The Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines (FOCAP) issued an appeal to the public to “support the practice of balanced journalism” following the closure of CNN Philippines due to financial losses.
“The dwindling spaces for professional practice are not only a loss for media workers, but democratic societies,” the group said in a statement on Jan. 31.
CNN Philippines on Jan. 29 announced that it would cease operations effective Jan. 31, citing “significant financial losses”. Since its establishment in 2015, it has been delivering primarily English-language news through various platforms.
FOCAP said that the closure of CNN Philippines serves as a reminder that finding a just and sustainable economic model for independent journalism is not only crucial for the survival of the media industry but also poses an existential threat, akin to the challenges posed by press repression.
FOCAP expressed solidarity with all the media workers “whose employments have been imperiled by changes in the media landscape”.
