MANILA, Philippines – ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs brought home all the trophies for the broadcast category in the 2010 Rotary Club of Manila Journalism Awards.

The network was among the news organizations recognized in the awarding ceremony held at the Manila Polo Club in Makati on Thursday.

The ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) was named TV Station of the Year, and its anchor Ricky Carandang won the award for Broadcast Journalist of the Year. DZMM Radyo Patrol 630 is the Radio Station of the Year.

“It's an honor. It's humbling when people watch your work and they appreciate it,” said Carandang, anchor of ANC programs "The Rundown" and "The Big Picture."

For print journalism, the Philippine Daily Inquirer won the Newspaper of the Year award. This year, there are no winners for Investigative Reporter of the Year, and Opinion Writer of the Year.

Special citations were also given to Vera Files (Link to http://verafiles.org/) for the new media category, Newsbreak editor-in-chief Marites Vitug for her book "Shadow of Doubt: Probing the Supreme Court," and the Mindanao Gold Star Daily as Regional Newspaper of the Year.

Since 1966, the Rotary Club of Manila has been honoring outstanding contributions of individuals and institutions in print, television and radio journalism.

Journalism as Service

Rotarian and former Press Secretary Rod Reyes said the Club organized the Awards as part of its mission to promote service.

“Service is really the key word in the Rotary Club. Since the press is really performing great service to the public, it's only appropriate that we honor them with these awards.”

In its citation, the Club commended ANC for its “continuous, well-rounded, live coverage of congressional hearings and important events, and informative and stimulating public affairs programs.”

ANC Chief Operating Officer (COO) Glenda Gloria said the award sets higher standards for the channel. “Expect more changes, more substantive shows, a more glossy look for ANC. Expect also to see some new talents.”

For Carandang, the award is added pressure to do his best. “We always say journalism is service, It’s a service the public doesn’t always appreciate but it’s a service the public understands that it needs.”

DZMM meanwhile was honored for covering the widest topics and issues, and for combining radio and the visuals of television to maximize audience reach.

Watchdogs

Philippine Daily Inquirer Publisher Isagani Yambot brought humor to the occasion when he said he did not want to boast but added, “I think the Inquirer deserves the award.”

Yambot turned serious when he discussed how the Inquirer fulfilled its watchdog function through investigative reports on topics like the education system and the Legacy scam.

“The Inquirer performed the watchdog role from its very inception and will continue for as long as there is graft and corruption in government and the private sector.”

The Club also recognized Mindanao Gold Star Daily for “bold reporting of the region,” and Vitug’s Shadow of Doubt as “an insightful and daring book.”

Malaya newspaper columnist and blogger Ellen Tordesillas accepted Vera Files’ first ever award. Vera Files was honored for its investigative reports on the assets and liabilities of outgoing President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, First Gentleman Mike Arroyo and presidential son Mikey Arroyo.

Breakdown of Gatekeepers

Tordesillas said the Internet helped Vera Files deliver accurate news through a multimedia format. She added that the world wide web is just a tool, and it will be up to journalists how they use it to inform the public.

ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs Head Maria Ressa echoed Tordesillas, highlighting the role of the Internet and mobile technology in changing journalism.

Ressa said ABS-CBN’s "Bayan Mo iPatrol Mo" citizen journalism advocacy acknowledges that technology led to a breakdown of traditional gatekeepers.

“One-way communication of broadcasting changed into participatory culture. Technology is redefining journalism. It is democratizing the power that big broadcast stations like ABS-CBN used to have," she said.