The television host acknowledged his former home Network for selling to AMBS, its main transmitter, which it can not legally operate without a valid broadcast franchise.
Willie Revillame took to his variety program, Wowowin, last night, September 16, to personally thank ABS-CBN, for allowing Manny Villar’s Advanced Media Broadcasting System to buy and operate its main transmitter in Quezon City. The showing of ABS-CBN’s Millenium Tower—the media giant’s main transmitter in Quezon City—on Wowowin’s presentation, last Tuesday, notably stirred confusion among netizens. Revillame seemingly took the chance to set the records straight.
“Para malaman niyo po ang katotohanan, yung antenna ng ABS-CBN po, salamat naman sa ABS, ipinagkaloob na po sa amin ‘yan sa ALLTV.
“(Just so you know, the ABS-CBN’s transmitter, and I thank ABS-CBN for this, now belongs to ALLTV)” he said, during his show’s live primetime broadcast.
ALLTV is AMBS’s main TV channel, which uses ABS-CBN’s previous frequencies, Channel 2 and 16. Channel 2, airs through ABS-CBN’s analog transmitter in Quezon City. Wowowin notably airs from Revillame’s very own Wil’s Tower, which is just in front of ABS-CBN’s main audience entrance.
ABS-CBN operated the Millennium Transmitter from 1969 to 1972, and again from 1986 until the network’s free TV shutdown. It should be noted that without a valid broadcast franchise, ABS-CBN is barred from using the transmitter.
Revillame took the chance of sending regards to ABS-CBN’s big bosses, who have the choice to not sell the transmitter, but they did anyway.
“Maraming salamat. Thank you so much, of course, the president, the chairman si Mr. Carlo Katigbak, Mr. Mark Lopez, Boss Gabby, maraming salamat.
“(Thanks to ABS-CBN President, Mr. Carlo Katigbak, to Mr. Mark Lopez, and to Boss Gabby. Thank you very much)”, he said.
“Kung hindi ipinagkaloob ng ABS-CBN yung antenna na ‘yan, hindi naman po tayo mapapanood, kaya malaking bagay din po yung ginawa. Hindi nila ipinagdamot, e. Sa totoo lang, in fairness, ang bait din nila para hindi ipagdamot. Puwede naman nilang hindi ibenta ‘yan pero ibinenta pa rin nila.
“(If they did not sell their antenna, there is a great chance that we won’t be airing right now. that is why what they did is actually commendable. They did not refuse to sell it, even though they have the choice to keep it)”, he added.
AMBS’s main channel, ALLTV, made its maiden broadcast last September 13. Revillame’s variety show, Wowowin, airs as part of the channel’s primetime line-up, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.