Six years after losing its free-TV broadcast franchise, ABS-CBN is charting a new path focused on media creation rather than owning television networks, Chief Executive Officer Carlo Katigbak revealed during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on August 19.
“We no longer depend on owning platforms to reach audiences, instead building partnerships that would have once seemed impossible,” Katigbak told shareholders.
Shifting away from its traditional model of running its own networks to air in-house material, the company has repositioned itself as a pure-play content provider. It now focuses on producing shows, movies, music, and news programs, distributing them through external partners.
These partners include former rival networks GMA Network and TV5, alongside Zoe Broadcasting Network’s A2Z, AMBS’ ALLTV, and a wide array of online streaming platforms catering to domestic and international audiences. Katigbak highlighted the success of the “Pinoy Big Brother Collaboration” with GMA as a prime example of former rivalries transforming into productive joint ventures.
“As a content company, ABS-CBN will continue to explore opportunities to create more content and serve its various publics as best as it can,” said ABS-CBN Chief Partnership Officer Roberto Barreiro. “We are therefore open to working with other media companies under terms that are beneficial to our company.”
The executive team pointed to the global rise of P-pop group BINI as proof of this new strategic direction. The group generated over 2 billion streams, performed at Coachella as the first all-Filipino act, and recorded a feature soundtrack for DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures’ “The Forgotten Island.”
“BINI’s global success is proof that ABS-CBN can channel its creative strengths to reach an international audience,” Katigbak noted.
This strategy extends to international digital platforms. The ABS-CBN-produced series “The Silent Noise” earned Best Asian Content at the Global OTT Awards 2026 on Amazon Prime, while the film “Sosyal Climbers” led local charts and broke into Netflix’s top 10 non-English movies worldwide.
The media company also maintained its strong TV and film presence locally. Programs like “Batang Quiapo” and “It’s Showtime” led viewership ratings in their respective time slots in 2025, and Star Cinema produced the top three highest-grossing Filipino films that year, generating a combined ₱900 million at the box office.
“Our stories continue to find large audiences across television, digital platforms, cinemas, music, and global markets,” Katigbak said. “We create stories that matter to Filipinos, and we are proving that Filipino stories and talent can compete in the global stage.”
By creating media and licensing it to existing distribution networks, ABS-CBN has reversed its classic operating model to suit modern media consumption.
“This is a new ABS-CBN that we are building, faithful to our mission of public service, but adapting to a different time and circumstance,” Katigbak concluded.