Dispatches by Adrian Conoza

From: www.hardrainproject.com Watching the news is one of the activities that keep us informed and in touch with the world around us. Aside from primetime dramas and sporting events, television newscasts most probably huddle people (particularly families) together while they eat their dinner, have their coffee, etc. Newscasts, as I see them, are a part of our culture that generations can be classified by those who grew up watching RPN 9's Newswatch and those who identify with Noli de Castro's "Ti-veeeeeeeey Patrol!". From breakfast to dinner, and even before bedtime, television newscasts accompany us. From: drnorth.wordpress.com I've observed, somehow, that when it comes to watching news—especially when we're with other people—it seems that we're responding to the news instead of listening to the news. I think an ethics in watching the news is helpful for such a circumstance, especially with respect to concerned and socially-aware individuals who want to ...

A news boomed on the television last Wednesday morning while I tuned in. Talk TV is going to change to inform and inspire this October 30. What do I mean? Talk TV, another cable channel of Solar Network, will go forward as a news channel . Talk TV, launched after ETC moved to RPN 9, emphasizes on talk , with a line-up of talk shows and news programs, getting programs like Today , Inside Edition , and Dateline from its sister channels like 2nd Avenue. More programs were added as the channel evolved, being watched and patronized after its soft launch. There's The Talk , then Anderson (which became Anderson Live ), then Undercover Boss (an inspiring program). Then this: as planned and intended, Solar, being an entertainment and sports provider on TV, started on a new venture—news. Sources told it before, and I finally saw it. Solar's news service started on Talk TV with the coverage of the impeachment trial of former Chief Justice Renato Corona, recruiting veteran journalis...

Artwork by Adrian Conoza , Title: Idle Art Recently, I had a seemingly once-in-summer getaway at SM mall at our place here on Sta. Rosa, Laguna. I got that opportunity to get some strolling after staying in the house and sauntering Walter Mart—which is nearer than SM—for days. That day was our enrollment day, and after I was finally enrolled, I and most of my classmates went to SM. I haven't gone to SM for a long time. Thanks that it was enrollment day, I finally spent my carefree time there. There's the bonding, and the talking, and—at last—a larger and more different Booksale. Once again, I've talked a lot. After a long time not seeing or meeting my classmates, we were there again as classmates and friends. Then again, I unexpectedly dried my throat out as I have observed it before. I discussed a lot of things with these people, including the recent brawl between journalist Mon Tulfo and actor Raymart Santiago in NAIA; the competition and performances on American Idol ; A...

   Last April 5, Maundy Thursday, I found out a breaking news on the Internet. It was shocking enough, unexpected.Angelo Castro Jr., one of the Philippines' well-known news anchors, died of lung cancer. He was 67. Wow, I thought. It was sad news for the people in broadcast journalism,especially his fellow broadcasters in ABS-CBN.      Angelo Castro Jr., known to many as ACJ, was known as a great newscaster. As spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, he was "a calm and reassuring presence in the late evening news". He anchored The World Tonight long before I was born. He is very known in the late night newscast, which was transferred to ABS-CBN News Channel(ANC) in 1999.      Yes. I haven't watched him since he anchored the show in the 80's. But just this year, he returned hosting the newscast after he left the news desk since 2009. And so I finally saw the man. It was nice to see the ACJ who first worked as a film actor, then as ABS-CBN's news manager ...