The 1960s television landscape required newscasters to have the personality of a dead spot. Off-cam, they were, of course, allowed to be colorful — language, included.

But on camera, they had to read the news — typed on bond paper (no teleprompters yet) — exactly the way it was handed to them by the editorial team. No additional commas, periods and, especially, no exclamation points. No ad-lib, in other words.

Faces of the news

In the 1970s, Harry Gasser was the face of the news. He was the lone anchor of Newswatch on Channel 9, which was state-controlled. TV viewers didn’t know his background. (He was a radio talent from Cebu who tried his luck in Manila.)

The only time the public became interested in his life was when his wife — the former radio talent Flora Gasser — started appearing as a comical domestic servant in sitcoms and on film. Very few knew that they were husband and wife because that was how Flora wanted it.

When people asked her how she was related to Harry, she routinely told them that she was his housemaid. That stopped them from asking further questions. But she was a devoted wife. Flora attended to Harry like a geisha.

After about half a decade, Harry no longer monopolized the news. Newswatch eventually needed other talents for its several other editions. For a while, there was Newswatch Junior Edition that had a nine-year old Janice de Belen as one of the anchors. She was already Flor de Luna then, but she wanted to try another branch of television.

Loren Legarda also started her TV career in Newswatch. Prior to that, she was a Closeup toothpaste girl. Later, she also appeared in a shampoo ad.

Another Newswatch alumnus was Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez. He is now the country’s ambassador to the US.

On Channel 7, there was Tina Palma who became the first major female news anchor on television. In 1979, moviegoers were surprised that she agreed to be the dubber of Deborah Sun in the film Bedspacers. Can you reconcile the image of a naked Deborah Sun with Tina Palma’s speaking voice?

The other female newscasters who immediately followed the trail of Tina Palma were Lee Andres, Ninez Cacho Olivares, Betsy Enriquez and former Binibining Pilipinas semi-finalist Cathy Veloso (now Santillan). Even Helen Vela tried her hand as a newscaster when she was already at the peak of her career as a TV counselor.

Changing times

The broadcast scenario changed drastically after EDSA I. When ABS-CBN launched TV Patrol in March 1987, Channel 2 gave its newscasters — Noli de Castro, Frankie Evangelista and Mel Tiangco — the chance to banter and exchange views toward the end of the program. That segment worked and, soon, even GMA broadcasters were swapping opinions in the network’s series of morning shows.

When ABS-CBN was trying to put together its stable of talents, the station gave its newscasters additional programs. Loren Legarda, who did The World Tonight, had her PEP Talk. Noli de Castro (the former voice-over talent of Inday Badiday’s See-True) was given Magandang Gabi, Bayan. Noli also co-hosted Magandang Umaga Po with Korina Sanchez — until the two quarreled. Noli eventually left the program.

Again, GMA followed suit. Its newscasters started having multiple shows. Until Arnold Clavio began having health issues in 2024, he opened the gate of GMA in the morning and closed it at night.

ABS-CBN and GMA also gave their newscasters their own radio shows. Now, this is the tricky part. Radio anchors are paid very little — if at all. As compensation, they are allowed to sell spots during commercial breaks. They get to keep the proceeds from the ads they sell.

But why bother sell when some politicians are just willing to sponsor the broadcasters’ lifestyles? This is NOT a generalization, but it’s no secret how some — repeat, SOME — anchors are under the payroll of politicos.

When Harry Gasser was still doing Newswatch, he and Flora would be seen doing their groceries at Hi-Top, a low-end supermarket along Quezon Avenue. When he got ill, Flora became a familiar sight at Loren Legarda’s Senate office — asking for financial help to cover Harry’s medical expenses. No one among the newscasters of old died rich.