ALKHOBAR, 9 May 2007 — In an effort to bring its news reporting to a higher level, ABS-CBN conducted recently an advance workshop for its correspondents in the Middle East.
Twenty correspondents from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman, attended a two-day workshop held in Dubai last week themed “Write for the Ear, Shoot for the Eye, Aim for the Heart.”
These volunteer correspondents are currently reporting on the two news and magazine segments of The Filipino Channel (TFC), which are the Balitang Middle East (BME) and Kuwentong Disyerto (KD).
Dindo Amparo, Middle East News Bureau chief based in Dubai, told Arab News that the workshop trained the correspondents on how to produce better and more meaningful stories for the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) in the region. “We hope our correspondents will continue to touch the heart and mind of our fellow OFWs, through news and public service, wherever they may be,” Amparo said.
The resource speakers on the workshop were Joey Caburnida, executive producer of TV Patrol and BME; Lester Chavez, head of the ABS-CBN production unit; Val Cuenca, a veteran cameraman; and BME hosts Marieton Pacheco and Henry Omaga Diaz.
In an audio-visual presentation, Maria Ressa, head of News and Current Affairs, encouraged the correspondents to continue to inspire the OFWs in the Middle East with their stories.
“It’s bringing this experience back to the relatives who are here, telling them what life is like out there. Telling them what is like to be working away from your family. This is the social phenomenon of our generation and you have to make it real,” Ressa said.
A former CNN bureau chief based in Asia, Ressa told the budding correspondents that they part of the big team that is really out with one mission. “Our mission is simple — excellent journalism, to make our world a better place,” she said.
In 2002, then bureau chief Danny Buenafe formed the Balitang Middle East with a handful of volunteer reporters.
The segment features the latest news updates from OFW communities, special reports on the life of OFWs, job openings and announcement portion and a kumustahan segment where OFWs can reunite with their families and relatives via phone patch.
“Your group had gone a long way. Do not underestimate the power within your hands. Your news is not only seen in the Middle East, but also in America, Europe and Australia and Asia,” said Buenafe, who is now the bureau chief of Balitang Europe based in England.
Both Luchi Cruz-Valdez, head of Current Affairs, and Chari Villa, head of News Gathering, said they expect a lot of improvement on the reports of the Middle East team in bringing their stories and touching the hearts of the Filipinos around the world.
“I always tell to our reporters that if you are going to make a story for television, you must really tell a story and not just do a report,” said Cruz-Valdez.
On the other hand, Villa inspired the attendees to “just think of the impact you are giving to the lives of the people here and your relatives back home.”
