Digicast Negros was established by former ABS-CBN Bacolod journalists days after the embattled TV network shut down its stations in the provinces on Aug. 31, 2020 following the non-renewal of its franchise.
Romeo Subaldo, news chief of ABS-CBN Bacolod, Barbara Mijares, desk editor and “TV Patrol Negros” anchor, and reporters Marty Go and Martian Muyco, started their own news platform to continue serving the community amid the coronavirus pandemic.
On Sept. 5, 2020, Digicast, coined from the words “digital” and “newscast,” was launched on the social media site Facebook. It quickly gained a following and breached the 5,000-mark on its first two days.
It carries Hiligaynon-language news, a brand the team is known for in the community.
A month later, Digicast Negros expanded its platform by launching its news website, which carries English language news reports.
It tapped print journalists Carla Gomez and Marchel Espina for its English news. Both came from The Visayan Daily Star, which halted operations in October 2020 after serving the community for 38 years.
To further boost its presence online, Digicast also launched its unique daily newscast on the web, Digicast Negros X, which provides a rundown of the Top 10 events of the day, a weekly lifestyle show, “Tripping ni Roming,” and its digital newsletter.
Subaldo thanked the community for its overwhelming support, and stressed the commitment of the Digicast Negros team to delivering swift and accurate news amid the pandemic.*