History
After more than two decades of censorship and repression, press freedom was immediately restored with the dismantling of the Marcos dictatorship by a popular revolt in 1986. Media ownership was turned over to an enthusiastic private sector eager to take advantage of the newfound democratic space.
Probe Productions Inc. was a product of the euphoric period. Convinced that Filipinos need more than just the news, four pioneering journalists – Cheche Lazaro, Maria Ressa, Luchi Cruz-Valdez, Tony Velasquez, and Angie Ramos – adopted the investigative newsmagazine format and called the television program Probe. The project, which was first broadcast over ABS-CBN, turned out to be the country’s first, most awarded and longest-running, investigative newsmagazine show.
To make investigative pieces a main fixture in Philippine television, the group put up its own production house and continued with what it started. Operating from a small bedroom, the show’s one-hour reports were broadcast as monthly specials by a new television station—GMA Network. After the third telecast, in response to enthusiastic reviews, GMA gave The Probe Team (Probe’s new name) a weekly slot. The first weekly telecast began in May 1988.
The Probe Team, or Probe Profiles, is known for fearlessly exposing the hard truths in Philippine society. No non-sense and hard-hitting, Probe tackles pressing societal concerns through the eyes of various stakeholders and calls a spade a spade. It engenders a deeper understanding and appreciation of issues by way of stories that capture the hearts and minds of viewers.
Read more about this topic: Probe (Philippine TV Series)
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