The Final Word with Rico Hizon

The Final Word with Rico Hizon (or simply The Final Word) is CNN Philippines' flagship late-night news program. The show first aired on April 20, 2020 as a replacement to the network's 9pm edition of Newsroom. The show is anchored by the network's Senior Anchor and Director for News Content Development, Rico Hizon, who has come home to the Philippines after a 25-year overseas news stint with CNBC Asia and BBC News.[2]

The Final Word with Rico Hizon
Created byCNN Philippines
Developed byCNN Philippines News and Current Affairs
Presented byRico Hizon
Theme music composerPatrick Hawes
Opening theme"Serious Business" [1]
Ending themeSame as above
Country of originPhilippines
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes(airs weeknights)
Production
Production locationsCNN Philippines Newscenter, Worldwide Corporate Center, EDSA corner Shaw Boulevard, Mandaluyong City
Camera setupMulticamera setup
Running time30 minutes
Production companyNine Media Corporation
Release
Original networkCNN Philippines
Picture format1080p (16:9 HDTV)
Audio formatStereo (Virtual Surround)
Mono (High fidelity)
Original releaseApril 20, 2020 (2020-04-20) –
present

Background

The half-hour long newscast, which airs at 9pm from Monday to Friday, focuses on the most significant news stories of the day from the Philippines and around the world, as well as segments which also feature the lighter side of the news. Hizon earlier said that the show's formula gives "overall view of what’s happening in the Philippines, around the world, and at the end, give them a sense of hope, inspire them that there is still a light at the end of the tunnel."[3]

The show also features live reports from various CNN and CNN International correspondents from across the globe, with prominent ones going live for the newscast such as Nic Robertson,[4] Richard Quest,[5] Matthew Chance, Will Ripley, David Culver, Joe Johns, and Nadia Romero, to name a few.

Special editions

When warranted, The Final Word would air special editions of the newscast. Its first (and only, so far) special edition was during the July 27, 2020 State of the Nation Address of President Rodrigo Duterte, where the newscast aired a special hour-long edition. Correspondents delivered live and packaged reports about the SONA, while BDO's chief market strategist Jonathan Ravelas provided business analysis. Senator Richard Gordon was also interviewed live on the show.[6]

The edition was on the heels of Hizon anchoring the network's SONA coverage for the first time, and his first SONA coverage in the Philippines since 1995. Hizon anchored a cumulative 7 hours that day – starting with the network's 2pm coverage where he joined Chief Correspondent and Anchor Pia Hontiveros and Senior Anchor and Correspondent Pinky Webb until the President's speech ended and for a post-SONA analysis with ADR Stratbase analyst Dindo Manhit and former Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda.

COVID-19 pandemic

On July 7, 2020, production of The Final Word, alongside many other shows, was temporarily halted due to a coronavirus infection in the network's headquarters in Mandaluyong City. Hizon took to social media to continue the newscast. The show was brought back on the air by July 13 after thorough disinfection in the network's premises, allowing the show to be broadcast on television once again.[7][8]

Anchor

Main Anchor
  • Rico Hizon (2020–present)
  • Andrei Felix (since 2020, Sports Desk)

Substitute Anchors
  • David Santos (CNN Philippines Senior Correspondent)

Awards
  • Asian Academy Creative Awards – National Winner (Philippines) – Best News Programme (2020)[9]

References
  1. "Serious Business". us.audionetwork.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  2. "Happening Now: Bbc News anchor Rico Hizon comes home after 25 years overseas to strengthen CNN Philippines". Good News Pilipinas. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  3. "Rico Hizon on the importance of ending his newscast on an uplifting note". cnn.ph. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  4. "Astrazeneca pauses late stage vaccine trial". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  5. "Rico Hizon chats with CNN International's Richard Quest on the state of the U-S economy". YouTube. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  6. "CNN Philippines – Tonight on The Final Word with our..." facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  7. "Redirecting..." facebook.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  8. "CNN Philippines temporarily goes off air for disinfection after confirmed COVID-19 case". cnnphilippines.com. Retrieved 2020-09-10.
  9. https://cnnphilippines.com/news/2020/10/15/cnn-philippines-asian-academy-creative-awards.html
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