by Cyrus A. Natividad
Looking Forward Host, Mr. Cyrus A. Natividad talks about the status of the media industry with Bombo Radyo Visayas Area Manager, Mr. Warren French.
Area Manager of Bombo Radyo Western Visayas and Centralian alumnus, Warren French, talked about his closeness with the men and women of the local broadcast industry—suggesting that most of these reporters, newscasters, and station managers in local radio stations have worked under his management at Bombo Radyo Iloilo.
French, who was last Friday’s (October 12) guest at CPU TV’s Looking Forward, thanked his alma mater for the values he imbibed during his college days. He particularly mentioned the Central Spirit that, until now, he considers as a big factor in how he is able to continue and grow in his management work at Bombo Radyo.
Furthermore, it is the same spirit that brings together “my classmates [from] the College of Arts and Sciences, particularly in the Political Science Department.” He also pointed out that most of the Pol Sci graduates from CPU entered either politics or one of the local media outlets: “Friendships with my classmates in college still [continue] because [the] Central Spirit… allows us to help one another and [possess enduring] faith in our being Centralians” he added.
An interesting topic in the program was about the advent of the internet and social media. The development, according to French, has contributed much to the new trends and culture of radio listening. Although mainstream media, the conventional radio, continues to be the basic medium of news and information, the internet has also changed the way radio reporting and data gathering are being done.
It used to be that a reporter could only send news and information by telephone or by vhf radio. This time around, the reporter and, the newscaster as well, can be seen live through the cell phone or computer screen: “Facebook, in particular, has provided a new technological development so that news and information can now reach the whole world with a new system,” French explained.
As an example, more activities and events in held CPU can now be aired via the CPU TV Facebook Channel. This makes partnerships or tie-ups between the University and Bombo Radyo will be possible, he added.