Governments all over Asia are silencing critical journalists

IT IS OVER a month now since the screen went dark. At 7.52pm on May 5th ABS-CBN, the biggest broadcaster in the Philippines, ceased transmission. In theory, its licence simply expired—nothing to do with a years-long feud with President Rodrigo Duterte. But his administration had warned the regulator against giving the company a temporary extension, and Congress, which is dominated by the president’s allies, had dawdled for months over renewing its 25-year franchise (it still offers online programming and a cable channel). The Supreme Court may yet allow ABS-CBN to resume broadcasting until Congress makes up its mind. But even if it does, a clear signal has been sent to journalists and their commercial backers about the consequences of criticising the government too fiercely.