Fight against virus

Ed Santoalla, noted journalist for many years, thanked Dr. David Murphy for his kind comments (Jaywalker, 24, May 2002) noticing the virus of advocacy now infecting media in our country. Actually, Ed had planned to interact with me to launch the cocktail party he organized for media and NGO friends last May 21to mark the launch of Isla, The advocacy Channel’s second season. He was, however, told that I am still trying to recover from my illness. On the good news virus, he is sharing the following article that he has been distributing to friends in media and the NGO community, to update us on the Isla project.

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On the CCI Asia Television project, the creator of Lakbay TV, the now popular travel channel on local cable TV, has successfully launched two new cable channels – Isla, the Advocacy Channel, dedicated to broadcasting Filipino advocacy initiatives, and Juice, an urban youth lifestyle channel.

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The two channels have been operating for only four months – Isla was launched in December 2001 while Juice was launched last February – and already, they have perked the interest of local and international viewers and content marketers. Carlos G. Abrera, CCI Asia Television chair, remarked favorably in cocktails marking the launch of the two channels’ second season last May 21. Locally, major cable operators, including a satellite system operator, have immediately snapped up Isla and Juice, believing in the timeliness, relevance and usefulness of both channels’ content to their respective markets, Abrera said.

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"We produce timely, relevant and useful features using the latest digital cameras and non-linear editing technology and presented with a keen sensitivity to the values of Isla’s advocacy sources and audiences and the likes and dislikes of Juice’s target twenty-something age bracket," he pointed out.

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Isla is now airing from 8 am to 2 am daily on Destiny Cable Channel 55, Home Cable Channel 42, and the satellite-uplinked Dream Channel 16. Isla is also seen through Sunvisions 64 (Taguig, Metro Manila), Cebu Cablelink 21, Cagayan de Oro Parasat 29, Naga CATV 6, Puerto Princesa CATV 6 and Gingoog (Misamis Or.) ZoomSat 31. Juice, for its part, is now airing from 11 am to 11 pm daily in Metro Manila over Destiny Cable Channel 47 and Dream Channel 15.

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Internationally, inquiries are now streaming in from the Asia-Pacific cable TV markets. CCI Asia Television, a 14-year old broadcast content provider, production and events management company, has just inked contracts for the airing of Isla and Juice in Guam and Saipan, through The Manila Channel on Marianas Cable Channel 46.

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Negotiations, meanwhile, are ongoing with various cable operators and community channels in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Vancouver, B.C., and Toronto, Canada, California, New Jersey and New York for CCI Asia TV’s supply of Isla and Juice content.

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To maximize and sustain the momentum that it has already gained with the two channels, CCI Asia Television continues to exert its utmost to dish out the best fare to its viewers. For Isla, the Advocacy Channel in particular, programs are now being developed with closer attention to executing the documentary style. New program titles have also been adopted under which a broader range of advocacy stories have been lined up. These are:

• TEKNIKA, featuring stories about business and livelihood projects that are sensible, sustainable, appropriate and ecologically-friendly;

• KOMUNIDAD, features on communities engaged in socio-economic and other capability-building projects;

• MEDIKA, features on health-related advocacies and alternative health interventions;

• EKOLOHIYA, features on havens of biodiversity and people of and for the environment;

• SPECIALS, timely reports about creative initiatives across various sectors of society;

• KULTURA, features on artifacts and practices that define the Filipino;

• PANGARAP (tagalog: dream), features on what Filipinos are doing, individually and collectively, to cope with and profit from globalization;

• NEWSBREAK ON TV, the televised version of NewsBreak Magazine; and,

• ULAT NG BAYAN (Tagalog: people’s report), factoids from the latest socio-economic surveys of Pulse Asia.

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CCI Asia Television’s young producer-partners in Juice continue to dazzle audiences with their wacky, off-the-wall and joyfully irreverent presentations under the following programs:

• SPACE, featuring designer do-it-yourself tips for jazzing up a room, a corner or a kitchen;

• THE KIKAY MACHINE, a fashion magazine featuring do’s, tips and trick, where to buy, parlor guides, and tests of the latest accessories, make-up.

• SIDES STITCH, a health and fitness magazine show. Get tips on nutrition, diet, fitness, trying a new sport, and find out the best kept secrets of fitness gurus; and,

• GONE FOR THE WEEKEND, tips on adventure traveling on a budget.

For more info, you might find time to go visit their website, www.isla.ph and www.juice.ph.

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Here is an inspirational message that I got from a beautiful American greeting card:

A neighbor told me about her friend who had recently been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis and was having a hard time accepting it. "She’s having such a bout of depression," she said. "Yes, she’ll do that for a while, but then she’ll adjust to be able to cope with it," I replied.

My mind went back to last year when I had come home from heart surgery and a lengthy hospital stay. The worst thing was that I only had 25 percent of normal heart function. A fourth of a heart! "We’ll try to keep you going for as long as we can," my doctor had said.

Every night when I went to bed, I’d think. "Will this be the night?" The next morning, it was "Will today be the day?" But one sleepless night, after many, I thought, "This is ridiculous! I must stop thinking this way." And prayed for God to give me peace.

Time and acceptance have made it easier. Now, as I pray for the lady with MS, I feel certain that she will find her answer, as well. It just takes awhile to adjust to whatever must be… with God’s help. And it’s amazing how much love, concern, and dedication just one-fourth of a heart can hold. –DOROTHY NICHOLAS

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Thoughts For Today:

Yesterday is a cancelled check.
Tomorrow is a promissory note.
Today is the only cash you have.
So spend it wisely.

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Man cannot discover new oceans
unless he has the courage to lose sight
of the shore.
Impossibilities vanish when a man
and his God confront a mountain.

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My e mail address: [email protected] and [email protected]