Boy Abunda is proud of ABS-CBN’s performance despite being denied its franchise renewal last year

Television host Boy Abunda praised ABS-CBN and expressed his happiness and contentment regarding how the network has managed to survive despite not having their franchise renewed.

During an interview with ABS-CBN News, being a Kapamilya for 22 years, he admitted that though his words may be biased, he’s still happy on seeing how they continue to carry on being a “major player” in the industry.

“Fantastic! We don’t have free TV, but we still create noise… Iconic ABS-CBN maybe, but it certainly is a major player in the now. ABS-CBN is still in the race,” said Abunda.

“Proud ako sa performance ng ABS-CBN. For whatever little we have, certainly, we’re doing it the best we can. And for this, I’m truly proud of ABS-CBN.”

Despite remaining in the scene, he did admit that they had no other choice but to do so as they’ve already “diminished” a lot.

“We have no other choice but to be hopeful. I will be very honest: We have been diminished too much, that the only way to go is to survive.”

Just like the network, the host also made the jump to go from television to digital. He launched his own YouTube channel and started hosting his first-ever digital program The Best Talk which can be watched on ABS-CBN’s FYE Channel on Kumu.

Abunda admitted that the television has been a “safe space” for him and the social media transition was daunting, but that didn’t stop him from exploring the new medium and learning how it works as it is what the moment demands.

“I am television. My energy, my rhythm, my groove is very television. But that is not tantamount to saying that I am not willing to explore this dreadful place of social media. I am. I am bruised and scarred by the many wars I’ve been through in communications. I was sustained by television for all my life.”

But if given the choice, he will always go back to television.

“My preference is television. I love television. But if this is what I have to do, because we cannot do television yet, because ABS-CBN was shut down, because we don’t have free TV, then so be it. It is what it is.”