Veteran journalist and journalism faculty member Jose Maria Carlos is set to launch his broadcasting guidebook, titled “On-Air Na! Pinoy News Anchors Live!”
The book sheds light on the role of news anchors in an evolving Philippine media landscape.
In writing the book, Carlos drew on his 40 years of experience in broadcast journalism, particularly when he found himself unexpectedly leading the broadcast on the death of Pope John Paul II.
The newsroom was far from complete—no researchers, no writers, only the director and a small technical team—but Carlos was asked to break the news with a few pieces of information he remembered from the late Pope’s 1981 pastoral visit to the Philippines.
“My objective is really to raise the standards of news anchoring and remind news anchors of their important role in society,” Carlos said in an interview with the Varsitarian.
Published by the UST Publishing House (USTPH), the 13-chapter guidebook highlights how the broadcast journalism profession goes beyond an “8 to 5” job.
“On-Air Na! Pinoy News Anchor Live!” compiles the know-how and newsroom experiences of 30 Filipino veteran news anchors from across the country, including Pinky Webb, Pia Hontiveros, Rico Hizon, Claire Celdran, Ron Cruz, Korina Sanchez, and Julius Babao.
Beyond being a collection of insights, the guidebook also marks a personal milestone for Carlos, who finally found the time to sit down and write it after a significant shift in his professional life.
Having worked for nearly a decade with the Asia Media and Communication Center (AMIC) in Singapore, a non-governmental organization focused on media research and training across the Asia-Pacific region, Carlos became aware of a recurring lack of publications written by Asians.
“Many of the books in the media were written [by Americans] and [came from] America. So that gave me an idea, and I said when I return to the Philippines, I will write the book,” he recalled.
The idea eventually took shape in 2023 when CNN Philippines, where Carlos served as assistant vice president for news, ceased operations.
Carlos also noted that the work of news anchors has evolved over the years from reading lines off a script to being involved in reportorial work, which includes networking, interviewing, and packaging news stories.
“News anchoring continues to be a relevant career because of all the roles and tasks that they perform and that they assume. And even if they call it competition from AI and news influencers, they remain relevant,” he said.
Carlos hopes that readers—whether they are journalists, teachers, or students aspiring to be news anchors—will gain insights into the collaborative effort in newscast production and the complexities that go beyond what appears on screen.
“On-Air Na! Pinoy News Anchor Live!” will be featured in the grand book launch of USTPH, SINAG, on Nov. 11.
The book is available for purchase at the publishing house bookstore, located at the UST Main Building, as well as online through USTPH Lazada and Shopee stores. With reports from Frenchshield Shayne G. Delovieres
