Today on ‘Agenda’

Do not mock the days of small beginnings” says the Lord, but with the launch of One-News TV, the all English news channel of Cignal TV, it would be difficult to say that it is a small beginning given how Philippine Star, Business World, TV-5 and Bloomberg Philippines bring their best and the brightest to the table and in front of the cameras.

Yes OneNews is starting on “cable” or in this case satellite, but I distinctly remember that when I worked for another cable station, the studios we worked in was actually a “bodega” or warehouse. In the case of OneNews, it’s a studio within the studio complex of TV5.  Couple that with Cignal’s countrywide presence that crosses all cultural and economic boundaries, what we have in the offering, if played right is a game-changing opportunity to deliver useful information and opinions intended to help Filipinos in the countryside to be better informed and equally positioned as those in the center of power such as Metro Manila, Cebu or Davao.

The unique position of Cignal lies in the fact that several hundred thousands of its subscribers are located in fast developing provincial areas that need and want a voice for their concerns, a window for the world to discover them, as well as a media source to provide them information they want, need and that would be useful for their business and investment decisions. This is both an opportunity and a challenge to OneNews and Cignal because it demands a fine balance between having an all-English news channel on one side that is also relevant and palatable to their audiences outside Metro Manila. Provincial people are far more discriminating and they have the time to listen, figure things out and smell vested interest or partiality.

The challenge to Cignal particularly OneNews is to have the courage to be different not for uniqueness sake but to break away from the Metro Manila centric programming and communications mindset of the networks who pander to Metro Manila companies, politicians, while promoting network talents and advertising services. OneNews won’t be the alternative media, in fact it might initially look and sound familiar, but as it spreads its wings, viewers will surely discover hosts and anchors who have put in a lot of time and effort into their craft as Journalists, business people, licensed professionals and broadcasters.

What makes them different is they no longer have to prove themselves, they’re all comfortable with who they are and they now go before the cameras simply to do what they love and share all that with their audiences. Each show will represent what they are good at, what they are concerned about and will surely reveal the things they are passionate about or enjoy the most.

Today, I’ll be back in front of the TV camera to host “AGENDA” a one-hour News and Current Affairs interview program where we hope to tackle the biggest concerns of the day but also bringing focus to the interests, problems, and challenges of our viewers up north and down south. While studying our format and directions, I recently did informal interviews of business people and professionals in Dumaguete and Siquijor and unlike Metro Manila; their priorities are very different.

The biggest problem to the people of Siquijor is the lack of a full pledged hospital, followed by the extremely high price of electricity, followed by expensive tap water. Then there is the serious lack of marine transport and ferry services between Siquijor and Dumaguete, which affects the former’s development and progress. Another concern is the lack of jobs  and the migration of skilled workers of Siquijor to the nearby and more developed locality of Dumaguete or Cebu. Both Dumaguete and Siquijor reflect frustration with the high prices of commodities and dry goods that usually come from Cebu or Metro Manila due to so many middlemen adding on handling charges.

All this reflects the fact that provincial concerns are not necessarily aligned with those in Metro Manila. One example is the issue of “Regionalized salary rates.” Cignal subscribers in the north and in the Visayas pointed out that gasoline and diesel are far more expensive outside in Metro Manila, electricity is more expensive so why should there be a lower salary scale for FILIPINOS outside Metro Manila. Yes it stinks of the Haciendero mentality that is still prevalent among lawmakers and lords of Imperial Manila.

In any case, some of the topics we hope to tackle are issues of land ownership, inheritance and tax declarations after the Boracay island fiasco. We hope to bring light to political dynasties, the struggle of mid level government officials who have been denied permanent items or appointments and what it’s costing them, is our health insurance and SSS going broke in ten years? One favorite topic I hope to tackle intensely will be how our major roads and highways are being wrecked by cargo trucks and greed. So if you happen to be living outside Metro Manila and you have a none-metro problem or issue, let us know and we’ll see if we can schedule the topic or issue on “AGENDA” Monday to Friday at 8 a.m. on Channel 8/SD or Channel 250HD on Cignal. And if you would please say a prayer for all of us, that our efforts do succeed and meet the need of all Filipinos.

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