Catholic radios welcome franchise renewal

A network of Catholic broadcast stations welcomed the extension of their franchise for around two decades.

The Catholic Media Network Corp. (CMN) has promised to continue to be an instrument for nation-building.

“We are helping in disaster management, cooperatives, and farmers to plant better crops. So we are in areas that angels dare not tread,” said Fr. Francis Lucas, CMN President.

About 29 Catholic radio stations will continue operations after the franchise of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines was renewed for another 25 years.

Without the signature of President Rodrigo Duterte, the bill seeking for extension of the CBCP franchise lapsed into a law.

The process to renew the CBCP franchise, which expired in 2017, took around two years.

“It took us sometime… whatever which way, for as long as we get the franchise. Because we are serving Filipino people through the Catholic values,” Lucas said.

“We praise that the CBCP franchise is now a law,” added Fr. Lucas, who is also the Director for Franchise of the CBCP.

Fr. Lucas said they also want to enhance their hybrid strategy in broadcasting in order to keep in step with modern technology.

“If we bring the social media in the scope of radio broadcast, and penetrating live streaming and internet radios, then you do a hybrid strategy,” he said.