New executive assignment at GMA for Howie Severino

After five years of heading GMA News' digital operations, including the network's news website, journalist Howie Severino is being reassigned to the position of Vice President for Professional Development, the network announced Monday.

In that role, Severino will develop programs for training and career development for GMA's growing news and public affairs staff, as well as manage efforts to refine the network's editorial and ethics standards.

"With his combined experience in print, TV and web, Howie is ideally suited to help prepare our journalists for the future," said Marissa L. Flores, the network's Senior Vice President for News and Public Affairs.

The shift in role will also enable Severino to devote more time to his two TV shows, the long-running documentary program I-Witness and the daily morning newscast, News To Go, which he co-anchors with Kara David.

The 26-year media veteran will be letting go of previous responsibilities as the network's Vice President for Multimedia Journalism, including editor-in-chief of GMA News Online. He also managed the news and public affairs department's  social media and mobile operations.

Taking charge as OIC of GMA News Online will be managing editor Yasmin Arquiza, an award-winning environmental journalist and former editor and reporter of Associated Press and Agence France-Presse.

As editor-in-chief of GMA News Online, Severino directed online coverage of some of the biggest stories in recent history, including the Ampatuan Massacre, the death of Cory Aquino and the subsequent rise of her son Noynoy to the presidency, the epic flooding of Ondoy, and supertyphoon Yolanda last November.

He also introduced the use of multimedia content to help explain timely topics such as election rules and campaigns, weather phenomena, and criminal cases. The website has won awards for innovation, feature writing, and service to the OFW community.

Under Severino's watch, GMA News also became a social media leader and has built the largest Twitter following of any news organization in the Philippines.

"It's been an exhilarating time to be a journalist, with so many new tools at your disposal," Severino said. "But the timeless basics are still more important than any technology: writing, interviewing, thinking, fairness, and integrity." — GMA News