CNN, Bloomberg TV launch testament to strong PHL economy

Global media giants CNN International and Bloomberg Television have set up headquarters in the Philippines, a signal that international businesses see the Philippine economy as a strong market.

CNN Philippines launched in mid-March as the new predominantly English 24-hour free-to-air news channel and website.

Bloomberg Television Philippines is scheduled to launch in 2015 as the first 24-hour business news channel in the Philippines. 

CNN International’s partnership with Nine Media Corporation rebranded 9TV into CNN Philippines which broadcasts over the RPN free television nationwide network.

CNN Philippines operates out of Manila and offers both international and local news, current affairs, documentaries and feature programming.

CNNPhilippines.com offers news, sports and entertainment, science and technology, business, exclusive interviews, special reports, opinion and analysis, and videos. 

CNN Worldwide’s President Jeff Zucker said of the partnership, “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.”

Bloomberg Television announced its partnership with local pay-TV media company Cignal Digital TV in late March.

Bloomberg Television Philippines will present programming in English with several hours of unique local daily content supplemented by Bloomberg’s programming to create a new 24/7 premium business news channel.

Bloomberg’s accurate and market-moving news will be available exclusively on Cignal Digital TV, a direct-to-home (DTH) satellite provider with currently 844,000 subscribers and targeting more than one million this year.

Bloomberg Television Philippines will be jointly run by Bloomberg and local free-to-air TV channel, TV5.

A Bloomberg release referred to the Philippines as one of the fastest growing, English-speaking economies in the world, making it an ideal base of operations in Asia.

Bloomberg Television Asia-Pacific Commercial Director Gary Groenheim referred to the collaboration as ideal, “The Philippines is fast becoming a premier broadcast destination because of its strong subscriber growth… Being in the third largest English-speaking country in the world will help us reach a vast new audience by combining elements of our daily global broadcast material with unique, tailor-made local content.”