Beyond GMA Network’s dominance on air, the Philippine media giant has also emerged as a trailblazer in the digital space as it expands its presence to grow online audiences and adapt to TV viewers’ viewing habits.
GMA Network President and CEO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr. highlighted the network’s digital strides at the GMA Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, which was conducted virtually on Wednesday, May 15.
“We continued to expand our presence in the digital space, more solidly establishing our relevance to the growing online audiences, particularly in the key social media platforms,” said Duavit.
“Through all our content-producing teams within the network and its subsidiaries, we’ve expanded our content offerings, ramped up the volume of exclusive digital content, and implemented specific strategies to enhance audience growth while improving engagement and audience diversity,” the television executive added.
GMA Network’s digital online ad revenue, inclusive of its websites, grew 72 percent year-on-year.
The network’s official online channels on YouTube, Facebook, and TikTok had 45.2 billion video views in 2023, a 38 percent increase from 2022.
GMA also witnessed a substantial uptick in subscribers and followers across its official social media platforms, reaching a combined total of 345.6 million at the end of 2023, a 17 percent increase from the preceding year.
In line with the evolving landscape of media consumption, GMA Network launched the Kapuso Stream in 2023. The platform allows Kapuso audiences to livestream the Network’s programs in high definition across multiple internet-enabled devices, complementing its pervasive terrestrial TV reach and coverage.
The GMA Mobile App also saw a notable surge in downloads. By the end of 2023, it had accumulated 3.86 million downloads, a 17 percent increase from 2022’s 3.28 million.
Leading broadcast network
GMA Network leads the Philippine broadcast media, topping TV and radio ratings. In 2023, GMA was the top TV station per Nielsen data, with GTV ranking third. GMA programs dominated ratings, with 24 Oras and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho at the top.
GMA Regional TV news reached over 25 million viewers, and its flagship radio stations led in Mega Manila.
GMA also expanded its terrestrial broadcast with 12 new Digital Terrestrial TV transmitter stations, reaching 108 stations nationwide. Internationally, GMA is renewing traditional carrier agreements and pursuing new IP-based subscriptions.
Investments in technology included launching the SD-FHA broadcast solution and upgrading regional stations to digital SD and HD. The network adopted A.I.-driven video enhancement and plans further A.I. integration in 2024.
A year of strategic partnerships
With the digital space now vital to viewership, GMA Network forged strategic partnerships in 2023 to provide additional platforms for program and content distribution.
A special licensing agreement with Viu gave audiences access to programs such as The Write One, Love Before Sunrise, and Unbreak My Heart, a co-production with ABS-CBN.
The highly successful primetime show Maria Clara at Ibarra and the network’s adaptation of the movie Maging Sino Ka Man were distributed through Netflix.
GMA also continued its partnership with YouTube in 2023. Through GMA Public Affairs, the collaboration produced the exclusive series, Philippines’ Number 1, which highlighted the best of the Philippines, and another installment of Christmas In Our Hearts.
“Unexpected developments” on television, according to Duavit, likewise opened doors to a partnership that the industry also deemed surprising.
In June 2023, the popular program It’s Showtime! was made available on GTV through a co-production agreement with ABS-CBN. The partnership was later extended for its broadcast on the noontime slot of GMA’s main channel starting April 2024.
Successful return to film production
2023 also saw GMA Network returning to the film arena with two network-produced films, The Cheating Game and Firefly, and two co-produced movies, Video City and Five Breakups and a Romance.
Firefly received critical acclaim and numerous awards globally. After its success at the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), it continued to dominate at the inaugural Manila International Film Festival (MIFF), winning multiple awards, including Best Picture.
Both network-produced films were released on streaming platforms: The Cheating Game on Netflix in 2023 and Firefly on Prime Video in April.
Looking ahead, GMA Pictures has five productions lined up for release in 2024 and early 2025. Co-productions of four other films are also underway for 2024.
While 2023 was relatively a good year for GMA, the Network closed the year with a consolidated net income of P3.162 billion, down by 42 percent year-on-year.
GMA Network’s 2023 net consolidated revenue was at P18.637 billion, a 14 percent decline year-on-year. It managed to contain its consolidated operating expenses at Php 14.592 billion, a fractional increase of 1.15 percent over the prior year.
Through economic headwinds, coupled with the constantly shifting viewing habits and preferences, Duavit remains resolute, “We leave no stone unturned in fulfilling our commitment to continuously grow and evolve, as we further build our audiences, maintain our relevance, and be where our audiences are, whether in or out of their homes.”