GMA Network ties up with Dubai firm to expand ME presence

MANILA, Philippines -  Publicly-listed GMA Network Inc. has tied up with Dubai-based My-HD to increase its presence in the Middle East where close to 2.5 million Filipinos are currently living and working.

Felipe L. Gozon, chairman and chief executive officer of GMA, said the partnership with the Dubai-based pay-TV platform through GMA International involves the direct-to-home distribution of GMA News TV International in the Middle East.

“We are banking on the quality of the programs shown on GMA News TV to primarily drive the subscriber uptake of its international channel in the Middle East,” Gozon stressed.

He pointed out that GMA News TV recently won its first George Foster Peabody Award for the documentary program Reel Time.

For his part, GMA president and chief operating officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr. said the company intends to address the need to be informed of over 2.4 million Filipinos in the Middle East through the distribution of GMA News TV International.

“In addition to showing news programs that are aired nationwide on GMA News TV, plans are also underway for the airing of regional newscasts, which are produced by our various originating stations,” Duavit said.

GMA together with My-HD started offering Filipinos in the Middle East the opportunity to have access to the latest, most comprehensive and most credible news from the Philippines last April 5.

GMA News TV International is powered by the country’s leading news channel, GMA News TV, and the most trusted and most awarded broadcast news organization in the country, GMA News and Public Affairs, making it the ultimate news source of Filipinos across the globe.

My-HD Media chief executive officer Cliff Nelson said in a statement that the partnership with GMA would help increase the company’s viewership base.

“GMA’s popular and widely regarded news and public affairs programs will enter the homes not only of the Filipino community, but also of those who enjoy outstanding entertainment series in high definition quality. With this agreement, we add another feather in our cap as My-HD Media will not only increase its viewership base, but will also increase the growth potential for low pay-TV in High Definition quality,” Nelson added.

According to Nelson, My-HD Media is also working with content distribution company SAWA Media for IPTV and cable distribution of GMA News TV International in the Middle East.

“It is great to be partners with the leading network in the Philippines. This partnership will certainly benefit not only SAWA Media, My-HD and GMA, but also the UAE and the Middle East as a whole on many different aspects,” SAWA Media managing director Ali Ajouz.

GMA News TV International is already available via My-HD in Bahrain, Cyprus, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen in the Middle East; and in Algeria, Chad, Djibouti Northern, Egypt, Malta, Mauritania, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Tunisia in Northern Africa.

The channel is also seen in Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UAE, Madagascar and Palau following its successful launches in these territories through other international carriers since 2011.

My-HD offers over 20 high definition channels via satellite including all eight MBC HD channels in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

For 2012, GMA reported a five percent decline in net income to P1.617 billion P1.705 billion in 2011 due to higher expenses in the fourth quarter with the distribution of bonuses.

Its revenues climbed six percent to P13.93 billion from P13.08 billion in 2011with airtime revenues increasing by seven percent to P12.7 billion from P11.88 billion.