PHILIPPINES, FEBRUARY 2011 – Seasoned broadcast journalist and news executive Charie Villa is set to revolutionize regional news in the country after her recent appointment as News Head of the ABS-CBN Regional Network Group (RNG).
Villa, the former Head of ABS-CBN’s News gathering and Online and Mobile Group, will use her decades of experience and visionary ways to strengthen the presence of RNG’s news organization per region; and to also make it more accessible in social media such as the Internet.
The former Reuters Manila Bureau Chief said part of her agenda is pushing for the development of hyperlocal content, or content that focuses on the concerns of people in a specific region, in all 19 local editions of “TV Patrol” all over the nation.
In line with this, Villa said the RNG will tap and train homegrown citizen journalists to contribute reports for television and to also provide content in the mirror websites that RNG will develop for each region.
“RNG News will go deep into the communities and reach out to the people to capture the real state of each region. But at the same time, we are also going beyond borders by going online, in order to serve Filipinos abroad, especially OFWs who want to be updated about their hometowns,” she explained.
The sites, which will carry local directory listings, and feature stories, business opportunities, and discussions specific to a region, will serve as online hubs for regional groups such as the Cebuanos, Zambangeños, and Ilocanos here and abroad.
Another exciting development in RNG News is the inclusion of a new segment called “Bidaka.com,” in all regional editions of “TV Patrol.” Villa said the segment aims to arouse pride among the people by featuring local personalities whose achievements or contributions to society have become source of inspiration to his or her kababayans.
ABS-CBN Regional Network Group Head Jerry Bennett said he is confident that Villa will lead RNG News to greater heights as she had done to ABS-CBN News and www.abs-cbnnews.com.
“Having Charie head RNG News is the network’s way of raising the bar in regional news. ABS-CBN may already be the country’s biggest news organization, but that doesn’t stop us from striving to bring better service to Filipinos worldwide,” he said.
Like other ABS-CBN multimedia journalists, Charie is active online. Follow Charie on Twitter (@charievilla) and on Facebook (Charie Villa) and send comments and suggestions.
