Philippines' lower house committee rejects ABS-CBN's franchise renewal

A Philippine lower house committee on Friday rejected a request for a 25-year extension of the broadcast franchise of ABS-CBN Corp, a move that will ensure the media conglomerate that has angered President Rodrigo Duterte will stay off air. Philippine lawmakers voted against a bill that would have given a license to the media group, whose congressional franchise expired on May 4.

The telecom regulator ordered ABS-CBN and its dozens of radio and television stations to cease operations on May 5.