1953

After setting up a transmitter tower in San Juan and importing 300 TV sets, Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) on October 23 airs a party that ABS co-owner Tony Quirino hosts at his home

Quirino had bought into Bolinao Electronics, James Lindenberg’s five-year-old firm supplying radio equipment to Filipino broadcasters. Bolinao was then renamed Alto, after Quirino and his wife Aleli

1957

ABS is acquired by Eugenio H. Lopez Sr., owner of Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN), on February 24

1961

On June 14, Eugenio “Geny” Lopez Jr. (ELJ) realizes his dream of “bridges on the air” with the initial telecast of DYCB-TV Channel 3 Cebu

1966

ELJ forges an agreement between Radio Corporation of America and ABS-CBN/Bolinao for the establishment of the first color TV broadcast in the Philippines

1967

ABS-CBN broadcasts Philippine TV’s first marathon election coverage on November 14. “Halalan ’67” airs poll results and updates for 36 hours straight

1968

Begins to use live satellite transmissions from abroad, with events like the funeral of Robert Kennedy and the US presidential elections

Inaugurates its new Broadcast Center on Bohol Avenue on December 18

1969

Delivers its “Man on the Moon” coverage, the country’s first telecast of an event via satellite

1970

Increases its color programming to eight hours a week. Until mid-1970, it is the only TV network broadcasting in color

1972

ABS-CBN and its affiliate stations are seized and its owners forcibly ejected after the country is placed under martial law

1986

On September 16, ABS-CBN resumes broadcasting

1987

Relaunched as “The Star Network,” the network leaps from cellar dweller to No. 1 in less than six months

1988

ABS-CBN starts to broadcast via domestic satellite system

1994

Eugenio Lopez III (EL3) is named ABS-CBN president, while ELJ becomes chairman

1996

In May, ABS-CBN creates the Sarimanok News Network, later renamed ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC)

1997

EL3 becomes ABS-CBN chairman and CEO

1998

Reaches 97% of the country’s TV households and 88% of the land area

1999

Reaches 93% of TV households via a network of 35 TV stations and 2,000 affiliates

Embarks on digitalization

2006

Ends the year with a 42.7% audience share nationwide, making it the country’s No. 1 network

2008

Channel head Charo SantosConcio becomes the company’s fifth president

Goes tapeless in its TV production in and out of the studios

2010

Generates unprecedented profits of P3.2 billion, almost double the net income recorded in 2009

Changes its corporate name to ABS-CBN Corporation, dropping “Broadcasting” in response to the changes in the media landscape

Pioneers the use of the broadcast technology augmented reality, which combines computer-generated imagery with live video in real time, in its “Halalan 2010” coverage

2012

“TV Patrol” celebrates its 25th anniversary

Creates the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra with First Philippine Holdings Corporation

2013

Santos-Concio becomes CEO, while EL3 remains chairman of the board

ABS-CBN Convergence enters into a network sharing agreement with Globe Telecom to deliver mobile service

ABS-CBN announces its new venture—the KidZania theme park

Partners with the Koreanbased CJ O Shopping Corporation. O Shopping begins broadcasting October 16

Telecommunications unit ABS-CBNmobile gives away 100,000 SIM cards to survivors of typhoon Yolanda. ABSCBNmobile is commercially launched on December 16

2014

ABS-CBN Sports+Action Channel 23 is launched

ABS-CBN launches its new corporate logo

Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas gives EL3 the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 22nd Golden Dove Awards

ABS-CBN launches ABS-CBN University, a corporate university that provides practical business knowledge, managerial competencies and task-oriented education to Kapamilya employees

2015

Launches ABS-CBN HD, becoming the first free-to-air TV channel to broadcast in high definition

Carlo L. Katigbak is appointed ABS-CBN chief operating officer

ABS-CBN ushers in the digital television age in the Philippines with the launch of ABS-CBN TVplus

2016

ANC celebrates the 50th year of “The World Tonight” and launches the ANC Leadership Awards

Katigbak is named ABSCBN president and CEO