What it does: Primarily involved in the production of television and radio broadcasting for domestic and international audiences with a variety of other related businesses. The company operates eighteen radio stations throughout the Philippines and owns cinema and music production and distribution brands.
Best known for: ABS-CBN operates and owns a number of the country's most popular national television networks including ABS-CBN and ABS-CBN Sports+Action, as well as My Only Radio and Radyo Patrol regional radio networks.
Staff stats: 11,068
The good bits: A fun and casual working environment with a 'family-oriented' vibe. ABS-CBN has been cited by employees as a 'good training ground' for graduates who want to work in the entertainment industry or explore opportunities to hone their talent and discover new ones.
The not-so-good bits: Long working hours that is incommensurate to the basic salary. Career growth may also be an issue, as promotions are said to be mostly given to employees with seniority.
Hiring grads with top marks in: Finance, Accounting, Economics & Business Administration, Journalism, Mass Communication, Marketing, Psychology, Sociology, Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences, or related courses
ABS-CBN traces its roots to 1946, the year the country's first official television broadcast, the Bolinao Electronics Corporation, was launched by James Lindenburg, an American electronics engineer and one of the founding fathers of Philippine Television.
Come 1951, Lindenburg teamed up with Antonio Quirino, the brother of former Philippine President Elpidio Quirino, to launch ABS or Alto Broadcasting System. The first full broadcast was launched in October 1953 from a television station known as DZAQ-TV Channel 3.
In 1956, brothers Eugenio Sr. and Fernando Lopez of Chronicle Broadcasting Network acquired ABS from Lindenburg and Quirino. On 7 February 1967, the company's name was changed to its modern title: ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation.
Since the 1990s, the corporation has expanded into a variety of media and entertainment ventures that include talent development and management with Star Magic, television and film production and distribution with Star Cinema, video and music publishing, recording, and distribution with Star Music, publishing and print with ABS-CBN Publishing, pay-TV with Creative Programs, new media with ABS-CBN Digital Media, telecommunications with ABS-CBN Convergence, Sky Cable, and San Francisco International Gateway, international television distribution with ABS-CBN Global, sports programming with ABS-CBN Sports, home TV shopping with O Shopping, and a theme park with Play Innovations.
ABS-CBN is the largest media and entertainment conglomerate in the Philippines in terms of operating income, assets, market capitalization, number of employees, equity, and revenue.
According to the corporation's annual report, there has been a reported dip in the businesses' revenue, operating income and net income with an increase in both total assets and total equity.
The recruitment process varies widely depending on your role. You may be asked to attend a series of phone, one-on-one, or panel interviews with recruitment managers and department heads. Some roles require timed aptitude, IQ or personality tests, while others do not. Previous employees noted that the entire process may take at least two weeks to a month.
Low basic salary and minimal benefits are a common issue among previous employees, especially for entry-level roles. The company is said to offer free meals, basic healthcare, marital bonuses and sick and holiday leave, among others.
A majority of reviews rave about the corporation's 'fun', 'casual', and 'flexible' work environment with a 'family-like' atmosphere, but much has also been said about its poor work-life balance and heavy workloads.
The ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Inc. (ALKFI) is the public service arm of ABS-CBN. It implements charitable projects via multi-sectoral partnerships while focusing on the environment, education, childcare and protection, community development and disaster management. ALKFI's three major programs include Bantay Kalikasan, an environment advocacy arm, Sagip Kapamilya, its emergency humanitarian assistance program, and Bantay Bata 163, a child welfare program for children who are at risk.
For graduates who want to explore the world of entertainment and broadcasting, ABS-CBN is a workplace that offers valuable experiences, but it is also for workers who fully understand the rigors and long hours of the media industry.