Broadcasting Workshop, anyone?

It’s great that I’m a blogger for Yahoo! Sports Philippines and not a news writer, hence I wouldn’t be able to have the freedom to write this.

It was around at this time twelve years ago that a group of us from the radio broadcasting team of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) decided to conduct a sportscasting workshop and called our fledgling organization the Center for Sports Communication (CSC), Philippines. It was a novel concept and something that was geared more towards giving than receiving. We were not aware of any network or educational establishment that offered a seminar geared solely towards the teaching of sports broadcasting so in early May 2001, we slated our first ever workshop at the Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP) in Pasig City. CSC were composed of Raymond Liboro (now the Undersecretary of the Department of Science and Technology), Benjie Santiago (still a PBA radio broadcaster), Barry Pascua (noted sports writer) and myself, and with the help of other generous souls in the industry such as Bill Velasco, Quinito Henson, Sev Sarmenta and Chiqui Roa-Puno the workshop commenced with 39 initial enrolees.

Velasco had an interesting challenge to the students during his first module saying, “…there are almost forty of you here today. I will be very surprised if more than two of you make it into our industry…”

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Well, CSC had eight similar workshops. And while some had very few students and others overflowed, the group graduated 179 aspirants. Although most of them were not able to penetrate the industry, there were a handful who not only began as broadcasters, but became writers, producers and found other innovative ways of breaking into this cutthroat world of sports broadcasting.

Bill was sort of right. Not a big number of the students made it, but from that first batch more than two went on to become successful broadcasters. The first CSC batch produced GMA-7's ace reporter Mark Zambrano, ANC’s “Mr. Bowtie” Boyet Sison and Magic 89.9’s inimitable “DJ Suzy” Tin-Tin Gamboa. The second batch (in 2002) produced Mike Reyes, who became a PBA venue announcer. Batch 3 saw the emergence of fellow Yahoo! Sports bloggers Atty. Charlie Cuna and Jude Roque, along with funnyman Gabe Mercado (who had a brief stint as a PBA courtside reporter), Al-Jazeera’s Jam Alindogan (who was also the Far Eastern University’s UAAP courtside reporter), Joan Guevarra (NCAA courtside reporter), DZXL's Kiko Malicdem, Edwin Logina (AKA Rick Sryker, former PBA venue announcer) and Del Bacho, who eventually became an iconic figure in Philippine mixed martial arts.

The fourth batch had Allan Gregorio, who still does broadcasting work for ABS-CBN Sports and DJ Pam Ylagan of Wave 89.1. The fifth batch had the most number of basketball practitioners with Nash Racela, Aboy Castro and Potit de Vera joined by eventual top-notch TV producer/writer Anne “AY” Yosuico. In Batch 6, Yahoo! Sports Philippines chief Sid Ventura was in an elite group that included future PBA senior broadcaster Magoo Marjon, sports host George Rocha, poker commentator Ron Regis, former NU CSR Happy Feraren, radio jock Mylinda Tort and Richard del Rosario; the first former PBA player to become a PBA anchorman.

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Batch 7, despite having only 17 enrolees had quality products in Pia Boren (former San Beda CSR), Mike Abasolo (former NCAA broadcaster), Mica Abesamis (former PBA and Solar Sports host) and Gretchen Malalad (star reporter for ABS-CBN News). The final batch was bannered by noted host Jonathan “Sib” Sibulo, St. Benilde CSR turned actress Say Alonzo and AKTV’s best CSR, Rizza Diaz.

After CSC, I went on to do several workshops for various organizations and educational establishments such as San Beda College (where we discovered that former varsity player Martin Antonio had sportscasting aptitude) and the International Institute for Film Broadcasting and the Arts (IIFBA), where Carlo Cruz (former CSB CSR), Alexa Arabejo (2012 Junior Jock Search champion of Magic 89.9), AKTV's fight analyst Erwin Tagle, former Ateneo King Eagle Kirk Long and Michelle Datuin (former La Salle volleyball star turned Shakey’s V-League CSR).

It’s summer once again and I have been asked by more than one group to conduct another basic broadcasting workshop--or maybe two. While the details are still sketchy, it may be slated around the second week of May (thereabouts) and will be held in Metro Manila.

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My new workshop design doesn’t just teach broadcasting basics, but so many modules are dedicated bringing out certain attitudes that one may need in the field. There are interactive sessions that deal with listening, elimination of “non-words” (uhhm, uuhh, etc), removing of the filter between the brain and the mouth (which could be dangerous to those who have an issue with tact) and so much more. The workshop runs for three days from morning to afternoon.

To those who may be interested, you can send your contact details (name, celfone, email) to sportztackle@yahoo.com. Those who send their details here will be informed ASAP on the developments.

So, who wants to be a broadcaster?

Follow Noel Zarate on Twitter (@NoelZarate)