Shutting key TV channel would be step to ‘dictatorship’

Monday, 20 January 2020, 8:34 am
Press Release: Pacific Media Centre

18 January 2020

PHILIPPINES: Media academic warns shutting key TV channel would be step to ‘dictatorship’

https://pmc.aut.ac.nz/pacific-media-watch/media-academic-warns-shutting-key-tv-channel-would-be-step-dictatorship-10549

Pacific Media Centre's Professor David Robie ... a wide-ranging speech on media freedoms in the Asia-Pacific region. Image: The Varsitarian

By Camille Abiel H. Torres, Charm Ryanne C. Magpali, Laurd Menhard Salen of The Varsitarian

MANILA (The Varsitarian/Asia Pacific Report/Pacific Media Watch): A New Zealand media academic and freedom advocate has warned that shutting down the Philippines’ largest and most popular media network would be a move toward dictatorship.

Professor David Robie, director of the New Zealand-based Pacific Media Centre and journalism professor at Auckland University of Technology, said President Rodrigo Duterte’s displeasure toward ABS-CBN Corporation was not enough reason to deprive it of a franchise.

“There’s no justification in doing that [not renewing the franchise of ABS-CBN]. Doing that is moving towards dictatorship,” Dr Robie said in the recent annual memorial John Jefferson Siler lecture-forum at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila.

Read more

ends

© Scoop Media