN programs on Sky Cable; NTC explains legal basis</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/06/29/20/foes-zero-in-on-abs-cbn-programs-on-tvplus-sky-cable">Critics zero in on ABS-CBN programs on TVplus, Sky Cable</a></li></ul><div>EAT BULAGA CASE</div>Zarate cited the blocktime partnership between GMA 7 and Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE Inc.) to air Eat Bulaga, considered the longest-running variety show in the Philippines. The 40-year-old program has been airing on GMA 7 for the last 2 decades under a blocktime arrangement.&quot;[I]sa sa pinakamalaking programa na nagba-blocktime ay &#x27;yung Eat Bulaga na pagmamay-ari naman ng Television and Production Exponents Inc. (TAPE Inc.) so sila po may sarili silang studio, sarili silang tauhan, mga talents, etcetera, at sila po ay bumibili or nagba-block time. Dati po noon ay sa iba ibang istasyon at ngayon nga ay nasa GMA sila,&quot; Zarate said.&quot;So pag nagba-blocktime &#x27;yung TAPE o Eat Bulaga, hindi naman niya pag-aari &#x27;yung GMA tama po ba &#x27;yun?&quot; Zarate asked KBP.KBP agreed with Zarate&#x27;s assertion.&quot;Tama po &#x27;yung sinabi niyo Cong. Zarate. In the case of TAPE, bumili po sila ng mga 2 o 3 oras [airtime sa GMA] at hindi po sa kanila, they don&#x27;t own the station, they just buy the block time,&quot; Nicdao said.Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin Remulla and SAGIP party-list Rep. Rodante Marcoleta both questioned the airing of ABS-CBN programs on its TVPlus box even after its franchise had expired.Although NTC Commissioner Gamaliel Cordoba argued that Channel 43 was part of the closure order, upon Zarate&#x27;s questioning, the regulator later on admitted that the channel itself was not specifically mentioned in NTC cease-and-desist order.Cordoba also said ABS-CBN&#x27;s blocktiming deal warrants more scrutiny.Zarate agreed that issues should be scrutinized, but that ABS-CBN should also be given a provisional authority similar to what other broadcast firms enjoyed while their franchise renewal applications were pending in Congress.Katigbak appealed for &quot;fairness&quot; after some lawmakers insisted that its TVPlus and Sky Cable offerings should also shut due to ABS-CBN&#x27;s expired franchise.Katigbak said some 55 million individuals or 11 million households could lose their source of news and entertainment if these services would cease to operate.ABS-CBN has shut its free TV and radio operations nationwide, following an order released by the NTC.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/business/06/29/20/11-million-homes-affected-if-ntc-shuts-tvplus-sky-cable-abs-cbn-ceo">11 million homes affected if NTC shuts TVPlus, Sky cable: ABS-CBN CEO</a></li></ul><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com">news.abs-cbn.com</a> is the official news website of ABS-CBN Corp.

Blocktiming or the purchase of air time in a channel from a franchise holder is a "standard practice" in the broadcasting industry, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas' (KBP) president said on Monday.

Blocktiming or the purchase of air time in a channel from a franchise holder is a "standard practice" in the broadcasting industry, the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas' (KBP) president said on Monday.

KBP chief defends ABS-CBN's blocktime deals, says it's 'standard practice'

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KBP chief defends ABS-CBN's blocktime deals, says it's 'standard practice'

Jessica Fenol,

ABS-CBN News

Published June 29, 2020 06:40 PM PHT

|

Updated June 29, 2020 08:44 PM PHT

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