ABS-CBN has appointed Mary Anne Francis Toral as the new head of ABS-CBN News, succeeding Regina “Ging” Reyes who retired in December last year.
Prior to her appointment, Francis served as ABS-CBN’s News Production head and was instrumental in the successful 2022 Halalan marathon coverage. She also led ABS-CBN News’ DocuCentral group that produced several award-winning documentaries, including Di Ka Pasisiil, a documentary on the Marawi siege that won a Gold World Medal in the New York Festivals – World’s Best TV & Films in 2018.
During her tenure as ABS-CBN head of Breaking News and Live Events, Francis was also responsible for the special coverage of the Visit of Pope Francis to the Philippines in 2015 and Pilipinas 2016, the Presidential Town Hall Debate held in Pangasinan.
Francis, a 25-year veteran of ABS-CBN News, rose from the ranks and produced various programs including The World Tonight with Angelo Castro, Jr. and Tina Monzon Palma, Talkback with Monzon Palma, and Beyond Politics with Lynda Jumilla.
She graduated magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines with a degree in Broadcast Communication in 1998. In 2009, Francis was awarded the Benigno and Corazon Aquino Fellowship by the United States Embassy in Manila.
Meanwhile, Nadia Trinidad has been appointed as News Digital Media head, and will now be responsible for ABS-CBN News Online and its digital news properties. Trinidad was previously the head of the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) prior to her new appointment. She began her career as a reporter and news advisory anchor for Studio 23 and eventually took on bigger roles including being the North America Bureau chief in 2011, News Production head in 2013, and managing director in 2021. Trinidad is a Communication graduate of Ateneo De Manila University and holds a postgraduate degree from Stanford University as a John S. Knight Journalism Fellow.
She succeeds Lynda Jumilla who retired last December 31 after serving as news digital head for three years. A veteran broadcast journalist, Lynda was named the Marshall McLuhan fellow in 2012 by the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines. She was the anchor of Beyond Politics on ANC and previously served as ABS-CBN chief of reporters.
Taking the helm as the new ANC head is Alvaro Dan “Baroy” Morga. He will be in-charge of ANC’s content production and lead its editorial production teams. He previously served as ABS-CBN News’ head of Strategy and New Business. Morga graduated with a degree in Economics from Ateneo De Manila University.