Zhander Cayabyab has been a broadcast journalist for almost 20 years. From working with one of the largest radio networks in the Philippines to teaching media literacy to university students, we caught up with the award-winning News Anchor to talk about upskilling, TikTok, and more.

Tell us about some of the most challenging coverages you've had?
The most challenging news deployments for me are the disaster coverages. These include the 2014 super typhoon Ruby (Hagupit) in Tacloban, 2016 super typhoon Lawin (Haima) in Luzon, 2017 Surigao earthquake, 2020 super typhoon Ulysses (Vamco) in Luzon, 2020 Taal volcano eruption, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, among others. After the Jolo, Sulu cathedral bombing, I was also deployed in Zamboanga City where a mosque was bombed. Our lives are always at stake. The stress of being a storm chaser is unimaginable. Of course, the news team is aware of the occupational hazards. But during calamities and armed conflicts, we also share the experiences of the victims as we witness the onslaught of such catastrophes.

For instance, in Surigao City, while we were sleeping, we experienced intense aftershocks that destroyed the walls of our lodging inn. So we ran outside for our safety. When Taal volcano erupted, we were all covered with ash during our coverage. Aside from that, journalists may also be affected with depression as they interview with the victims.

Why is upskilling important today for journalists like yourself?
When I was still with ABS-CBN, we attended month-long seminars at the ABS-CBN University. Being in the media is not a stagnant job. I was very fortunate that our skills were being honed. ABS-CBN made sure that journalists and news staff uphold the quality of work. As for me, I also attended various seminars and webinars that I think would be beneficial to me as a broadcast journalist. Times are changing. For example, the radio is already an old medium. So radio had to adapt to the digital age.

Now, I am a radio anchor of DZXL 558khz Manila of Radio Mindanao Network, Inc. Though we do not have a television channel, we livestream our broadcast on various digital platforms.

Is this what inspired you to teach at PUP? Tell us about what subjects you're teaching, and what inspired you to teach college students?
I was invited by my former professors to teach at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines. It was like paying it forward to my alma mater. I am also very happy to share my real-life experiences with budding journalists. It was a thrill for me to tell my stories, and to let my students know what really happens in the field. So my style is incorporating the theoretical with hands-on or actual projects and activities, which I think will be beneficial to them when they graduate. It was like giving them a glimpse of the actual news production.

I teach subjects such as writing for radio and television, producing documentary films, producing live and pre-recorded content for broadcast, among others.

On TikTok, you love to produce explainers behind production and journalism... is media literacy lacking? Or are you exploring new channels to engage audiences?
We know that in the Philippines, some people lack media and information literacy. A Pulse Asia survey in September 2022 says that 9 out of 10 Filipinos believe that the proliferation of misinformation is a problem. This is actually true in terms of information about politics and health.

Admittedly, I feel that producing content on TikTok is sometimes stressful. Even if I already state official references in my explainers, some netizens still bash and refute my statements. So I guess, some people really cannot grasp facts because of their political or religious beliefs.

It's great you're on TikTok, along with some fellow journalists. Would you recommend older journalists to use the platform to reach their audiences? How would you pitch it to them?
Maybe senior journalists should hire producers and editors for their online content? So it’s easier for them. I think the younger ‘TikTokers’ would love to see prominent broadcasters doing educational content.

Netizens appreciate the crudeness of content on TikTok rather than the sophisticated ones.

Though, I must say, that sometimes my educational content have lesser views, compared to the comedic, funny, or entertaining content. This is the reality. So sometimes, explainers are ineffective. So creators should inject humour, behind the scenes, and human interests.

What advice would you give to PR practitioners interested in pitching to you and your team / to radio journalists?
In the Philippines, AM radio serves the masses. Its audiences will snub high-end content. So it would be better if PR practitioners pitch stories that are of great relevance to the masses. These include the price monitoring of goods and services, transportation, health, salary and employment issues, and a little about local politics.

Have you had to deal with misinformation? How did you manage?
Our training involves triangulation and sourcing. There were times that netizens tweet or post on Facebook photos and details of breaking news, but it turned out erroneous after verifying with official sources. We call that ‘nakuryente’ (directly translated as electrified). We can’t broadcast unverified information on the air, so we were trained to be extra careful, especially that today, it’s easy for the viewers to record erroneous broadcast materials.

Tell us about your proudest moment working in radio.
Modesty aside, I was hailed as the three-time Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) Golden Dove Awardee for Best Radio Field Reporter in 2017, 2018, and 2019. KBP is the utmost organisation of broadcasters in the Philippines.

But probably the proudest moments for me as a journalist were those times when we were able to bridge the gap between the victims and the government. Because of our coverage, we were able to broadcast the needs of the victims of calamities, and after our report, help from the government, NGOs, and volunteers arrived. These are the intangible awards that journalists receive.

Telum Media gives journalists a platform to share their experiences in the newsroom and out in the field. If you would like to share your story or nominate someone to be featured, email us at philippinesmedia@telummedia.com