ABS-CBN executives lead Pinoy Media Congress

MANILA, Philippines - Top executives from the country’s largest multimedia conglomerate will face more than 1,000 communication students and academicians from all over the country in the annual Pinoy Media Congress to be held today and tomorrow, Feb. 5 at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Led by ABS-CBN chairman and CEO Eugenio “Gabby” Lopez III, president and COO Charo Santos-Concio and Channel 2 head Cory Vidanes, the officers will engage participants in a discussion of issues in media and communication in the two-day forum organized by ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp. and the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE).

ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs head Maria Ressa, who led ABS-CBN’s election campaign Boto Mo, iPatrol Mo, will encourage the audience to take an active role as citizens with her talk on Citizen Journalism while head of abs-cbnNEWS.com and News Mobile Charie Villa together with Atom Araullo, will discuss ethical issues in news gathering.

ABS-CBN Corporate Communications head Bong Osorio will analyze this year’s crop of political advertisements and what they do to candidates, electorate and society.

Vidanes tackles the current state of TV entertainment while ABS-CBN head of Research and Business Analysis Unit Vivian Tin gives an introductory lecture on TV ratings in the Philippines.

Highlight of the summit is a presidential debate featuring senators Noynoy Aquino, Richard Gordon and Manny Villar, former Defense Sec. Gilbert Teodoro, and Eddie Villanueva who will present to the students their agenda for the country.

Pinoy Media Congress won an Award of Excellence from the Philippine Quill Awards and another Award of Excellence from the Anvil Awards in 2008.