It never was about press freedom
With the decision of the House of Representatives to deny television network giant ABS-CBN its franchise, the network’s four thousand workers have now been effectively added to the list of the unemployed. And for that, I extend them my sincerest sympathy. But it all ends there. I am pissed whenever I see any of the network executives insisting the denial of their franchise application sends a chilling effect and signals the death of press freedom. The nerve to speak of press freedom and chilling effect when they were the ones who violated the freedom of expression of two of their talents! The network terminated the talents’ contracts after they were overheard—and misinterpreted, according to the talents concerned -- talking about the station. This could have also sent a chilling effect to their other talents. How could they claim press freedom had died along with their franchise when up to now, their television and radio anchors have been hitting hard at the solons who voted to deny them of their franchise? How can they claim press freedom is now a thing of the past when their PR operators, up to now, have been reportedly operating overtime to “kill” stories detailing the reasons on the decision to deny their franchise and instead, present a one-sided story favoring them? Please stop fooling everyone. It has never been an issue of press freedom ever since. It was about a business entity cheating the government on taxes. It was about a television network abusing its broadcast right by feeding decadent values to its viewers (sex or chocolate, Boy Abunda?). It was about a network which has violated its franchise by putting up rider channels. It was about a business entity violating the rights of its workers. And the list goes on. And now this station has the gall to proclaim before the world they are crying along with their workers who have lost their jobs amid this pandemic courtesy of the lawmakers who voted against their station’s application. We are not as dumb as this station thinks. In fact, at this point, I would even think of calling on lawyer Larry Gadon to shout on top of his lungs, the loudest he could do it the better, his famous line, on those parroting your line of death of press freedom and chilling effect."Please stop fooling everyone."
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