Greater and grateful at 59

MANILA, Philippines - From its very humble beginnings as a radio station owned by Robert “Uncle Bob” Stewart to its victory as the No. 1 broadcast network in the Philippines, GMA has scored impressive wins.

Now on its 59th year, the Kapuso station has much to be thankful for. In 2008, GMA inaugurated one of the most technologically advanced studios in the country today — the GMA Network Studios. With cutting-edge equipment and world-class studios, the Kapuso station has come up with more award-winning programs.

Moreover, GMA enjoys the utmost trust of Filipinos, the widest coverage in the country and profitable operations despite the economic downturn.

More than just a TV station, the Kapuso Network works tirelessly in reaching out to Filipinos everywhere. Companies forming part of GMA Network as a conglomerate continue to make significant developments in giving Filipinos what they want, on a format fitting their tastes.

GMA New Media, Inc. (NMI) enables various media formats, such as the Internet, mobile phones, radio, and TV to interact with each other. On the Internet, GMA New Media also engages in web development and creative services, and was one of the first SMS content subscription services in the Philippines to provide offerings such as horoscopes and love advice.

NMI aggressively pursues its thrust to secure a strong foothold in online publishing. A year after the launch of GMANews.tv, the official news website of GMA Network, the site has been steadily building its readership base, and is now one of the Philippines’ premiere on-line news sources.

NMI also launched the all-new www.iGMA.tv, the official website of GMA. It sports not only an ultra-sleek user interface but is also loaded with exclusive multimedia features, user comments capability, updated Kapuso star profiles and show pages, and more. 

Recently, NMI launched the myGMA.com.ph Internet TV, a video-on-demand channel that combines all the pleasures of watching GMA shows and movies with the flexibility of viewing them online. 

MyGMA.com.ph features top-rating telenovelas and well-loved GMA shows that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) — who do not have access to TV programs shown in the Philippines — crave for. 

GMA Films produces movies that cater to both the local and international markets. Its movie productions have reaped both critical acclaim and commercial success. Aside from being a source of growth for the Company, GMA Films also provides Kapuso talents with opportune avenues to pursue a career in the big screen.

GMA Films’ latest productions include When I Met U, which premiered in theaters nationwide last February 11. Richard Gutierrez and KC Concepcion were the lead stars of the movie. GMA Films’ latest horror film, Sundo, was shown in theaters last March. The movie featured Robin Padilla, Katrina Halili, Rhian Ramos and Sunshine Dizon, under the direction of Topel Lee. Sundo is the second horror film of Topel for GMA Films after the success of Ouija in the box-office.

GMA’s TV programs are distributed outside the Philippines through its subscription-based international channels, GMA Pinoy TV and GMA Life TV, and through GMA Worldwide (Philippines), Inc. (GWI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. A variety of GMA’s original productions are distributed through syndication sales to foreign TV stations in Hawaii, Canada, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, the US, and soon, Cambodia and Alaska.

With the capacity for instantaneous communication and having the widest reach among all forms of mass media, radio remains a useful and popular platform in the broadcast industry. GMA Radio leverages on the network’s strengths and features GMA Network’s most trusted personalities as its own talents.

The reformat of Campus Radio on the FM band into Barangay LS has been an astute move of the company. The new LS features more jokes, more programs in the vernacular, and has gained more mass appeal. The revamped DWLS climbed its way to the AGB Nielsen’s Top 10 radio ranking and is now ranked No. 2 in Nielsen’s over-all radio ratings.

Furthermore, GMA Radio maximizes the full power of GMA Network by airing a simulcast of QTV’s daily newscast Balitanghali, weekend showbiz talk show program Startalk, and the Sunday concert program S.O.P.

According to GMA chairman, president and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon, GMA’s future will be defined by the two-pronged approach of upgrading and modernizing its infrastructure and facilities to keep up with the changes in the dynamic broadcast industry and developing content that are in keeping with the preferences of its audiences. The company will continue to improve and provide more creative program offerings to its audiences.

The Kapuso station’s initiative to improve its reach and signal in the regions will remain unabated.

The company is also anticipating developments in digital broadcast technologies and is laying the groundwork to take advantage of emerging new platforms for broadcast content, where additional revenues can be generated, he added.

GMA has scaled great heights and tallied noteworthy triumphs in its 59 years of existence. However, its numerous victories would not have been possible without its advertisers who have supported the network, its partners who have worked hand in hand with the Kapuso station in all its worthy projects, and most of all, its viewers who have faithfully followed GMA through its 59 years. 

“For GMA being greater at 59, we are very grateful,” Gozon said.