Disgraced NBC anchor demoted; black successor makes history

Disgraced US television news anchor Brian Williams was dumped from NBC's nightly news program Thursday, and replaced by the first African American to helm a weekday network evening newscast.

The 56-year-old Williams -- whose embellishment of an Iraq war story led to his suspension -- has been shifted to sister cable network MSNBC, where he will take over as anchor of breaking news and special reports in mid-August.

Lester Holt -- who has been filling in for Williams -- will permanently take over as anchor of NBC Nightly News, in a breakthrough for black journalists.

Williams was suspended in February for six months and saw his work investigated after he admitted changing a tale about coming under fire and amid accusations that he stretched the truth on other occasions.

NBC said Williams "made a number of inaccurate statements about his own role and experiences covering events in the field" following a probe into more than 10 years of his reporting.

"The statements in question did not for the most part occur on NBC News platforms or in the immediate aftermath of the news events, but rather on late-night programs and during public appearances, usually years after the news events in question," it said in a statement.

Andrew Lack, chairman of NBC News and MSNBC, said Williams now had the chance to earn back everyone's trust.

"His excellent work over 22 years at NBC News has earned him that opportunity," he said.

Williams, who reportedly earned $10 million a year and drew in an audience of an estimated nine million people as host of NBC Nightly News, apologized in the same statement.

"I'm sorry. I said things that weren't true. I let down my NBC colleagues and our viewers, and I'm determined to earn back their trust," he said, promising to support his successor "100 percent."

Holt, who is also 56, has been a television reporter for 34 years, and joined the network in 2000.

The National Association of Black Journalists hailed his appointment.

"It is thrilling to see that an African-American will for the first time in television history be the solo anchor of an network evening newscast," said NABJ Vice President-Broadcast Dedrick Russell.

In 1978, Max Robinson became America's first black television network news anchor when he was made part of a three-anchor team at ABC's World News Tonight, the association said.

A decade later, Carole Simpson took over as weekend anchor of the same program.

Lack, the NBC News and MSNBC chairman, praised Holt for his "outstanding work" and for performing "remarkably well over the last few months under very tough circumstances" as Williams' stand-in.

"In many ways, television news stands at a crossroads, and Lester is the perfect person to meet the moment," he said.

Holt said he was "very proud and grateful to be part of such an unflappable and dedicated team of professionals as we move forward together."

Williams admitted that a story about his helicopter coming under fire in Iraq was not true, after criticism from troops there at the time.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

NBC's Brian Williams suspended 6 months over Iraq claims

Brian Williams, the anchor of NBC's top-rated "Nightly News" program, has been suspended without pay for six months after admitting last week that a story he told about coming under fire on a helicopter during the Iraq war was not true, the network said on Tuesday.

As one of America's most prominent journalists, Williams' suspension and sudden downfall casts a pall over the Comcast Corp-owned network and its reputation as one of the most authoritative sources for news in the United States.

"By his actions, Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News," NBC Universal chief executive Steve Burke said in a statement from the network. "His actions are inexcusable and this suspension is severe and appropriate."

Williams, 55, a star anchor who has led "Nightly News" since 2004, has told different versions of a tale in which a U.S. military helicopter he was riding in during the first days of the Iraq war in 2003 was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade.

His suspension comes after he voluntarily took himself off the air on Saturday and five days after NBC News launched an inquiry into his story of the event.

NBC News president Deborah Turness said in a memo to staff that the inquiry is still ongoing.

Backlash against Williams, who also served as managing editor of the newscast, swiftly gained steam from soldiers on social media after a Jan. 30 "Nightly News" segment in which Williams retold a version of the story.

'Completely inappropriate'

U.S. military newspaper Stars and Stripes first reported on a number of soldiers who disputed Williams' claims, saying he was not on or near the helicopter that was hit.

"This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian's position," Turness said in the memo.

Williams' fall from grace has also sparked a wider debate about the role of the news anchor at a time when the influence and relevance of the nightly network broadcast has waned in the Internet age.

Williams' apology last week, in which he said he misremembered the event, was widely mocked and criticized. He also struggled to explain himself in an interview with Stars and Stripes on how he misrepresented the story.

"Because I knew we had all come under fire, I guess I had assumed that all of the airframes took some damage because we all went down," Williams told the newspaper in a Feb. 4 interview that was published on Monday.

Lester Holt, the weekend anchor of "Nightly News," will continue to fill in for Williams, the memo said.

Williams built on his celebrity as an anchor by frequently appearing elsewhere on television such as late night talk shows and hosting NBC's sketch comedy show "Saturday Night Live."

The newscast, which averaged about 10.2 million viewers for the week ended Feb. 2, pulled in an estimated $148 million in advertising revenue during the third quarter, according to Kantar Media.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

NBC to investigate anchor Williams' Iraq war reporting

NEW YORK - NBC launched an internal probe on Friday into top-rated "Nightly News" anchor Brian Williams' debunked claim that he was aboard a helicopter that was downed by a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) during the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.

In an internal memo, NBC News President Deborah Turness told staffers that a team would gather the facts about the incident in which Williams, 55, falsely said he was in a U.S. Army helicopter that was hit and forced down by an RPG.

"This has been a difficult few days for all of us at NBC News," she said. "As you would expect, we have a team dedicated to gathering the facts to help us make sense of all that has transpired."

Williams apologized on TV on Wednesday for "making a mistake" after veterans complained about the claim he made during a broadcast last week, saying it was not true.

But the lie threatens his credibility as the anchor and managing editor of NBC's flagship evening news program.

"I was instead in a following aircraft. We all landed after the ground fire incident and spent two harrowing nights in a sandstorm in the Iraq desert," Williams said in his apology.

He blamed it on repeatedly watching a video of himself looking at the impact damage and "the fog of memory over 12 years" that he said made him misremember.

The probe by the network's investigative unit is being headed by Richard Esposito, who was formerly the editor of Daily News newspaper of New York, according to media reports.

The apology by Williams did little to quell the uproar and cast doubt about whether he would be able to continue in his role at NBC, a unit of Comcast Corp.

"We're working on what the best next steps are," Turness added in the memo.

NBC did not respond to requests for comment, and Williams appeared on his evening news show on Friday.

But the Emmy-winning anchor was ridiculed on social media and in the press for his "lame apology."

"Now Williams is under fire," read a banner headline in the New York Post, which listed other interviews and news segments in which he spoke about his helicopter being forced down.

Williams is also facing scrutiny about his remarks about covering Hurricane Katrina. In an interview he spoke about seeing a deceased man float face down from his hotel window in the French Quarter of New Orleans.

But a former city health director, Dr. Brobson Lutz, told the New Orleans Advocate he questioned Williams' account because the historic district did not experience as much flooding as other parts of the city.

Lutz was also dubious about comments Williams made in another interview when he said he suffered from dysentery after mistakenly drinking flood water while covering Katrina.

"I saw a lot of people with cuts and bruises and such, but I don't recall a single, solitary case of gastroenteritis during Katrina or the whole month afterwards," said Lutz.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

10 'cutest TV newsmen' in PH ranked

MANILA -- An ABS-CBN regional anchor topped this year's edition of an online magazine's "Cutest TV Newsmen," with three other Kapamilya personalities making it to the list.

In a feature published Friday by Spot.ph, ABS-CBN Bacolod's Ryan Gamboa ranked first among 10 Filipino newsmen described as "eye candy."

Gamboa co-anchors the ABS-CBN News Channel's (ANC) noontime telecast "Dateline Philippines," from the network's news center in Negros Occidental.

"We're pretty sure that the heart rates of viewers from all over the country start to race whenever his segments are aired as part of the national broadcasts," the blurb on Gamboa read.

"We like the fact that he describes himself as a 'sugarcane farmer, mad scientist, Jedi knight, and mutant.' We're suckers for good-looking geeks," it added.

The Top 10 list, said to be an offering of "brainless fun," also included ANC's "Executive Class" host David Celdran, who placed 2nd; ABS-CBN Sports commentator Anton Roxas, 4th; and "TV Patrol" reporter Jeff Canoy, 6th.

Other news personalities in the list were PTV-4's Sandro Hermoso and JC Tejano, 3rd and 7th, respectively; GMA-7's Nielsen Donato and Bam Alegre, 5th and 10th, respectively; and TV5's Carlo Castillo and Gerard Garcia, 8th and 9th, respectively.

Early this week, Spot.ph also released its list of "Top 10 Hottest Newswomen" in the country, with ABS-CBN's Maiki Oreta, Carolyn Bonquin and Tina Marasigan ranking 7th, 6th and 2nd, respectively.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

How PH experience helped Cher Calvin's career in US

HOLLYWOOD - For eight years now, Cher Calvin has been delivering the news to southern California. She anchors the nightly newscast of the KTLA, one of the area's top stations.

The Fil-Am former beauty queen-turned journalist started out as a news desk assistant editor at Time Magazine. She said she appreciates technology but practices traditional journalism methods which requires sourcing beyond Twitter.

"What we're trying to do is be accuurate and that is the most important part of our job--the accuracy of the information that we're giving out. That's something that our team at KTLA they're really good at," said Calvin.

She added, "You need to vet every source and Twitter is useful for many things but at the same time it can be dangerous for news organizations who might want to jump and be the first with the information".

Calvin had an active media career in the Philippines as a journalist and television host. She hopes to join her former "F Girls" co-hosts in a reunion next year.

She said working in Manila from 1998 to 2003 gave her valuable career training.

"Most of all I learned more about the business and learning how to be on television, how to host events, to be a part of a talk show, you name it, I did it all there and I'm very grateful," she said.

Calvin won an Emmy in 2005 when she was part of KTLA's morning show where she had the opportunity to interview many newsmakers.

Her future projects include some personal plans.

"Now is the time for me to have a family. I would like that very much," she said.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

7 weight loss tips from Korina Sanchez

MANILA – Almost everyone has noticed Korina Sanchez’ slimmer figure, the ABS-CBN broadcast journalist said so herself, prompting her to share some of her weight loss tips.

Sanchez, who is currently on the Cohen diet, said the key to staying slim is not about deprivation, but about eating “the right kind of food” in moderation.

The “TV Patrol” anchor lost 15 pounds in a month.

“May kasamang pandaraya ‘yun. Kasi hindi ko na talaga matiis ‘pag may katapat na akong kare-kare at saka kanin at bagoong. So medyo dinadaya ko,” she said during her radio program, “Rated Korina,” on Thursday.

“Siguro kung walang pandaraya ‘yun, siguro dalawang linggo lang ang 15 pounds na ‘yan,” she added.
Since the Cohen diet may be pricey – over P50,000 for a personalized program – Sanchez shared with her listeners as much as she can when it comes to shedding unwanted pounds.

She said, however, that it is best to consult a doctor first before drastically changing eating habits.

“Magkonsulta kayo sa doktor bago niyo gawin ‘yan. Kasi ako, ‘yan ang ginawa ko, eh meron akong doktor na pinagtanungan niyan,” she said. “Kasi baka naman bigla kayong mag-altapresyon dahil ‘di kayo kumain nang tama.”

Here are her seven weight loss tips:

1. While dieting, don’t exercise

Eating less than what a person is used to may result in a feeling of tiredness or lack of energy, said Sanchez, who discouraged her listeners from exercising while on a strict diet.

“Habang nagdidiyeta, bawal ang exercise. Kasi mahirap ‘yun, baka mahilo ka at mahimatay ka,” she said.

According to Sanchez, it usually takes two weeks before the effects of a diet program can be felt, so it is best to start working out after this period.

“’Pag nawala na sa ’yo ‘yung timbang, medyo gwardiyado na ang pagkain mo, pwede ka nang mag-exercise ulit,” she said.

 For other diet plans that have been tried by local celebrities, click here.


 2. Don’t eat rice, bread or any source of carbohydrates

With exercise out of the way, dieters can now skip eating rice, bread or pasta, at least temporarily, said Sanchez, who noted that carbohydrates are the common culprit when it comes to weight gain.

“Huwag kang kumain ng kanin, huwag kang kumain ng tinapay at pasta kasi carbohydrates po ‘yan. ‘Yan po ‘yung nagiging taba sa katawan na hindi po lumalabas,” she said.

The same applies for sugar, which also includes a number of fruits, Sanchez added.

“’Wag kayong mag-aasukal. Walang kendi, walang softdrinks kung hindi zero o light. Basta, iwasan po ang asukal. Kasama po ang prutas ah. Akala niyo ang prutas, pang-diyeta? Hindi. Maraming asukal ang prutas. Pwera na lang siguro kung ‘yan ay bayabas, wala masyadong asukal,” she said.




Sanchez said after two weeks, it’s okay to eat sweets and carbohydrates again, but only in moderation.

“Pwede ka namang bumalik, pero sa loob ng dalawang lingo, iwasan muna ‘yan talaga,” she said.

 Sanchez’ suggestion is contrary to what “Pinoy Biggest Loser” season 1 nutritionist Nadine Tengco said, that Filipinos need not give up rice to shed unwanted pounds.



 3. As much as possible, don’t add salt to your food

Sanchez said she has been advised to stay away from salt, and was given a daily limit of 1/3 teaspoon a day.

She noted that this is not much of a sacrifice since a number of food items, such as meat, already have salt.

“Alam mo ‘yung tapa, ipriprito mo sa konting, konting mantika, kasi may mantika nang sarili ‘yun eh. Walang timpla, masarap pa rin, ah,” she said.

4. Use your fist as a guide

So how do you know how much you need to eat each meal?

Sanchez gave this tip: use your fist.

“Kung gaano kalaki ang iyong kamao, ganoon lang kalaki ang pagkain mo. May kasamang gulay at may kasamang karne,” she said.

Sanchez recommended eating fish, chicken and beef, but not pork. “Tanggalin ang taba,” she said.

5. Eat only after five hours

Citing her own experience, Sanchez discouraged dieters from having snacks every so often, saying that meals should be properly spaced.

“Hindi ka pwedeng kumain. Five hours sa pagitan ng iyong almusal, ‘pag ikaw ay nag-almusal, kailangang bumilang ka ng limang oras bago ka magtanghalian, at limang oras ulit bago ka mag-hapunan,” she said.

To those who cannot last for five hours without food, Sanchez said: “’Pag medyo sumakit ang ulo mo, isang biskwit pwede. Tubig, pwede rin.”

6. Don’t eat after 9 p.m.
Unlike some diet programs that discourage people from eating after 6 p.m., Sanchez’ suggestion lets them have dinner or a snack until 9 p.m.

“Wala nang kakain after 9 p.m.,” said Sanchez, who once again stressed that one should consult a doctor first before making any significant change in eating habits.

7. Drink lots of water
People have always been advised to drink at least eight glasses of water. Addressing the problem of having different glass sizes, Sanchez said it is ideal to drink at least two liters of water every day.

“Kailangang uminom ka ng dalawang litrong tubig araw-araw. Kung pwede, anim,” she said. “Kasi ‘yan ang magtatanggal ng lahat ng maga mo sa katawan. ‘Yung mga asin-asin na nakadeposito sa katawan mo.”

“Kaya kailangan may baon ka talaga eh, para ‘di mo makalimutan. Kasi kahit ‘di ka nauuhaw, kailangang uminom ka,” she added.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Karen Davila meets idol Diane Sawyer in NY

MANILA – ABS-CBN broadcaster Karen Davila recently met her idol, a fellow anchor, during a trip with her family in New York.

According to a column by Ricky Lo of The Philippine Star newspaper published on Monday, Davila was able to meet “ABC World News” anchor Diane Sawyer with the help of Nina Pineda, a Filipino-American broadcast journalist in ABC.

“Meeting Diane Sawyer, who is my idol and role model, was the highlight of my US trip this year; it was a moment of inspiration,” Davila was quoted as saying.

“I felt at home, like I was talking to a girlfriend,” she added. “Wala siyang ere, walang kiyeme. She’s so radiant, elegant and down-to-earth.”

Lo wrote that after their meeting, Davila was invited by Sawyer to attend the “ABC World News” story conference the next day.

“Diane told me what she remembers most about the Philippines is Cory Aquino and that’s a good thing to remember the Philippines by. She said she traveled to the Philippines and interviewed Cory whom she described as a very respectable lady,” Davila was quoted as saying.




Davila spent 11 days in New York with her family. Aside from her meeting with Sawyer, she also visited some tourist attractions such as the Statue of Liberty and the Museum of National History.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Julius Babao undergoes appendectomy

MANILA -- ABS-CBN news anchor Julius Babao missed Bandila's newscast on Wednesday night after suffering from appendicitis.

According to his co-anchor Ces Oreña-Drilon, Babao is now recovering after undergoing appendectomy, the surgical removal of the vermiform appendix.

Babao's wife Christine Bersola-Babao earlier posted on Instagram a photo of his husband undergoing an abdominal CT scan.



As with Drilon, co-anchors Karen Davila and Boy Abunda wished Babao well so he may return to work in full health.

Meanwhile, Babao said on his Twitter account that he would not be able to work for "a couple of days."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Broadcast journalist Angelo Castro, 67

Broadcast journalist Angelo Castro Jr. has lost a long battle with lung cancer, his home network, ABS-CBN, announced on Maundy Thursday, April 5. A pillar in the revival of ABS-CBN after the EDSA People Power Revolution of 1986, Castro anchored the network's main news programs and was a key part of the network's revival after it had been shuttered by the Marcos regime, and the regaining of its dominance of Philippine airwaves.

"ABS-CBN News anchor Angelo Castro Jr. passed away today at 67. My colleagues & I mourn his passing,” Castro's fellow newscaster Tony Velazquez earlier announced on Twitter. Minutes after Velasquez’s announcement, Castro's death was confirmed by the Twitter account of ABS-CBN.

Angelo Castro Jr. was an anchor of The World Tonight, an evening news show that was shuttered after ABS-CBN was closed down when martial law was declared in September 1972.

The show was resurrected in September 1986 with Castro as anchor, together with now senator Loren Legarda. Although Castro retired in September 2009, he returned as news anchor in November last year. He was joined by fellow broadcast journalist Tina Monzon-Palma and InterAksyon columnist Teddyboy Locsin.

TV5's head of news and information, Luchi Cruz Valdez, on Thursday called Castro's death a "great loss to Philippine broadcast journalism." TV5, she said, "condoles with Angelo Castro's family, and with our colleagues at ABS-CBN."

Diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008, ACJ was given 3 months to live. After taking a hiatus for over two years, he returned to ANC in 2011

ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC), tweeting as @ANCALERTS, reminded followers and fans of Castro's pivotal role in the resurgence of ABS-CBN. "ACJ became News Manager when ABS-CBN reopened in 1986. He created TV Patrol making it the country's longest-running newscast in Filipino," ANC noted. Castro became the network's senior vice president for News & Current Affairs in 2000. "He eventually left the post but continued anchoring The World Tonight," another ANC tweet said.

Less known to most, ANCALERTS said, "Angelo Castro Jr. was nominated as FAMAS Best supporting actor for Kumander Alibasbas in the 80's...Before becoming a journalist, (he) had a flourishing TV & film career. He played the role of "Bong" in Baltic & Co. in the 70s."

source: interaksyon.com

Bong Revilla: Ramona's flight to HK is a 'sign of guilt'

An agitated Senator Ramon "Bong" Revilla Jr. told a national TV audience Friday night that he was "as shocked as everyone" that his half-sister Ramona Bautista, 21, had taken a flight to Hong Kong as accusations swirled around her that she was involved in the murder of her older brother Ramgen.

"It's a sign of guilt," Bong Revilla told Saksi news anchor Vicky Morales. "Bakit siya aalis in the first place? Kung talagang wala siyang kasalanan, dapat harapin niya ito."

Revilla denied that Ramona was ever in his custody, and revealed that his half-sister's mother, Genelyn, had become angry at him for not stopping the police from arresting her son, RJ Bautista, another suspect in plotting the October 28 crime.

In a sworn statement, Ramgen’s stay-in personal assistant, Ronaldo Ancajas, said the victim and his two younger siblings implicated in the killing—Ramona and Ramon Joseph or RJ—had not been on speaking terms for the past months due to a disagreement over money.

“Ang alam ko ay matagal nang may tampuhan sila tungkol sa budget ng bahay, dahil si boss Ramgen ang humahawak at sinisiraan daw siya sa daddy nila, at mga ilang buwan din silang hindi nagkikibuan," Ancajas said in his statement, a copy of which was obtained by GMA News.





Bong Revilla, Ramgen, Ramona and RJ all share the same father, screen legend and former senator Ramon Revilla Sr., now nearly incapacitated due to illness. With his father inactive, Bong has assumed de facto leadership of the sprawling clan of some 72 children sired by his father. The slain Ramgen, 23, was an actor too and supposedly a favorite of the elder Revilla, 84.

Ramona was placed at the scene of the crime by Ramgen's girlfriend, Janelle Manahan, who told police that she pleaded with Ramona to call for help but she did not do so.

Ramgen's personal assistant stated in an affidavit to the police that he spotted Ramona and RJ exiting the subdivision on foot after the crime as if nothing had happened.

Ramona later told the police that she was abducted by Ramgen's killers and was driven around before being let down outside a Las Piñas mall. Ramona in an interview with ANC on Friday retracted the abduction story and said that she was too shocked to respond to Janelle's plea for help.

Bong Revilla said that Ramona had told him the same abduction story during the last conversation they had in a Las Piñas police station. He revealed that his entire family was shocked to learn of Ramona's retraction, followed by her sudden flight to Hong Kong.

"Nalulungkot kami. Dapat hinarap niya ito. Pero (long pause) wala. Ano pang iisipin ng lahat ng tao? Ano pang iisipin ng buong pamilya sa ginawa niya?" Revilla said. "Namatay kapatid naming si Ramgen, dapat panagutan. Kung sino mang may sala dapat makulong."

Revilla's tone was one of resignation mixed with grief, much different from his combative public statement emailed to media on Tuesday expressing disbelief that anyone in his family was a suspect. Rumors abounded that Revilla would use his considerable influence to protect his siblings from prosecution.

By Friday, with the corroborating testimony of at least three witnesses, and Ramona's flight out of the country, Revilla seemed to have come to the same conclusion as many fixated followers of the unfolding family drama. - Howie Severino/TJD, GMA News


Source: gmanews.tv