“Here’s to a new beginning together.”
In 75-seconder clip uploaded on social media on Friday, fledgling news service Newswatch Plus was officially unveiled.
The organization, which brings back to life the iconic ‘Newswatch’ brand, will be fronted by several former CNN Philippines anchors, reporters, and personalities, which were affected by the news channel’s shutdown in January 2024.
At least according to the initial video trailer for ‘Newswatch Plus,’ on board are Christine Jacob-Sandejas, Paolo Abrera, Menchu Macapagal, Lois Calderon, Tristan Nodalo, Jamie Herrell, and Jiego Reyes.
The organization promises to “break the news,” “take viewers on a journey” and bring “stories that are better told.”
Initially, ‘Newswatch Plus’ will be available on digital platforms, such as Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Apart from that, it has also been confirmed that the program will be having airtime on free-to-air television channel RPTV on RPN-9 and ALIW channel 23 on digital terrestrial television.
It is currently unknown at the moment when the digital services and the TV program/s would officially begin.
NEWSWATCH
The ‘Newswatch’ brand in Philippine media dates back to the former flagship newscast of Radio Philippines Network (RPN) on channel 9, which launched in 1970.
Throughout its four-decade-long run, the newscast was presented by various news anchors, led by the likes of Harry Gasser, Bong Lapira, Orly Mercado, Jing Magsaysay, Luchi Cruz-Valdes, among many others.
It also took on different iterations and branding over the years, such as ‘Newswatch Prime Cast,’ and ‘Newswatch Aksyon Balita,’ and youth-oriented spin-offs ‘Newswatch Junior’ and ‘Junior Newswatch’ in the late ’70s and mid-2000s, respectively.
In 2011, ‘Newswatch’ was temporarily relegated to the free-to-air only feed of RPN-9, following the channel’s affiliation change to ETC, before eventually getting a simulcast slots on other Solar Entertainment channels.
Solar Entertainment, which had acquired majority stake in RPN and occupied the majority of the channel’s airtime at that point in time, formed its own news organization named Solar News in May 2012.
With that, the writing was already on the wall and the program was officially axed after 42 years on the air in October 2012, which was also caused by the retrenchment of RPN workers amidst the network’s privatization.
Solar then began airing its own news programs to take the former time slots of ‘Newswatch’ on the RPN TV network.
Coincidentally, Solar News was the original on-air branding of the organization that would later become known as 9News in 2014, and subsequently, CNN Philippines in March 2015.
CNN PHILIPPINES
CNN Philippines debuted on-air as the fifth localized version of global news brand CNN on March 16, 2015, more than five months after it was first confirmed on October 14, 2014.
It boasted a mixed line-up of shows, which consisted of local productions and those acquired from CNN International, which also enabled CNNPH to broadcast major breaking news stories from around the world as they happened.
Our local CNN also became home to some of the country’s most-respected journalists, namely Pia Hontiveros, Rico Hizon, Pinky Webb, Ruth Cabal, among many others who have come and went on the channel.
Although, the channel has gained a steady following and had been one of most trusted organizations in the Philippines, it did not translate to the financial well-being of the corporation behind it.
As per the financial statements Nine Media filed before the Securities and Exchanges Commission (SEC), it ended 2022 at a loss of more than Php 239 million, despite that period being an election year and NMC posting a revenue of Php 407.3 million.
Chiefly because its operational costs, which include salaries, production costs, and the license fee to use the CNN name, and the RPN airtime fee, cumulatively ballooned to nearly Php 515 million that year.
As a result, Nine Media decided to end the operations of the news station on January 29, 2024, and close down the entire newsroom by January 31, which resulted to the loss of 300 media jobs.
On February 1, 2024, TV5, in partnership with Nine Media, took over RPN’s airtime to launch the new RPTV channel which airs mostly news programs on daytime, live coverage of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) and Premier Volleyball League (PVL) on primetime, and entertainment shows led by a simulcast of noontime show ‘Eat Bulaga’ — which was carried over from the channel’s time as CNN Philippines.
Trendrod 