MUMBAI: 9TV has been officially rebranded as CNN Philippines, marking a historic day for Filipinos, as well as CNN International and Nine Media Corporation.
24-hours English news channel CNN Philippines will be free-to-air and also have its web presence.
CNN Worldwide president Jeff Zucker said, “We are thrilled to welcome CNN Philippines to the CNN family. Both CNN and Nine Media have worked exceptionally hard to make this a reality. We are confident the Filipino audience is going to embrace CNN Philippines and the unmatched news and information it delivers – something not seen in this country before.”
Nine Media Corporation chairman Ambassador Antonio Cabangon-Chua added, “This is such a significant milestone not only for Nine Media but for Filipinos everywhere. This is a news service they have never had before. We aspire to be the trusted name in news in the Philippines. We are proud to tell the story of the Filipino through the unique content we provide.”
CNN Philippines will operate from studio facilities in Manila and offer a dynamic combination of local and international news as well as current affairs, feature programming and documentaries. The accompanying website, CNNPhilippines.com, will offer latest news covering business, science and technology, entertainment and sports, as well as opinion and analysis, special reports, exclusive interviews, and videos.
Turner Broadcasting International president Gerhard Zeiler asserted, “The Philippines is such an important market for us and we couldn’t be happier to find a like-minded partner in Nine Media. We have so many exciting developments planned for the Asia-Pacific region, this is just the beginning.”
“CNN is a company we have long admired and share its vision, mission and values. To be an official part of the CNN family is an honour and a privilege. We look forward to delivering a world-class product to our local Filipino audience,” added Nine Media Corporation president Reggie Galura.
The launch of CNN Philippines is part of a strategic effort by CNN International Commercial’s Content Sales and Partnerships Group, a division of Turner Broadcasting System International. The core business is to explore ways in which CNN can reach more consumers locally, regionally and internationally by partnering with other leading media organizations. CNN Philippines is the latest addition to the CNN family that includes CNN Turk, CNN IBN, CNN Chile and CNN Indonesia.
CNN Philippines is available on free-to-air television in Manila RPN-TV9, Cebu RPN-TV9, Davao RPN-TV9, Zamboanga RPN-TV5, Baguio RPN-TV12, and Bacolod RPN-TV8; and also on cable TV thru Sky Cable Channel 14 (Metro Manila), Sky Cable Channel 6 (Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Baguio), Destiny Cable Channel 14, Cablelink Channel 14, and Cignal Channel 10 and over 200 cable affiliates nationwide.
