UNTV CEO Daniel Razon is a top contender in the Best Journalist category of Shorty Awards, dubbed the Oscars for Twitter by the New York Times.
This is Razon's second nomination in two straight years. His Twitter account, @DanielRazon is vying for the top honor against Flavio Fachel, West Wing Report, William Bonner, Jenni Hogan, and Who? What? Why?.
The list was announced days after nominations were closed last February 11, 2011. Dubbed as the Oscars for Twitter by the New York Times, Shorty Awards said it received 750,000 nominated tweets this year.
At this stage, the final entries were sent to the Real-Time Academy for Short Form Arts and Sciences where juries include the founders of some of the top online brands like Wikipedia, Foursquare, Craigslist, and more.
Razon last year introduced a news-and-rescue brand of media work for his fellow Filipinos called Tulong Muna Bago Balita (Assist First Before Reporting) which is part of the advocacy of UNTV, a UHF channel fully committed to public service.
To launch his campaign, UNTV correspondents underwent rescue and mission trainings. Tulong Muna Bago Balita is Razon’s response to the ethical question that journalists are challenged to answer whether to prioritize their breaking news report or a life in need of help during emergency situations
In the Shorty interview conducted for the competition, Razon said that he is using Twitter "by sharing wisdom, information, knowledge, issues, views, and news."
@DanielRazon has received 515 votes, with reasons echoing the journalist's public service and media works. Among these reasons are:
"... because he promotes and lives in the Truth, no hypocrisy." - @itisromack.
"... because he makes broadcast news exciting and inspiring." - @WDGuzman
"... because he leads a new brand of media work by serving people." - @kotawinters
Assist First Before Reporting (Tulong Muna Bago Balita in the vernacular) is Razon's response to the ethical question that journalists are challenged to answer whether to prioritize their breaking news report or a life in need of help during emergency situations.
Through television channel, UNTV where Razon is CEO, he launched his campaign last year and went full blast at the start of 2011 following correspondents' rescue and mission trainings.
Razon started his Twitter account in 2009 yet has only tweeted 64 times, which is surprising for someone who is fond of technology because he uses these for his numerous public service works. His Shorty interview somehow sheds some light to the paradox -
"Every tweet we make, every word we use to compose a tweet reveals the kind of character we have. Let's make use of the space worth following."
Other Filipinos who entered the finals include TV actress Angel Locsin in the actress category, and Ang Dating Daan television program host, Bro. Eli Soriano in television category.
Winners will be announced at a ceremony in New York on March 28, 2011.
