One Mindanao: GMA offers ‘unified’ Mindanao newscast

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — GMA 7 has broken new ground by unveiling a newscast that covers the entire Mindanao.

One Mindanao, the brainchild of the regional TV arm of the network giant, commenced this week with the promise of more stories that veer from the “usual coverage” of the  island.

The 30-minute newscast which airs weekdays at 5 p.m. is anchored by Tek Ocampo, Sarah Hilomen-Velasco and Real Sorroche, and backed by a network of stringers across Mindanao. 

It will simultaneously broadcast in key cities and provinces in Mindanao through the network’s local channels in Mindanao: GMA 5 Davao, GMA 35 Cagayan de Oro City, GMA 8 General Santos City, GMA 12 Jolo, Sulu, GMA 9 Zamboanga City, GMA 12 Cotabato City, GMA 2 Tandag City, GMA 10 Surigao City, GMA 26 Butuan City, GMA 4 Dipolog City, GMA 3 Pagadian City, GMA 5 Ozamiz City, GMA 11 Iligan City and GMA 12 Bukidnon.

Oli Amoroso, VP for Regional TV, said in a speech during the launch over the weekend, “Local news plays a very important role. While the national news reports on a wider scope, it is the stories in our local communities, stories that directly affect our relatives, families and friends that remain very important to (the network) and to our regional viewers. We’re about to write a new chapter in local news programming with One Mindanao, which is (produced) by Mindanaoans, for Mindanaoans.”

The planning and preparation of the new program took six months. Amoroso revealed that the germ of the idea started with the Davao news team. He added that there will be two news hubs for One Mindanao, Davao City and Cagayan De Oro City, which are “capable of airing live and doing breaking stories” spanning the entire island.  

Amoroso admitted that while its previous news program 24 Oras Davao did not outperform its competition, it was doing remarkably well already in the ratings for the past months. However, the regional TV head, who is also a Mindanaoan himself, said that “we decided to break new ground instead of becoming comfortable with that level of accomplishment.”

Asked if the intensified and encompassing local coverage has anything to do with the fact that the country now has its first Mindanaoan President, Rodrigo Duterte, who happens to be the former mayor of Davao City, Amoroso said, “Nagkataon lang na ang major news hub is Davao. Somehow, it’s timely at the same time, very relevant.... Instead of having different news programs (in different stations), we now have one, unified newscast that will cater to all.”

Program manager Darius Relatado also said, “It just so happened that the President is from Davao. But it’s high time to have this kind of news program. Before, whatever was being shown in Davao, it was just all about Davao,” adding that if there were news reports about other areas in Mindanao, these were ones picked up by the national programming. 

Relatado added, “So, at first, we thought it was impossible to (do One Mindanao). Then, through discussions with the engineering people, we learned it was possible to air a (Mindanao-based) program that airs simultaneously throughout the island. While we all know Mindanao is diverse in terms of culture and everything, but if it was technically possible, perhaps it was possible to have a unified program?”

Nevertheless, Tek Ocampo said that that having the first Mindanaoan president has brought more attention to Mindanao.

Having covered Duterte since when he was still mayor — he who always says to ask the Davao press on how to cover him when his relationship with the national media hits some rough patches — Ocampo said that they have learned to understand the President through his body language, so much so, they could already tell whenever he was serious or joking. He cited for example that even when Duterte declared he wouldn’t run for the highest office of the land, they knew and reported that he would. 

The One Mindanao team intends to present a “more-than-the-usual” if not a more balanced programming. It’s not hard to notice that news coming out of Mindanao has had been largely negative, with “regular” stories about conflict, war, fighting and terrorism.    

“Pag-may nangyari na (siege) sa Zamboanga, parang buong Mindanao nagkagulo. Yung nangyari  (terrorism) sa Marawi, parang buong Mindanao din nagkagulo,” Ocampo said. 

“It’s high time (to have a show that really tells) what is the truth, not one-sided, because whatever we do, it cannot be helped that stories about Mindanao get sensationalized. Parang takot (tuloy ang mga tao) pumunta sa Mindanao. So, lagyan natin ng positive stories that show Mindanao is not like that as a whole, that there’s hope among the people here, they’re actually nice, peace-loving, not terrorists or war freaks... That’s what we’re trying to do, so we’re hoping magkaisa, may voice (via news by Mindanaoans, for Mindanaoans). Most of Mindanaoans rely on the national news for information.”

Relatado agreed that the stories that tend to cast Mindanao in a negative light or reinforce stereotypes such as that “Mindanao is a war zone” are the ones hyped up not just in the national but also in the international arena, and as a Mindanaoan, he does feel hurt about it. He said One Mindanao will try to address the disproportionate coverage by telling “the positive, negative and developmental stories” about the island.

For one, there will be special segments on the lighter side of news and human interest stories, like in Gikan sa Mama, Para sa Mama (roughly translated as “from a mom, to another mom”) to be hosted by Velasco, Marawi mothers will be featured. They also plan on featuring the Presidential Daughter and Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio who is a mom of three. 

Since not all of Mindanao speak in Bisaya, which is the newscast’s main language, the news and production team will allow stringers to speak in their local language, like Chabacano in Zamboanga. Although the anchors themselves can understand and speak some of the other languages in Mindanao, for Ocampo, the videos are more important, that a good one can speak for itself, and they will try to get their sources to speak in English or Tagalog-English. 

How will One Mindanao reach the wider audience, especially for the awareness of those who live outside Mindanao and those who still harbor misgivings or misconceptions about Mindanao?

Amoroso said that One Mindanao will be telecast (same time) on GMA News International. He also noted that with the synergy between the national and regional news teams, viewers can expect more Mindanao stories making it to the national programs. One Mindanao segments can also be viewed on the network’s social media sites, particularly of the Regional News TV.