SMNI News Channel

SMNI News Channel (SNC; stylized in all caps), known on-air as SMNI News, is a Philippine far-right religious free-to-air news and public service television network based in Makati. It is owned and operated by Swara Sug Media Corporation, the parent company of Sonshine Media Network International, a broadcasting arm of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (KJC) led by Filipino televangelist and religious leader, Apollo Quiboloy.

It airs national and international newscasts and talk shows, rolling news coverage from correspondents and reporters of SMNI Manila and other news bureaus in the Philippines and in more than 40 countries around the world, entertainment programs and news-related programs.

It is exclusively aired over digital terrestrial television on UHF Channels 39 and 43 in Metro Manila, and UHF Channel 19 in Davao Central and through more than 500 cable & satellite affiliates nationwide, selected programs simulcasting live via Facebook page, as well as on the main SMNI channel via analog and digital TV.

Programming

Current programs

News

*''Balita ng Bansa''
*''SMNI Newsblast''
**''EdiTOLrial with Sen. Francis Tolentino''
*''SMNI Newsbreak''
*''SMNI Nightline News''
*'' Newsline World''
*''Weekender World''

Public affairs and commentary

*''3PM: Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao Pilipinas Muna!''
*''Business and Politics with Dante "Klink" Ang II''
*''Dito sa Bayan ni Juan''
*''Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa''
*''Laban Kasama Ang Bayan''
*''Maki-Alam''
*''Pinoy Legal Minds''
*''Pulso ng Bayan''
*''Statecraft with Sass Rogando-Sasot''
*''SMNI Special Reports''
*''The Deep Probe''
* ''Banateros''

Public service

*''Kabayan Abroad''
*''OFW, Ikaw ang Bida!''
*''Problema N'yo Itawag kay Panelo''
*''SMNI Exclusive''

Infotainment

*''Eco Hour''
*''Healthy Chat @ Sonshine''
*''Ito ang Buhay (This is Life)''
*''Mga Doktor ng Bayan''
*''Pa-Talk''
*''SMNI Entrepinoy Revolution''

Kingdom-related

*''ACQ Classic''
*''Give Us This Day''
*''Powerline''
*''Quiet Moments''
*''Sounds of Worship''
*''Gospel of the Kingdom''
*''SPOTLIGHT Live! Worldwide''

Documentary

*''A New Me Story of Hope and Victory''
*''Caravan of Love''

Drama

*'' Makitang Muli''

* - denotes that this program is also simulcast on its main DTV channel, SMNI and Radio station DZAR 1026.

Previous programs

News

*''SMNI Morning Headlines''
*''SMNI Newsline''
*'' SMNI Newsline Philippines'' (2006–2016)

Current affairs and commentary

*''Point of Order''
*''Usaping Bayan''
*''Thinking Pinoy on SMNI''
*''Build PH''
*''OFW Helpline''

Infotainment

*''Amplify Your Life''

Drama

*'' Papa, Nasa'n Ka?'' (2023)

Cartoon

*''Kingdom Force''

Kingdom-related

*''Generation K''

Specials

*''Election Watch 2016: The SMNI News Special Coverage''
*''SMNI Presidential Debates 2022''
*''SMNI Senatorial Debates 2022''
*''On the Road with the Frontrunner'' (multi-platform coverage of UniTeam campaign rallies)
*''The Deep Probe: The SMNI Presidential Candidates Interview''
*''Election Watch 2019: The SMNI News Special Coverage''
*''Election Watch 2022: The SMNI News Special Coverage''

Subchannels

Notable broadcasters and anchors

Current anchors

* Apollo Quiboloy
* Rodrigo Duterte – 16th president of the Philippines
* Dante "Klink" Ang II – president and CEO of The Manila Times
* Lorraine Badoy – former NTF-ELCAC spokesperson
* Juan Ponce Enrile – Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former Senate President
* Jesus "Mang Jess" Arranza – Federation of Philippine Industries chairman
* Jeffrey Celis (Ka Eric) – former New People's Army (NPA) cadre
* Sass Rogando-Sasot – foreign relations expert
* Franco Baranda
* Yna Mortel
* MJ Mondejar
* Admar Vilando
* Dr. Carl Balita
* Troy Gomez
* Jade Calabroso
* Kyle Selva
* Salvador Panelo – former Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and former presidential spokesperson
* Ron Salo – Kabayan Partylist representative
* Harry Roque – former presidential spokesperson
* Atty. Mark Tolentino
* Dr. Ted Herbosa – Secretary of Health
* Greco Belgica – former Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman
* Senator Francis Tolentino
* Marissa del Mar-Magsino – OFW Partylist representative
* Peter Serrano - actor and political vlogger
* Lala Vinzon - actress

Former anchors

* Michael "Mike" Abe - A news anchor who specifically dealt with the controversy on Vice Ganda's challenge to Quiboloy on possibly shutting down ABS-CBN as the pastor has claimed to have "stopped" the series of earthquakes in Mindanao in 2019. He later departed from SMNI in 2022 after he walked out from hosting his program ''Usaping Bayan'' following his on-air argument against Quiboloy over the latter's alleged criticism on President Bongbong Marcos's first State of the Nation Address.
* Mike Defensor
* Rodante Marcoleta
* R. J. Nieto (Thinking Pinoy)
* Antonio Parlade Jr.
* Lucy Torres-Gomez
* Robert Ace Barbers
* Atty. David Castillon
* Atty. Migs Nograles
* Arnell Ignacio
* Anna Mae Lamentillo

Awards and citations

In June 2023, SMNI was recognized as the "Best Preeminent Broadcasting and Media Production Company" (international category) in the 16th Golden Globe Annual Awards for Business and Excellence.

Controversies

Far-right bias and red-tagging

According to a report by Rappler, the network allegedly fuels disinformation, misleading claims and propaganda to attack journalists and critics of the Duterte administration. It also has been accused of being a far-right channel in the Philippines. The channel has been compared to American Fox News and Canadian Rebel News.

On 7 July 2023, YouTube terminated the channels of SMNI and one of its programs, ''Laban Kasama ang Bayan'' (translated from Tagalog: ''Fight with the People''), along with KJC, following a previous ban on Quiboloy's YouTube channel which was terminated on 21 June. Google later stated that their actions were in compliance with existing sanctions by the United States against Quiboloy pursuant to the US Global Magnitsky Act as well as allegations of red-tagging misinformation; Quiboloy was previously indicted by the United States Department of Justice on charges of human trafficking and child sexual abuse.

Quiboloy and SMNI later created accounts on the alt-tech video service Rumble as well as an alternate account for SMNI on YouTube in defiance of sanctions; the latter account was suspended by YouTube a few days later. On 15 September 2023, the SMNI News' Facebook page was deleted, in accordance to Meta's Dangerous Organizations and Individuals Policy. On 19 March 2025, Meta took down 3 Facebook pages affiliated with SMNI, including from DZAR 1026 citing "expressing hatred or contempt for a group of people and using harmful racial stereotypes" that violated Meta's community standards.

Administrative complaint

SMNI is facing an administrative complaint filed in May 2022 before the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). Concepcion Empeño and Erlinda Cadapan, the mothers of disappeared students Karen Empeño and Sherlyn Cadapan, and left-wing human rights group Karapatan petitioned the NTC to revoke Swara Sug Media Corporation's franchise, for airing on SMNI an interview with convicted kidnapper and retired Army General Jovito Palparan. The complainants said in a statement that the broadcast propagated disinformation in violation of Republic Act No. 11422 and the 2007 Broadcast Code of the Philippines. Palparan and program host Lorraine Badoy also red-tagged former vice president and then-presidential candidate Leni Robredo during the broadcast, which the complainants alleged were in violation of Commission on Elections' Resolution No. 10730 involving truth in advertising and fair and accurate reporting.

Partnership talks with CGTN

During former President Rodrigo Duterte's meeting with Chinese president Xi Jinping in July 2023, SMNI personnel, along with Quiboloy, met with Chinese state media CGTN executives to discuss a partnership for efficient information dissemination.

House franchise probe

Suspension of programs

Two programs were placed under a 14-day preventive suspension by the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board, effective 18 December 2023, following reported complaints on their alleged violations. Majority of board members voted to suspend '' Gikan sa Masa, para sa Masa'', where program host, former president Rodrigo Duterte, allegedly twice aired threats against ACT Teachers party-list representative France Castro.

The program ''Laban Kasama ng Bayan'' was unanimously suspended after an episode where one of the hosts, Jeffrey "Ka Eric" Celiz, questioned the travel spending of House Speaker Martin Romualdez in that year, citing unverified information from his source at the Senate. The House had Celiz cited in contempt for refusing to reveal his source on his inquiry; Celiz said he is bound by the Sotto Law, which protects journalists from revealing their sources. Celiz was eventually detained for seven days together with his fellow host, Lorraine Badoy, who was also cited in contempt. Celiz and Badoy went on a hunger strike in response to the "travesty" of the House proceedings and their detention. On 11 December, Celiz' wife and Badoy's husband, represented by lawyer and fellow SMNI host Harry Roque, filed a petition before the Supreme Court to release the two news hosts on or before 15 December; the petition also asked the court to issue a writ of habeas corpus declaring their detention had no legal basis and to issue a writ declaring that the House acted with grave abuse of discretion. Four days later, the House released Celiz and Badoy from detention citing "humanitarian reasons (because it is Christmas)".

On 21 December, the National Telecommunications Commission issued an order suspending operations of the entire SMNI for 30 days, as well as a show cause order against the network. On 22 January 2024, the NTC, per Deputy Commissioners John Paulo Salvahan and Alvin Bernardo Blanco, in a 6-page Cease and Desist Order, made the 30-day SMNI suspension indefinite: “Pursuant to Sec. 4, Rule 10, the 2006 Rules of Practice and Procedure… the Commission hereby directs respondent to cease and desist from operating its radio and television stations under the authorities enumerated in the 19 December 2023 show-cause-order (with 30-day suspension order pending hearing and final consideration of the above-captioned case).” The Order was signed after the House of Representatives said in Resolution 189 that "the SMNI violated several provisions of its franchise as provided under Republic Act 11422".

References

External links

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{{Television in the Philippines

Sonshine Media Network International
Digital television stations in the Philippines
Television channels and stations established in 2016
24-hour television news channels in the Philippines
Television networks in the Philippines
Religious television stations in the Philippines