ABS-CBN people power coverage better than GMA

GMA may be getting a big chunk of viewers for its top-rating news and public affairs programs, but when it comes to doing live coverage, it has to bow to ABS-CBN which has more modern broadcast equipment that enables the network to deliver live video feeds as soon as the news happens.

Tuesday night, while a growing multitude gathered at the Edsa Shrine to protest the "no" votes of the 23 senators, ABS-CBN sent its ENG (electronic news gathering) vans to the historic site.

TV viewers got a feel of the live crowd at the corner of Ortigas and EDSA, where ABS-CBN reporters were also at work until the wee hours. Pia Hontiveros were interviewing people at the EDSA Shrine.

Another ENG van was on Mendiola near Malacanang, where Doland Castro was reporting on the pro-Gloria demonstrators.

The reporters were on a live hookup with the studio, where "Headlines" anchors Gel Santos Relos and Tony Velasquez were doing overtime work.

At 3 a.m., ABS-CBN and Lifestyle Network was still doing its non-stop coverage, this time with Ces Drilon.

In contrast, GMA only had Jessica Soho in the studio and phone-patch interviews by field reporter Susan Enriquez at the scene. Even the video footage was not live and was marked "recorded earlier."

It was too disappointing. No matter how much GMA tried to present an extensive coverage, it was limited by technical glitches, like phone lines getting cut off.

Bill Luz of the Makati Business Club could barely hear Jessica’s questions. The phone line eventually went dead, so Jessica was forced to cut the interview.

Apparently, GMA was not equipped to send an ENG van to the EDSA Shrine that night. The network has only two ENG vans, but we heard that one was burned after its antenna hit an electric cable.

Jessica should be lauded for her seemingly tireless coverage of the impeachment trial. She stayed up until late Tuesday, and she was seen again the following afternoon doing fieldwork and interviewing senator-judges.

The two leading networks should be given credit for bringing the news to viewers here and abroad. GMA and ABS-CBN sacrifice precious TV and radio airtime and pre-empt their programs with millions of pesos in advertising load just so they could give live updates of the Philippine situation.