Former ABS-CBN Executive Named as PTV-4 news chief
Veteran journalist and broadcaster Charie Villa who previously worked with one of the country’s largest news media organization ABS-CBN has accepted an offer from incoming Communications Secretary Martin Andanar a veteran journalist from TV5. Charie Villa was offered by Andanar to become the news head of the state-owned People’s Television Network (PTV-4).
Under the Duterte administration, the Communications Department plans to improve the programming of PTV-4, the news channel which will be managed by Charie Villa is expected to become a very important platform under Pres. Duterte.
The veteran journalist Villa, formerly head ABS-CBN’s News and Online Business Regional Group but became a freelancer starting December 2014. In an interview with the media, Villa stated that she accepted the post because it was in line with her advocacy to give Filipino citizens a venue to talk to government.
Charie Villa became a well-known figure in the online community when together with friends Vangge Giorgetti, Mao Olidan, Lester Cruz, Deane Miguel and Melissa Dela Merced, set up taopo.org (“Tao po” is what Pinoys typically say when knocking on doors) in 2010. From Villa’s reckoning, this initiative received lukewarm response from the outgoing administration.
During Villa’s conversation with Andanar, the incoming Communications Secretary told Villa that he wanted to rebuild PTV-4 into a real public information hub, like BBC with a mix of reality news like Vice News.
Once Charie Villa assumes office as PTV-4 head, her idea is to groom PTV-4 into the quintessential public information source which will be funded by people’s money, including license fees, and not relying on advertising revenues. TV owners were required to pay license fees to sustain BBC while the government pitched in funds.
Charie Villa, a UP Broadcast Communications graduate, brings to PTV-4 three decades of experience in broadcasting. Apart from working as a Kapamilya, Villa had worked as a senior producer for Reuters News for about eight years.