On July 10, seasoned broadcast journalist Korina Sanchez recounted her questions for ABS-CBN about letting her go amid the network’s shutdown and the pandemic.
In an intimate interview with Sanchez at the Via Mare Terraces in Quezon City, which LionhearTV covered, Sanchez first asserted that she never took it against ABS-CBN when they decided to downsize their staff after getting shut down in 2020.
“It’s a misnomer [actually] because when ABS-CBN downsized, I was one of the ones who went freelance. No drama– I never took it against them that they were downsizing–many of us [were told] that you are now freelance.”
She then detailed how she adapted to the situation by signing with Brightlight Productions but admitted that she had questions about the network’s decision to let her go.
“So ganon na ngayon, so that’s also the personality I want to adapt to. So when I was going to sign with Brightlight, alam ko na wala na ako sa ABS pero mayroon pa akong hugot na ‘Bakit niyo ba ako pinakawalan, pipirma na ako dito pero bakit ninyo ba ako pinakawalan.’
“Rated K was one of the most viable, was one of the cheapest to produce, was award-winning, and it’s the best promo platform for all of your artists, [you know,] why it almost doesn’t make sense.”
Sanchez also recalled letting ABS-CBN President Carlo Katigbak know about their transfer to Brightlight Productions under Mayor Albee Benitez.
“Noong magpapaalam na ako, sabi ko kay Girlie Rodis, ‘Girlie, magpaalam ka ng mabuti kasi pipirma na tayo. Alam kong wala na tayo sa kanila, pero ‘yan ‘yung original kong pamilya at mga magulang, magpaalam ka lang ng maganda. Ito na mag-sa-sign na po kami sa five.’ And suddenly they said, can Korina please not sign?”
She then revealed that there had been a ‘lost-in-translation’ moment between her camp and ABS-CBN amid her talks with Brightlight Productions.
“And it was just in the flurry of things that [things] got lost in translation, and we didn’t realize what became of Korina [at that time.] So that’s what they said. It’s a little too late for that– we already negotiated, I’ve already promised, we have a timeslot, we’re signing tomorrow.”
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Sanchez then disclosed Katigbak’s advice about producing her show under Brightlight Productions.
“And it was Carlo Katigbak, who said–who gave me the most important advice of all, and it was that time that I was going to be into a situation that I’ve never been into before kasi dati empleyado lang naman ako, empleyado lang naman ako and ngayon I’m coming in as a producer. And he said, ‘Please tell Korina to own her show. Make sure to that before you sign.'”
She then highlighted how her former boss’s advice helped her land a lucrative livelihood amid the pandemic.
As for Sanchez, she has her news magazine and lifestyle show ‘Rated Korina,’ formerly co-produced with Brightlight Productions, under a collaboration between her and ABS-CBN starting July 5.
She also has ‘Korina Interviews’ through the Net25 online platform.
Aside from her programs, she also has ‘Tiktalks’ with Pat-P Daza, G3 San Diego, Kakai Bautista, and Alex Calleja every Sunday on TV5.
