SWS: 75% OF PINOYS FAVOR FRANCHISE RENEWAL
The majority of Filipinos agree that the House of Representatives should grant ABS-CBN’S application to renew its franchise, according to a Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey taken from July 3 to July 6.
The survey showed that 75 percent of adult Filipinos agreed with the statement: “Congress should renew the franchise of ABS-CBN so that it could broadcast its programs again.” Thirteen percent disagreed and 10 percent were undecided.
Poll taken before vote The survey was conducted as the House legislative franchise committee was deliberating on the network’s application, but prior to the July 10 session where it was rejected in a 70-11 vote.
The poll used mobile phone and computer-assisted telephone interviews of a total of 1,555 Filipinos nationwide age 18 years old and above.
The SWS poll also found more than half, or 56 percent of the respondents, believed that a nonrenewal of the franchise would be a major blow to press freedom; 27 percent disagreed with that view and 15 percent were undecided.
Strong in rural areas The survey had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 2 percentage points for national percentages.
Support for the franchise renewal was strong across all areas in the country, especially in rural areas and outside Metro Manila, SWS said.
The pollster noted that the proportion of those who agreed with the franchise renewal was highest (80 percent) in Mindanao.
Citing its past surveys, SWS said ABS-CBN, the country’s largest media network, is highly trusted by Filipinos.
In 11 surveys from October 2000 to December 2018, net trust in the broadcast giant ranged from +59 to +82 and were classifed either as “excellent” or “very good.”