DANILO ARAÑA ARAO is a professor at the Department of Journalism, College of Media and Communication (CMC), University of the Philippines Diliman (UPD).

He is also a faculty affiliate at the UPD Center for International Studies (CIS) and a special lecturer at the Department of Journalism, College of Communication, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) Sta. Mesa. He is the editor of Media Asia, a peer-reviewed journal published by the Asian Media Information and Communication (AMIC) Centre and Routledge Taylor & Francis Group. He is a convenor of Kontra Daya (Against Fraud), an election watchdog based in the Philippines.

As regards his work as a journalist, he writes a column in Filipino (“Konteksto”) for Pinoy Weekly (a print and online publication). His column is cross-posted in Bulatlat (an online news magazine) where he also serves as associate editor. He is also board chair of Kodao Productions (a multimedia group) and Alipato Media Center (publisher of Bulatlat).

His seventh book of essays in Filipino is expected to be published in 2026. The other six books are Obhetibong Kritisismo (UPD Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, 2019); Kuro-kuro (Flipside Publishing, 2015); Hay, Naku! 2013 (PMC, 2014); Saysay ng Pagkakaugnay-ugnay (UST Publishing House, 2012); Hay, Buhay! (UP Press, 2012); and Kon(tra)teksto (DLSU Publishing House, 2012). To know his major book projects, please go to http://pages.upd.edu.ph/dannyarao.

His past administrative experience includes being associate dean of UP CMC and assistant vice-president for public affairs of the UP System.

He was on special detail as a visiting professor at Hannam University’s Linton Global College in Daejeon, South Korea.

Prior to teaching full time at UP Diliman, he was editor-in-chief and head of research of IBON Foundation, an independent research think-tank. He also taught Political Science part time at the De La Salle University (DLSU)-Manila.

He has a Doctor philosophiae (Dr. phil.) degree from the Institut für Medien und Kommunikationswissenschaft, Technische Universität Ilmenau (Germany).