CNN PHL offers Tagalog news, live streaming to cater to a younger demographic
THE LOCAL iteration of the American cable news channel CNN has launched several new shows with an emphasis on growing its millennial market.
“They’re not very dependent on broadcast alone. We also have to take into account the digital performance,” Yna C. Ellorda, marketing manager of brand development and marketing at CNN Philippines told BusinessWorld during the shows’ Feb. 28 launch at Chateau 1771 in Makati City.
She added while majority of their news-watching audience are in their 40s and above, the channel’s 20-andabove bracket has been growing and it currently comprises “20-25%” of the channel’s viewership.
To that end, the channel introduced a new Tagalog newscast, Newsroom
Ngayon, which started airing on Feb. 6 and is not on every weekday at 10 a.m. The show is hosted by the channel’s senior correspondent, Ruth Cabal.
“It’s in Tagalog because we really saw that there’s a demand for a Tagalog newscast based on the feedback from the audience. It’s also the first show on CNN that is live [streamed] on Facebook,” said Armie JarinBennett, CNN Philippines president during the launch.
Ms. Ellorda noted though that they have already been live streaming some of their shows such as Town
Hall, a quarterly rundown of the top stories in the country in the previous three months, as well as some breaking news.
“We currently don’t have efforts to produce content specifically for digital but there have been plans... we hope we start with sports but nothing is final,” Ms. Ellorda said.
Aside from the Tagalog newscast, the channel started airing Newsroom
Weekend, anchored by Mai Rodriguez, in response to the audience wish to watch news on weekends, said Ms. Jarin-Bennett.
CNN Philippines will also be airing, starting March 27, a new flagship news program, News Night, which will replace Network News at 6 p.m. The show will be anchored by CNN Philippines’ chief correspondent, Pia Hontiveros. The show is said to “dig deeper into any news story, offering in- depth analysis, discussions and perspective on current issues and events,” according to a company press release.
The channel also launched a new current affairs program hosted by former legislator and journalist Gilbert C. Remulla called, Political
Insider. The show, which premiered on March 3, has Mr. Remulla talking to “government leaders, lawmaker and other insiders on the latest political and socioeconomic issues the country is facing and why they matter to Filipinos,” said the release.
“His experience as a legislator and as a journalist, all of these things combined, will be able to share with you a unique political program because he does know what goes on behind the scenes and knows how to get information that maybe won’t be easy to get if you haven’t been with them (congressmen) in the Congress,” said Ms. Jarin-Bennett.
Mr. Remulla noted that being a legislator and working with them means that he can “ask questions without ill feelings.”
CNN Philippines is available on free TV in Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao at RPN-TV9 and on cable TV at SkyCable Ch. 14 (Metro Manila), Ch. 6 (Cebu, Davao, Bacolod, Iloilo and Baguio), Destiny Cable Ch. 14, Cablelink Ch. 14, Cignal Ch. 10 and Dream Cable Ch. 13. —