ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center

ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center

The ELJ Communications Center, the satellite dish antennas, and the transmitter mast as viewed from the main building of ABS-CBN.
General information
Type retail, office, studio, broadcasting, information technology
Architectural style modern architecture
Location Sgt. Esguerra Avenue corner Mother Ignacia Street, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Coordinates 14°38′25.36″N 121°02′12.08″E / 14.6403778°N 121.0366889°E / 14.6403778; 121.0366889
Construction started 1968 (studios and main building)
1998 (ELJCC building)
Opening March 21, 1969 (studios and main building)
January 1, 2000 (ELJCC building)
Renovated 2010-2011
Cost ₱6 billion (US$146.73 million) for ELJCC building
Height
Antenna spire 720 feet (transmitter tower)
Technical details
Floor count 15 above ground, 3 below ground
Floor area 101,608.32 m² (ELJCC building)
Grounds approximately 44,000 m² (main compound)
Design and construction
Architecture firm Datem, Inc.

The ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in Diliman, Quezon City, the Philippines is the main headquarters of ABS-CBN Corporation and its subsidiaries. It consists of a triangular compound with an area of approximately 44,000 square meters.[1] It was originally built in 1968 and was then the most advanced broadcast facility in Asia until March 1973 when NHK Broadcasting Center in Japan was formally opened. Today it is now the country's largest and most technologically advanced broadcast facility, capable of broadcasting multiple and simultaneous live SD or HD audio-video feeds to any parts of the world and vice versa.[2] The complex contains several buildings, studios, backlots as well as a chapel, a health center, a garden, and the 720 foot Millennium Transmitter. The Pinoy Big Brother studios and backlots are in a nearby lot in front of the complex. The ABS-CBN Studios can be toured through the company's ABS-CBN Studio Tours.

ABS-CBN main building

The ABS-CBN main building was originally built in 1968 and was the main headquarters of the whole ABS-CBN network for decades until 2000 when the ELJ Communications Center was opened. It is directly connected to the ABS-CBN Studios which was also built in 1968. The main entrance to the whole complex is located here. Today, it is mainly occupied by the ABS-CBN Integrated News and Current Affairs division of ABS-CBN and the Manila Radio Division which consist of DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 (AM) and MOR 101.9 (FM) as well as its ABS-CBNnews.com website. The ABS-CBN Newsroom which is used by the ABS-CBN News Channel for live broadcasts is located here.

ABS-CBN Studios

The ABS-CBN Studios are the oldest television studios of ABS-CBN. It is actually a single large studio that is further divided into nine smaller studios. It was originally built in 1968 and it is directly connected to the main building. Studio 1, now called the Dolphy Theatre is named after the late comedian-actor Dolphy. Studio 2 used to house the variety show It's Showtime until 2012 and the 'Blind Auditions' of the first season of the reality singing competition The Voice of the Philippines. This studio is now being use by the fifth season of reality game show Kapamilya, Deal or No Deal until January 22, 2016. Studio 3, houses the variety show It's Showtime since 2012. Studio 4 used to house the now-concluded game show Minute to Win It. And also, it is used for the comedy show, Banana Sundae Studio 5 houses the shows of O Shopping and liturgy oriented religious program The Healing Eucharist. Studio 6 houses programs of ANC, while ABS-CBN flagship news programs TV Patrol, Bandila, and News Patrol airs live from Studio 7. Studio 8 used to house the showbiz talk show Tonight with Boy Abunda. And also, this is called the Eviction Studio of the Pinoy Big Brother. Studio 9 used to house the now defunct lifestyle talk show Kris TV.

Eugenio Lopez, Jr. Communications Center

The ELJ Communications Center overseeing the newly renovated Millennium Transmitter as viewed from Mother Ignacia Avenue.

The Eugenio Lopez, Jr. Communications Center (also called ELJ Communications Center) is a high-end 15-storey building with three-level basement parking areas and a helipad. The whole building is an approved IT Center of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), making economic zone approved companies located therein eligible for temporary tax holiday and other incentives (such as duty-free imports of capital equipment). It occupies 10,000 square meters of land area and it has a 101,608.32 square meters of gross floor area. It is made up of three interconnecting building structures; a four-storey high 4,000 square meters television studio, and a 12 storey 2,000 square meters and a 15 storey 4,000 square meters office buildings joint together by steel and glass structures.[3] It was originally constructed in 1998 and was opened in 2000 for a cost of 6 billion pesos.[4] It is named in honor of the late Eugenio Lopez, Jr., the chairman emeritus of ABS-CBN. The dedication of the building was held on November 4, 2010 in a ceremony that was attended by the Philippine President Benigno Aquino III.[5]

The ground floor level is a mixed-use commercial area, second to third floors are studios and technical rooms, eighth to 12th floors are corporate offices while thirteenth to fifteenth floors are the executive offices. The fourth to seventh floors of the building are leased to other companies. Restaurant 9501, the exclusive executive restaurant of ABS-CBN is located on the fourteenth floor of the building. ABS-CBN Film Archives, the state-of-the-art film archive of ABS-CBN which holds the biggest film collection in the country is located in the basement of the building.

ABS-CBN's subsidiary, The Big Dipper Digital Content & Design, Inc. (Big Dipper) is an approved economic zone enterprise of PEZA, making the company eligible for tax holiday and other incentives.[6] In 2010, the company has availed an income tax holiday incentives of 472 million pesos. In 2011 and 2012, the company has availed 188 million and 204 million pesos respectively.[7] In 2014, PEZA approved the application of Big Dipper for the entitlement of the Pioneer Status.

ABS-CBN Studios annex

The ABS-CBN studios annex is a four storey high 4,000 square meters television studio. It is part of ELJ Communications Center and is connected to the ABS-CBN Studios by a roof bridge. It is further divided into four studios. Studio 10, the largest studio, houses the musical variety show ASAP, the comedy talk show Gandang Gabi, Vice!, the drama anthology Maalaala Mo Kaya, the magazine/lifestyle documentary program Rated K, the 'Blind Auditions' of the first season of The Voice Kids. Studios 11 and 12 are temporary studio set-ups, where the props and set decorations are dismantled after the show, this studio is currently being used by the gag shows Goin' Bulilit and for Myx. This studio is also home for the programs News+ and The Score of ABS-CBN Sports and Action. Studio 13, the loop studio, houses the morning show Umagang Kay Ganda.

The ABS-CBN Broadcasting Center in 2010 and beyond

References

  1. ↑ Villanueva, Paul Michael (31 December 2011), ABS-CBN 17-A 2011, Scribd.com, p. 18, retrieved 8 August 2012
  2. ↑ What is ABS-CBN?, Reocities, retrieved 21 March 2012
  3. ↑ Eugenio Lopez Jr. Communication, Manilaofficespace.org, retrieved 19 March 2012
  4. ↑ Dela Pena, Zinnia (July 8, 2003). "ABS-CBN building gets IT zone status". Philippine Star.
  5. ↑ "Philippine Inquirer: Inside the Kapamilya film vaults". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
  6. ↑ Villanueva, Paul Michael (31 December 2011), ABS-CBN 17-A 2011, Scribd.com, p. 150, retrieved 8 August 2012
  7. ↑ Villanueva, Paul Michael (27 March 2013). "ABS-CBN Corporation 2012 SEC Form 17-A" (PDF) (Press release). Philippine Stock Exchange.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Wednesday, May 04, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.