NewsWatch Plus (stylized as NewsWatch+ or NW+) is a Philippine digital news media service. It is owned by Broadreach Media, a media investment firm (and the parent company of Nine Media Corporation) which took over the operations and assets of the now-defunct CNN Philippines. It began its operations on July 1, 2024 on soft launch, and was fully launched in August 2024.[1]

NewsWatch Plus
Type of site
Social media
Web portal
Digital news
Available inFilipino
English
Predecessor(s)RPN NewsWatch (1970โ€“2012)
CNN Philippines (2015โ€“2024)
Nine Media News and Current Affairs (2011โ€“2024)
HeadquartersJMT Building Condominium, 27 ADB Avenue, Ortigas Center, Pasig, Metro Manila,
Area servedWorldwide
OwnerBroadreach Media, Inc.
ParentALC Group of Companies
URLwww.newswatchplus.ph
LaunchedJuly 1, 2024 (2024-07-01)
Current statusActive

History

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On January 29, 2024, Nine Media Corporation announced the closure of CNN Philippines, which ceased its live news productions effective immediately, and shut down entirely on January 31, citing financial losses and to shift its focus on the operations of their sister channel, Aliw Channel 23.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Nine Media President Benjamin Ramos said "the employees were given their severance package and their salary for the whole month of February."[8]

Prior to the closure, Nine Media Corporation's indirect parent Broadreach Media took over the operations and assets of the former's news organization, which includes most of its news presenters and its editorial/management staff.

On June 7, 2024, NewsWatch Plus was formally announced and it is independently operating as a digital multicasting news service. The said launch is a revival of RPN's flagship newscast NewsWatch. It was soft launched online on July 1, 2024, via YouTube and X accounts that were formerly used by CNN Philippines.[9]

On August 22, 2024, NewsWatch Plus has been granted the rights to archive CNN Philippines content from Nine Media Corporation.[10]

Content

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Since its launch, NewsWatch Plus launched originally-produced digital programs while keeping most of its predecessor's remaining programs and past archived videos. Programming features NewsWatch Live, a rolling daily news bulletin, and NewsWatch Now, a primetime evening news bulletin.

It is currently airing archives of public affairs content through RPTV (the terrestrial successor channel of the former, jointly run by RPN/Nine Media and TV5 Network), and as primetime block on its sister station Aliw Channel 23 since August 12. On July 3, 2024, NewsWatch Plus announced that it would produce new episodes for its programs and provide access to CNN Philippines archives for subscribers.[11]

Programming

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  • Batas Et Al
  • Building Bridges
  • Culinary Chronicles
  • Get Fit
  • Manila Conversations with Tristan Nodalo
  • MedTalk Health Talk
  • NewsWatch Live (9am, 12nn, and 3pm editions)
  • NewsWatch Now
  • One Small Act
  • The Other Office with Lois Calderon
  • The Story of the Filipino
  • Zoom In with Menchu Macapagal

References

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  1. ^ Regino, Nico. "NewsWatch Plus PH is launched". Telum Media. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Statement on the cessation of operations of CNN Philippines". CNN Philippines. January 29, 2024. Archived from the original on January 31, 2024.
  3. ^ Amojelar, Darwin G. (January 26, 2024). "Nine Media owner confirms CNN Philippines shutdown". Manila Standard. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
  4. ^ Rivas, Ralf (January 29, 2024). "CNN Philippines shuts down as losses mount". Rappler. Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  5. ^ Fenol, Jessica; Pascual, Jekki (January 29, 2024). "CNN Philippines announces shutdown amid financial woes". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  6. ^ Cabuenas, Jon Viktor D. (January 29, 2024). "CNN Philippines to stop operations January 31". GMA Integrated News. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  7. ^ Tartaglione, Nancy (January 29, 2024). "CNN Philippines To Shutter; Cites Financial Losses". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  8. ^ Salting, Ed (January 30, 2024). "CNN PH employees get severance pay". Manila Bulletin.
  9. ^ Rivas, Ralf (15 May 2024). "RPN 9's NewsWatch to be revived". Rappler. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  10. ^ "NewsWatch Plus granted content archive rights by predecessor CNN Philippines". Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility. 6 September 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  11. ^ Ramos, Kayla (2024-07-04). "New channel NewsWatch Plus to archive CNN Philippines content". When in Manila. Retrieved 4 July 2024.