Probe (Philippine TV series)

Probe Profiles
Genre	Public affairs
Created by	Probe Productions, Inc.
Developed by	Probe Productions, Inc. ABS-CBN News and Current Affairs
Starring	Cheche Lazaro
Opening theme	"Probe Profiles theme" composed by Reev Robledo
Country of origin	Philippines
Original language(s)	English (1987–1998) Filipino (1998–2010)
No. of episodes	n/a
Production
Running time	1 hour
Release
Original network	ABS-CBN: (March 6, 1987 – December 1987; August 18, 2005 – June 30, 2010) GMA Network: (May 20, 1988 – November 25, 2003) ABC: (June 2004 – April 2005)
Picture format	480i SDTV
Original release	March 6, 1987 (1987-03-06) – June 30, 2010 (2010-06-30)
External links
Website

Probe Profiles (formerly known as Probe,The Probe Team and The Probe Team Documentaries) was a Philippine public affairs program being aired on ABS-CBN and on its sister cable channel, the ANC. It is hosted by Cheche Lazaro and is produced by Probe Productions Inc., under a joint co-production agreement with ABS-CBN.

The show, considered as the pioneer television news-magazine in the Philippines, started airing in 1987 on ABS-CBN, with Lazaro, Maria Ressa (formerly ABS-CBN News head and former CNN Jakarta bureau chief), and Luchi Cruz-Valdez (currently TV5 News and Information Head and former ABS-CBN Current Affairs head as well as former GMA Network executive) at the helm. After nine months, it moved to GMA Network as a blocktimer. It was in GMA where The Probe Team had its longest run in its history. The show recently ended on June 30, 2010.

History

After more than two decades of censorship and repression, press freedom was immediately restored with the dismantling of the Marcos dictatorship by a popular revolt in 1986. Media ownership was turned over to an enthusiastic private sector eager to take advantage of the newfound democratic space.

Probe Productions Inc. was a product of the euphoric period. Convinced that Filipinos need more than just the news, four pioneering journalists – Cheche Lazaro, Maria Ressa, Luchi Cruz-Valdez, Tony Velasquez, and Angie Ramos – adopted the investigative newsmagazine format and called the television program Probe. The project, which was first broadcast over ABS-CBN, turned out to be the country’s first, most awarded and longest-running, investigative newsmagazine show.

To make investigative pieces a main fixture in Philippine television, the group put up its own production house and continued with what it started. Operating from a small bedroom, the show’s one-hour reports were broadcast as monthly specials by a new television station—GMA Network. After the third telecast, in response to enthusiastic reviews, GMA gave The Probe Team (Probe’s new name) a weekly slot. The first weekly telecast began in May 1988.

The Probe Team, or Probe Profiles, is known for fearlessly exposing the hard truths in Philippine society. No non-sense and hard-hitting, Probe tackles pressing societal concerns through the eyes of various stakeholders and calls a spade a spade. It engenders a deeper understanding and appreciation of issues by way of stories that capture the hearts and minds of viewers.

PAGCOR Controversy

Due to a controversy surrounding one of its features which involved a Philippine government official close to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2003, its contract with GMA was terminated. As a result, it moved to ABC, and renamed the show The Probe Team Documentaries.

The show returned to its original home, ABS-CBN, in 2005, and was retitled back to Probe. It has continued the tradition of airing provocative documentaries and investigative reports. On June 17, 2009, it was known as Probe Profiles.

Host

• Cheche Lazaro

Probe Alumni

• Cecilia Lazaro - Host, Founder and President of Probe
• Maria Ressa - former CNN Jakarta Bureau Chief; former Vice President for News and Current Affairs, ABS-CBN; News Chief, Rappler.com
• Luchi Cruz-Valdez - Vice President for News and Information, TV5

• Nessa Valdellon - Vice President for GMA News and Public Affairs
• David Celdran - News Director and Anchor, ANC; PCIJ
• Manny Ayala - National Geographic Singapore
• Apa Ongpin
• Ditsi Carolino - Documentarist
• Marga Ortigas - Manila Bureau Chief, Al-Jazeera
• Angie Ramos- Producer, Reuters Singapore
• Karen Davila - Anchor, Bandila ; Host, ako ang Simula, ABS CBN; Host, Headstart ANC
• Pauline Mangilog-Saltarin - Creative Director, Jesuit Communications Foundation, Contributing Producer, Caldecott Productions/NHK Japan
• Ruben Canlas - Professor and IT Management Consultant
• Carol Gancia -Executive Producer / CEO - Ripplemakers, Inc.; CEO - Sikat Naturals; Filmmaker/Writer - Ripplemakerstv.com; Producer - Google, Inc.; Associate Producer - KQED TV San Francisco; Executive Producer - I-Witness on GMA-7
• Angelina Cantada - Independent Filmmaker, Executive Producer, I-Witness on GMA-7
• Tony Velasquez - Anchor, ANC
• Twink Macaraig - Anchor, Aksyon TV
• Howie Severino - Host, I-Witness GMA 7; Editor-in-Chief, GMANews.tv; PCIJ
• Love Anover - Host, Unang Hirit, GMA 7
• Jay Cesora Orense - Former Executive Producer for various GMA Public Affairs shows, Author "Silence Speaks", Program Manager TV5 News and Information
• Bernadette Sembrano - Former Anchor, TV Patrol Weekend ABS CBN; Current host, Salamat Dok and Umagang Kay Ganda, ABS CBN
• Pinky Webb - Anchor, ANC and TV Patrol Weekend, ABS -CBN; Host, XXX
• Eliza Zamora-Solis - Former Executive Producer, I-Witness and Case Unclosed GMA 7; Senior Correspondent TV5 News and Information, Editorial Consultant, Insider, TV5
• Ella Evangelista - Program Manager, GMA 7 Public Affairs
• Karen Lumbo - Program Manager, GMA 7 Public Affairs
• JM Cobarrubias - Program Manager, GMA 7 Public Affairs
• Michaela Cabrera - Fulbright Scholar at Columbia University; Producer and Reporter, Reuters Manila
• Rolly Ng - Cameraman, Reuters Manila
• Kathy Quiano - Reporter/ Producer CNN Jakarta
• Rene Santiago - former cameraman CNN Jakarta: Chief cameraman TV5
• Garlic Garcia - Headwriter/Creative Consultant, ABS CBN Entertainment
• Abbie Lara - Director, I -Witness, GMA 7
• Joseph Laban - Fulbright Scholar at NYU; Managing Producer GMA 7; Contributing Producer, New York Times; PCIJ, Cinemalaya Director
• Bong Lozano - Director, Unang Hirit, GMA 7
• Lloyd Navera - former Executive Producer and Director, I-Witness; Program Manager, GMA 7 Public Affairs
• Minette Tirona, Program Manager, GMA 7
• Inky Santiago - Nakpil, Contributing Manila Producer, CNN, Discovery Channel and BBC
• Lolita Lachica - Producer, English Current Affairs, Channel News Asia, Singapore
• Robert Alejandro- Graphic Artist
• Adrian Ayalin - Media Officer, US Embassy; Reporter Government News and Public Affairs Group-RPN; Anchor, NewsWatch RPN
• Alexis Loinaz- Managing Editor, Metromix New York
• Nike Lorenzo - Contributing Producer, Al-Jazeera Manila
• Kara Magsanoc-Alikpala - Managing Director, Asianeye Productions; Contributing Producer, CNN
• Leogarda Sanchez-Matias - Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs, GMA7
• Macky Recinto Fernando - Marketing Manager, Probe Productions, Inc. Special Projects Division
• Albert Sumaya Jr. - Sole Survivor 2012, GMA 7; Segment Host Unang Hirit and Pinaka, GMA 7; Executive Producer Day Off GMA News TV
• Akiko Thomson - Olympic swimmer; current Philippine Sports Commission commissioner
• Ricky Carandang- Malacanang Spokesman
• Ivy Cay (DJ Diwata of 91.5 Big Radio)

Awards and recognitions

• PMPC Star Awards for Television: Best Public Affairs Program(2009)

External links

• The official website of Probe
• Watch episodes on ProbeTV