Redwood Shores, CA, June 19, 2015 – ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel’s (TFC) Balitang America, the most widely viewed daily Filipino news program aired in the entire U.S. and Canada, just reaped a harvest of four bronze wins at the 36th Annual Telly Awards.
The Telly Awards was founded in 1978 and is the premier award honoring the best in film and video productions, groundbreaking online video content, and outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs. The winners were selected from over 12,000 entries from all 50 states in the U.S. and 5 continents.
Balitang America won for the following:
2015 Film/Video Bronze Winners
“Abra” by ABS-CBN North America News Bureau Chief Paul Henson (News or News Feature). A technology report on a Silicon Valley start-up called Abra. It is a mobile app designed to bring down the cost of money transfer by allowing person to person transactions using a smartphone. Just as Uber is revolutionizing car-sharing services, Abra intends to make money transfer more accessible to Filipinos in many parts of the world.
“Skating On Thin Ice” by Southern California Reporter Steve Angeles (Sports).
The documentary follows the journey of history-making Philippine Olympian Michael Martinez. This presentation artistically explores the life of the sickly 17-year-old figure skating prodigy and how his historic Winter Olympic appearance captivated the country and changed the way sports is perceived in the island nation.
The documentary follows him behind the scenes over the past three years through his struggles – from the physical, financial, and political challenges that he continues to defy.
“The Prodigy” by Northern California Reporter Rommel Conclara (Sports).
A story that follows 12-year-old Filipino-American Muay Thai champion Justin Rodriguez’s quest to become the greatest fighter of his generation. Despite his undefeated record and years of training, Justin needed to overcome his fear of full-contact fighting before a recent title match.
2015 Online Video Bronze Winners
“Casting Call: The Story of Sam Milby” by East Coast Reporter Don Tagala (Documentary). A documentary on a Filipino in America who made it in a foreign homeland. While thousands of Filipinos sojourn to this land of opportunity, Sam Milby did the reverse and left America to find himself in the country his mother calls home—and he made it big. But the story doesn’t end there. Sam would later turn his back on fame to start all over again in the United States to search for his American Dream.
“Why A Filipino-American Gives Free Haircuts to the Homeless” by East Coast Reporter Don Tagala (Social Responsibility).
A feature on Filipino American hairstylist Mark Bustos who walks the streets of New York to perhaps be the only celebrity hair artist to the homeless… for free. Working in a high-end hair studio in Manhattan’s posh Chelsea neighborhood, he made it part of his life mission to give back by making the forgotten folks of the streets feel better about themselves. And to some, that moment could be life-changing.
