OMNI Television Debuts National Daily Newscasts in Arabic and Filipino, Today

Sep 1, 2020

Follow on Twitter: @OMNIArabic and @OMNIFilipino

TORONTO (September 1, 2020) مرحبا. Salubungin. OMNI Television brings new voices to the Filipino and Arabic-speaking Canadian communities with local, national, and international news with the launch of daily 30-minute newscasts, beginning today. Twenty-five new editorial, digital, and video-journalist positions were created to support the new newscasts, with OMNI News: Arabic Edition and OMNI News: Filipino Edition being produced in-house at OMNI’s studios in Toronto, Vancouver, Montreal, and Edmonton.

OMNI now produces and delivers national third-language news and information in 6 languages: Cantonese, Mandarin, Italian, Punjabi, and now also Arabic and Filipino. OMNI News: Arabic Edition airs at 5 p.m. local/6 p.m. CT with OMNI News: Filipino Edition airing at 11 p.m. local/12 midnight CT.

“Our new team of Filipino and Arabic-speaking journalists are diverse and keen to produce stories that are reflective of their communities while bridging cultural and generational gaps as well as shedding light on underreported topics and issues,” said Manuel Fonseca, Director of OMNI Television. “OMNI has proudly served multilingual Canadians for 30 years in more than 40 languages, and today’s expansion of our national news service is an exciting milestone as we continue to deliver vital news and information that is relevant and meaningful.”

Meet the new OMNI News: Arabic Edition team:

Juhayna Helmy, Producer – With a Master of Arts in Digital Innovation in Journalism from Concordia University, Helmy joins OMNI with writing experience at multiple international publications.

Mai Mazloum, Reporter – Born and raised in Syria, Mazloum is an award-winning storyteller who joins us from the Middle East Broadcasting Center (MBC), where she served as a news reporter and producer for 10 years. During her tenure at MBC, Mazloum covered social justice issues which garnered national attention and influenced legislative changes by the federal government.

Mona Awwad, Reporter – With a Master of Public Policy & International Affairs from York University, Awwad has more than 10 years of experience in political and social research, policy analysis, and specialized support for immigrants and refugees in both Canada and the Middle East.

Reham Al Azem, Video Journalist – Al Azem is a lawyer-turned-journalist with a graduate diploma in journalism from Concordia University. She served as a Human Rights Activist for the victims of the Syrian war, worked as a bilingual interviewer with the CBC for Syrian refugees, completed an internship with CJAD 800, MAtv, and published in Fitzhugh and The Concordian.

Sara Chahrour, Video Journalist – Chahrour is a graduate of Concordia University, where she studied Journalism and Human Relations. Her previous experience includes stops at The Concordian where she served as a writer; and CHOU 1450 AM, where she co-hosted a weekly show in Arabic on social media trends in the Middle East.

Wala Amara, Video Journalist – Amara is a skilled reporter and journalist with experience from the CBC, The Link Newspaper, Hoops on the Rise, and FOX Sports. Most recently, Amara served as a freelance journalist covering a wide range of subjects related to ethnic minorities, in multiple languages.

Wasim Zaitoun, Reporter – Zaitoun joins OMNI with writing and reporting experience from the CBC. A recent journalism graduate from Seneca College, Zaitoun also earned a Master of Business Administration at Purdue University Global.

Meet the new OMNI News: Filipino Edition team:

Andy Aquino, Reporter – Aquino joined OMNI in 2019 as the host of Blue Jays: Pinoy Edition, the exclusive home for the Toronto Blue Jays in Tagalog. Aquino is passionate about connecting with the Filipino-Canadian community and regularly volunteers at the Kapisanan Philippine Centre for Arts and Culture and Carlos Bulosan Theatre.

Arvin Joaquin, Video Journalist – Joaquin is an award-winning journalist and editor with experience as an associate editor at Xtra Magazine; and associate producer at Global News. His work has appeared in The Huffington Post, CTV News, TVO, CBC, and others. Joaquin studied at Carleton University where he achieved a Master’s Degree in Journalism.

Marie Pacheco, Producer – Pacheco is an experienced video journalist, most recently having worked for The Filipino Channel (TFC). Prior to that, Pacheco was a reporter and anchor with ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation and their cable channel ANC in the Philippines prior to moving to Canada with her family.

Paula Saraza, Reporter – Born and raised in the Philippines, Saraza moved to Canada in 2016 with her family. She completed her Journalism Degree at Seneca College in Toronto and previously worked as a Production Assistant and reporter for Filipino TV.

Ron Gagalac, Reporter – Gagalac joins OMNI from ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corporation where he served as a multimedia news correspondent. Gagalac holds a Master of Communications from Ateneo De Manila University in Quezon City and is currently studying at Seneca College in Toronto.

Rhea Santos, Video Journalist – Born and raised in the Philippines, Santos has 19 years of experience in the television broadcast news industry. Santos joins OMNI from GMA Network’s morning show Unang Hirit, where she was the longest-serving female morning newscaster in the history of Philippine television.

Theresa Barrera, Video Journalist – Barrera has extensive media experience, having worked as a reporter and journalist at CTV News, Pulse FM, and Life FM and as an on-air host at Corus, Jim Pattison, Crossroads, and Touch Canada Broadcasting stations in BC and Alberta.

Theresa Redula, Reporter – Born and raised in the Philippines, Redula is a recent journalism graduate of Niagara College. Redula joins OMNI with reporting experience from her stint at Niagara News.

Below are broadcast details for all OMNI Television national newscasts.

EAST

Broadcasting in ON, NB, NFLD, NS, and PEI. Check local listings.

Monday to Friday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Saturday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
6 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
6:30 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
10 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Sunday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

PACIFIC

Includes BC. All times local.

Monday to Friday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Saturday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
6 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
6:30 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
10 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Sunday

4 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

PRAIRIES

Includes AB, MB, and SK. All times local.

Monday to Friday

4 p.m. MT, 5 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. MT, 6 p.m.– OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. MT, 8 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. MT, 9 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. MT, 10 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. MT, 12 a.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Saturday

4 p.m. MT, 5 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. MT, 6 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
6 p.m. MT, 7 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
6:30 p.m. MT, 7:30 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
7 p.m. MT, 8 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
11 p.m. MT, 12 a.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

Sunday

4 p.m. MT, 5 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
5 p.m. MT, 6 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. MT, 8 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition
8 p.m. MT, 9 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
9 p.m. MT, 10 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
11 p.m. MT, 12 a.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition

QUEBEC

All times local.

Monday to Sunday

5 p.m. – OMNI News: Arabic Edition
7 p.m. – OMNI News: Italian Edition
10 p.m. – OMNI News: Mandarin Edition
10:30 p.m. – OMNI News: Cantonese Edition
11 p.m. – OMNI News: Filipino Edition
11:30 p.m. – OMNI News: Punjabi Edition

Social Media
OMNI Television Website: OMNITV.ca
OMNI Television (Quebec) Website: icitelevision.ca
OMNI Television on Facebook: Facebook.com/OMNITelevision
OMNI Television on WeChat: WeChat
OMNI Television on Twitter: @OMNITelevision
OMNI News: Arabic Edition on Twitter: @OMNIArabic
OMNI News: Filipino Edition on Twitter: @OMNIFilipino
Rogers Sports & Media PR on Twitter: @RogersMediaPR
Rogers Sports & Media PR on Instagram: @rogersmediapr

About OMNI Television:
OMNI Television is Canada’s only multilingual and multicultural television broadcaster. Available in 11 million Canadian households, the OMNI brand includes the national TV channel OMNI Regional plus five local television stations. OMNI offers a wide range of locally produced and acquired programming in more than 40 languages, including news, current affairs and entertainment content in Arabic, Cantonese, Filipino, Italian, Mandarin, Portuguese, and Punjabi. OMNI is part of Rogers Sports & Media, which is a subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX, NYSE: RCI). Visit OMNITV.ca.