ABS-CBN CORP TO EXPAND COVERAGE IN MIDDLE EAST!

MANILA, Philippines - Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. on Monday said its subsidiary ABS-CBN Middle East has partnered with OSN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa.

Starting May 1, OSN subscribers on direct-to-home and cable platforms in the Middle East can now watch four ABS-CBN channels -- The Filipino Channel; Bro, a dedicated sports and entertainment channel; Cinema One Global, a channel featuring box-office hits, classic movies and teleserye marathons; and ANC, a 24-hour news channel.

SM GROUP HIRES SARAH G AS MAIN ENDORSER!

MANILA, Philippines - Singer and actress Sarah Geronimo is the new face of the property projects of the country's richest man's real estate arm.

At the stockholders meeting of SM Development Corp. (SMDC) on Wednesday, April 24, the real estate unit of Henry Sy-led holding SM Investments Corp., property officials announced Geronimo as their new "brand ambassador."

ABS-CBN: SUSPENSION OF COMELEC'S AIRTIME RULE DOES NOT AFFECT US 'CAUSE WE'RE ALREADY FULL!

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court decision stopping the implementation of the Commission on Elections' (Comelec) airtime limits on political advertisements has not affected ABS-CBN Corp.'s ad revenues, said the company's chairman.

Speaking in a press briefing after the company's stockholders' meeting on Tuesday, April 23, ABS-CBN Chairman Eugenio Lopez III said they have felt no impact from the lifting of the Comelec rule limiting to just 120 minutes each candidate's ads in all TV stations, and 180 minutes in all radio stations.

With the SC decision, Comelec's old interpretation of 120 minutes per TV station, and 180 minues per radio station stays.

“It doesn’t affect us because we limit the number of minutes per commercial we have per hour of broadcast. It may be good for other stations but since we have our limits, we are already full to begin with,” said Lopez.

ABS-CBN DECLARES CASH DIVIDEND ON THE BACK OF GOOD EARNINGS!

MANILA -- ABS-CBN Corp. expects to rake in higher profits this year, buoyed by strong program ratings and consumer sales.

In a press conference on Tuesday, ABS-CBN Chief Financial Officer Rolando Valdueza said this year's net income will "be better" than 2012's.

"Well, if you look at our ratings, we're very strong so [earnings this year will be] driven by strong ratings and airtime," Valdueza said after the media conglomerate's annual stockholders' meeting.

TV5 HAILS NOEL LORENZANA AS NEW CEO!

Manuel V. Pangilinan, Managing Director of First Pacific Company Limited and Chairman of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company on Tuesday announced the appointment of erstwhile TV5 president Ray C. Espinosa as Associate Director of FPC and his new assignment as the Group's Head of Government and Regulatory Affairs and Head of the  Communications Bureau, both in the Philippines. Espinosa will also assist the First Pacific Group with respect to new investments in the Philippines and in the region.

ABS-CBN DENIES COURTING WILLIE! SAYS VERY MUCH HAPPY WITH SHOWTIME'S RATINGS!

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN president and chief executive officer Charo Santos-Concio on Tuesday denied rumors that controversial host Willie Revillame will return to the Kapamilya network.

"That's not true. We're not in talks with Willie Revillame. We're very happy with the ratings of [It's] Showtime. We're very happy with Showtime," she said in a press conference on Tuesday.

Rumors that Revillame, host of "Wowowillie" will return to ABS-CBN stemmed from reports that his contract with TV-5 will expire soon. Revillame left ABS-CBN in 2010.

SANTOS-CONCIO: ABS-CBN OFF TO A GREAT START IN 2013!

MANILA, Philippines -- Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. is off to a great start in 2013, coming from a successful 2012, chief executive officer and president Charo Santos-Concio said on Tuesday morning.

"Even as we review the successes of 2012, we are seeing a great start to 2013," Santos-Concio, who assumed the CEO post in January, said during ABS-CBN's annual stockholders' meeting.

LOPEZ HOLDINGS' NET INCOME UP BY 13.6% ON BETTER CONTRIBUTIONS FROM ABS-CBN CORP.!

MANILA, Philippines - Lopez Holdings Corp. earned P4.538 billion in 2012, up 13.6% from P3.995 billion a year ago.

The flagship listed holding firm of the Lopez family disclosed this to the stock exchange on Friday, April 12, without providing additional details.

Lopez Holdings, formerly Benpres Holding Corp, serves as the holding company for the Lopezes' investments in broadcasting and cable, telecommunications and power.

TV5 TO END ITS BLOCK TIME AGREEMENT WITH IBC-13!

MANILA - The operator of TV5 will no longer extend its block time agreement with state-run IBC 13.

At the sidelines of the turnover ceremony of the Road Safety Research of the University of the Philippines-National Center for Transportation Studies, MediaQuest Holdings Inc chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said the company would let the agreement lapse in May, adding that the deal was expensive.

"Hindi na siguro. Hanggang Mayo lang yun. Masyadong mahal. Lugi kami dun," Pangilinan, who also chairs TV5, told reporters.