The unsung heroes of the newsroom

It takes more than just reporters and editors to produce a good quality newspaper.

In truth, the unsung heroes of a newsroom are seemingly obscured in the background; working silently to support the work of those whose names are what readers find on every page.

In Cebu Daily News, three of them are editorial coordinators, two work in the IT department and one is in the Human Resources office.

Rufino “Raffy” Escoton was a layout artist of another newspaper for five years when he decided to seek greener pastures by joining CDN.

“(Former editor-in-chief) Miss Thea (Riñen) asked me if I would be interested to join the sister newspaper of Inquirer. There were several doubtful people then on what is CDN,” said Escoton.

Escoton served CDN for more than 20 years in a newsroom which he describes as his “second home”.

His job entailed following up reporters for their stories, preparing the payroll and being just the go-to person on any matter regarding newsroom operations.

His work partner, Liz Loraine Gador, joined CDN in 2005. She learned about a job opening with the newspaper from then Assistant Lifestyle Editor Marvi Gil.

“I did not know anything about newspaper work although I know CDN because my previous job advertised in the paper,” said Gador, a graduate of Banking and Finance from the Cebu Institute of Technology University.

Gador joined CDN at the end of 2005, about a month before employees were packing their things to move to CDN’s new home at the North Reclamation Area in January 2006.

With the help of Escoton and former Environment Editor Lino Parone, she learned the ropes of newsroom operations.

Family

Ronel Esparis, 46, was a utility man in an agency serving another community newspaper when Debbie Benedicto, then director of sales and marketing, offered him a job in CDN.

Esparis had just recently married his wife, Vivian, a month before he started his first day in CDN on December 1, 1997.

Esparis, who started out as a messenger, was promoted to assistant editorial coordinator in 2004.

His tasks included running bank errands, encoding texts of certain documents, and making sure that there were enough newsroom supplies such as paper and ink.

“I like our team building events, the Press Freedom Week activities. Tinabangay ang mga tawo unya maila-ila pud nimo sila og maayo (Everyone helps each other. You get to know the people of CDN well in these activities),” he said.

Frances Mediodia, the lone Human Resources (HR) personnel of CDN in Cebu, fondly notes how warmly employees of CDN join office special events such as Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Christmas parties.

“They are very vocal about their suggestions. The people here are empowered to speak their minds. It warms my heart when they really express their gratitude when they like the events,” she said.

Mediodia said that she was “culture shocked” when she joined CDN because the work environment was very different from the corporate set-up of a bank that she had worked in before.

But she learned to embrace the CDN culture over time as she was a reader of the daily long before she joined the paper.

“The bank that I used to work for is a subscriber of CDN. I am a fan of the Lifestyle section. I would cut out articles and post them in our bulletin board,” said Mediodia, who celebrated five years of service in CDN this month.

In the newsroom, it is common for everyone to gather around tables to share both simple and elaborate meals.

“Boarding house dishes” of scrambled eggs and tomato sardines paired with rice is common fare in the CDN newsroom.

It is newsroom tradition to eat whenever someone wins an award or celebrates a birthday. The favorite types of food include pasta dishes, lechon, humba and ngohiong. Ice cream is a collective dessert that everyone devours.

When an employee is sick or a family member has passed away, donation envelopes or baskets are passed around.

“I will miss the camaraderie in the newsroom. We are in a stressful job because we operate on a deadline, but at the end of the day, we see the fruit of our labor. I wake up the following day thinking nga lahi na sad nga adlaw akong atubangon (that I will face another day). I will miss that,” said Escoton.

Memories
IT specialist Neil Tecson said he thrived in the CDN work environment because he never felt any negative office politics.

“I did not experience any person who pulled down another employee so he will get promoted. Even the people who have high positions, especially the editors, reach out. They will not force you to respect them or serve them,” said Tecson.

Newsroom people call on Tecson and his partner, Edouard Benedict Illut, when there are technical problems with the internet connection and their work computers.

Tecson describes CDN as a family where his three children also spent many activities together with the sons and daughters of other employees.

CDN has a child-friendly newsroom.

Children of reporters, editors and support staff play, sleep and study in the office with the smell of newsprint and the sound of ringing phones surrounding them.

Gador fondly recalls the days when her son, Benj Daniel, was still a baby.

As a single mother, she wanted to spend more time with her baby and it was in CDN’s environment that she found the support she needed.

“Miss Ei (Eileen Mangubat) did not mind that I had my baby with me. I waited for the HR personnel to summon me in the office, but there was none. Bringing my son here, nga nidako nga nagsige og anhi (who grew up always coming here ) in the newsroom is a memorable experience I will never forget,” she said.

“When Miss Edra (Edralyn Benedicto) became editor-in-chief, we cooked more in the newsroom, we ate more so I think everybody gained weight. There is a stronger bond in the newsroom because of that,” said Gador.

Mediodia said she treasures the relationships she formed with fellow CDN employees.

“I met very brilliant and great people in this organization. CDN paved the way for me to be part of a life-changing advocacy: Journalism that builds communities. CDN has that kind of influence in the community, and I am proud to be part of that for five years,” she said.
(To be continued)

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