After years of ​delivering the news to Filipino audiences,​ Danie Laurel has begun a new chapter in her journalism career — this time in India. Following a​ successful run at ​C​ignal TV’s One News,​ she ​w​as recently named Senior Anchor for Firstpost​, an all-digital media platform owned by Network18, India’s largest news network.

The move marks both a professional and personal turning point for the Asian TV Awards winner. In an interview with Media Newser Philippines, Laurel described the transition not as a break from her past work, but as a continuation of a career shaped by growth, mobility, and newsroom experience across borders.

“You know, India is the seventh country I have lived in,” she said. “I thought I was done moving around, but actually, it’s who I am. I love adventure, I love a good cultural challenge, I love discomfort, and I love growth. I am a journo-academic, after all, and I will follow the stories that matter where they matter.”

As she settles into her new role, Laurel spoke to us about taking risks, adapting to life and work in India, building Firstpost’s business and economics coverage, and why Philippine news stories will continue to remain close to her beat. An edited transcript of our conversation appears below.

After eight and a half years with One News, and before that Bloomberg TV PH, what made this the right time to begin a new chapter with Firstpost?
For a big decision like this to happen, everything needed to have aligned. I have had other career opportunities before to anchor abroad, but my personal life was tied to Manila.

Conversely, there were times in my life when I wanted to live abroad again, but I was thriving in my local network. I loved my career as a host in Manila; I was very happy professionally. It was hard to top — it still is hard to top — what I have back home. It needed to be an amazing opportunity for me to give that all up.

This offer came at the right time, and it was for the right outlet. There was a window where I needed to decide whether to begin another daily show with One News — which I was very excited to do — or to take a big risk and start a whole new life adventure that would open so many doors. I have an amazing relationship with my bosses and team at Cignal and TV5. They are family to me. They were so excited for me. They knew in their hearts that I would succeed in this. It’s obviously great for any journalist to gain experience in different newsrooms, especially abroad. They encouraged me to go for it and assured me that I would always have a home with them.

While it is a new chapter, I come into this as a very clear continuation of a path that I have carefully forged for close to a decade. Everything I have learned in the Philippine newsroom, I have brought with me to India. I am valued here for the experience and input I bring and, simultaneously, I am learning so much from such an established company, Network18.

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What drew you specifically to Firstpost?
If you begin following and watching Firstpost, I assure you, you will become an instant fan. It’s such a modern and progressive news outlet that is well-aligned with my skill set and personality. I had been a fan and close follower of Palki Sharma for many years. She had a show called Gravitas on her previous network and then helmed our banner show Vantage on Firstpost before she decided to start her own network. She was the one who interviewed me for this role.

Firstpost is a relatively new digital outlet, but it belongs to the biggest TV broadcast network in India that owns CNN, CNBC, Forbes, and their local channel News18, so we share resources. It is backed by one of India’s largest conglomerates. So, you can imagine, the quality and stability are just so high at a professional level, but it also has this fun, vibrant startup vibe. It’s such a unique positioning.

Our viewership demographic is A and B, ages 22–50. Intelligent viewers. Of the 3 billion annual viewers, half are from India and half are global. Motivation is high because we have so much space to innovate. From a journalistic viewpoint, we don’t need to compete with traditional media or TV outlets; we reference and complement them. We have wires, but we are not reporting on the ground for now. Instead, what we are known for is explainers and deep dives — curating stories and churning out, in real time, easily digestible and trustworthy news for a social media and YouTube audience, thereby elevating the standard for digital natives used to so much noise. We are cleaning up the noise for everyone. As an academic who loves to research, write, and explain things in a better, referenced, and cross-checked way, it fits me so well.

Leaving a newsroom you’ve called home for almost a decade is a big decision. Was there a particular moment or realization that convinced you to make the move?
Apart from this obviously being a great job, I had just turned 40, I was newly single, I enjoyed what I believe was my last chance at motherhood, and I was raring to go back to the beat of work.

You know, India is the seventh country I have lived in. I thought I was done moving around, but actually, it’s who I am. I love adventure, I love a good cultural challenge, I love discomfort, and I love growth. I am a journo-academic, after all, and I will follow the stories that matter where they matter. I will move with five luggages anywhere, baby in tow.

When I told my closest friends, they paused for a few seconds, but the reaction was always: “Good decision. Makes perfect sense for who you are.”

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A few weeks into your new role, what has surprised you most about your Firstpost experience so far, and also working and living in India?

Two things stand out. First is the work culture — wow. Indians are ambitious, innately ambitious; it is palpable. No one is forcing anyone to work; they just love to work. They love to prove themselves. It’s this idea that there are 1.5 billion people and, to stand out, you need to show it. It’s a country built on self-made people. They have so much respect for achievement.

I thought I was ambitious, but this is forcing me to go, go, go. I love it. I love being in an environment where everyone is motivated.

Second, I am so impressed by the strength of the middle class in India. I had expected something more similar to the Philippines — that is, a massive divide between the elite who are ruling society and the masses. It’s not the case here. The middle class is thriving and ruling this country. Everything is built for them and everything is affordable. People’s lives are improving, and it is no wonder this is the world’s third-largest economy (by PPP). It’s so inspiring.

As Senior Anchor, what do you hope to bring to Firstpost, and what do you want to accomplish in this role?
From a beat perspective, I am tasked with developing the business and economics banner, which does not yet exist. I also want to cover European news since I speak Italian, French, and Spanish. I plan to make these two things very strong.

I want to go into the field and cover events, do interviews, push for primary sources and exclusives. We also have ambitious plans to do live events. Hosting and moderating live events is my forte. I am very excited for this.

What kinds of stories, issues, or conversations are you most excited to cover at Firstpost?

I want to do business and economics news differently. I want to make it accessible and inclusive, but still intelligent and not dumbed down. I spend hours brainstorming exactly how to do this.

We are not Bloomberg or CNBC, and we aren’t trying to be. These outlets can be very intimidating to a normal audience.

At the heart of this, I am a professor who wants to bring an already intelligent audience into the historically esoteric and exclusive business, finance, and economics conversation.

You did a story on Sen. Bato Dela Rosa recently. Will you continue covering Philippine news stories at Firstpost?
Absolutely, yes. I was the one who broke that Senate shooting to my team by showing them video footage from a good friend of mine, the inimitable Meanne Los Banos. I was the only one who could explain it, obviously, as it was happening in real time.

Filipino audiences are among our top five audience segments. We are closely watching the Duterte trial at The Hague, which is a massive global story. I will definitely take that under my wing.

A year from now, what would make you say that this move to Firstpost was the right decision?
This is a time in my life as a journalist where I no longer need to be performative on-cam. I don’t need to be a star. I don’t need to build my brand.

I need to deliver quality work in a senior role. I need to contribute to leadership in the newsroom, provide insights that come from experience, and be available for commentary, writing, and sharing what I know and how I analyze things.

Earlier in my career, I needed to build news anchor credibility and make sure I did things right. Now it’s about the entire Firstpost franchise being successful. We are a 250-strong team. And since we are digital, it’s easy to see the metrics, audience reception, and competition on a real-time basis.

The numbers don’t lie. The entire channel will simply die if we do not put out quality work tirelessly every single day that can also financially sustain us.

But the upside is even more exciting, and I’m confident I’m in the right position to help make that happen — after all, I moved all the way to India to do that.

Rhea Santos, now with Canada’s OMNI Television, has been named one of the “75 Faces of Migration,” a project that highlights the stories of 75 Filipino-Canadians who have made a significant impact in Canada.

The initiative is organized by the Embassy of Canada in the Philippines, in collaboration with the Philippine Embassy in Canada.

Santos shared her gratitude for being included in the project, describing it as a validation of her decision to move to Canada. “I am deeply honored and humbled that I was chosen to be part of this project alongside 74 inspiring individuals who have made a mark and are continuously serving communities in giving it back to Canada,” she said in an interview with OMNI’s sister station, CityNews.

“I was fortunate to have the opportunity to serve fellow Filipinos back home in the Philippines through my career in television. I did almost two decades of broadcast journalism in the Philippines. And I never really expected that I will be able to do that profession here, but again, here I am, very thankful,” she added.

Santos left the Philippines in 2019 after 19 years at GMA-7, where she gained prominence as the co-anchor of the country’s longest-running morning show Unang Hirit . At the Kapuso Network, Santos also headlined several top-rating public affairs programs such as Tunay Na Buhay and Pinoy Abroad.

During the pandemic year of 2020, Santos joined Rogers Sports and Media as a video journalist and anchor for OMNI News: Filipino Edition, the Filipino-language newscast of OMNI Television. Since then, she has been the voice of Filipino-Canadians in Canada, covering stories that resonate with the community.

“I really never expected to go back to television because coming here, I was told that I would have to start from the bottom, and I was willing to do that for my family,” Santos said. “I actually want to thank OMNI Television for giving me a reason to wake up every day, to do what I love, because I always hope that through the work that I do, through the stories that I tell, I hope to inspire more people and hopefully create change, whether big or small. And I hope that me being here would give hope and courage to others, that change may be scary, but it can also be an exciting adventure.”

Watch the full interview below:

Rhea Santos covered politics and elections in the Philippines during her almost two-decade stint at GMA News. Now, she is doing the same, and more, in Canada as anchor-video journalist for OMNI News.

The veteran journalist recently appeared on The Big Story, a popular podcast in Canada, to talk about a poll commissioned by Canadian marketing firm Leger for OMNI News. The poll focused on the shifting political allegiances among Canadian immigrants.

Canada has long been recognized for its openness to immigrants and temporary residents, including many Filipinos. Currently, 23% of the country’s population are immigrants.

According to Santos, the poll​ aimed to understand where most immigrants align politically and which party they believe can address the challenges they face, especially as a federal election could be called at any time.

“The poll wanted to check on how newcomers feel about being scapegoated for the housing and affordability crises Canada is in. Through this data, we are giving a voice to immigrants and newcomers who want to be heard on Canada’s pressing issues​. And just like last year’s poll, we wanted to know if being here is still the fulfillment of the Canadian Dream they have expected,” she explained.

The poll, conducted from August 17 to September 9 among 15,000 immigrants, also had conservative leader Pierre Poilievre topping the list of Canadian leaders whom new immigrants would most like to share dinner with, followed by liberal leader Justin Trudeau and NDP leader Jagmeet Singh in second and third, respectively.

Listen to the episode below: