GMA Network president and CEO Gilberto Duavit Jr. said during the company’s 2025 annual stockholders’ meeting that efforts are underway to refresh their programming amid changing preferences of their viewers.
“In as far as the TV aspect or the core programs are concerned, efforts are underway to effect a meaningful change or cycle in program replacement,” Duavit said on Wednesday, adding the goal was to make the programs more “responsive.”
GMA saw its flagship television ratings drop 5 percent from 45.2 percent in 2023 to 42.8 percent in 2024. It recorded a similar ratings decline in its Mega Manila stronghold at 45.8 percent last year, which was down 3.6 percent.
More viewers going online
Duavit also attributed the ratings dip to the “significant shift of viewership from TV to the digital platforms.”
Apart from its traditional TV business, GMA maintains a significant presence online with 45.5 billion views on Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok.
Duavit said there was an opportunity to penetrate deeper in the online segment while accelerating monetization.
“Both efforts running in parallel are intended to optimize the advertising revenue on both,” Duavit said.
2024 earnings were hit
In 2024, GMA’s net income fell 35 percent to P2.1 billion as advertising revenues slipped 5 percent to P16.24 billion.
But for the first quarter of 2025, the broadcast giant benefited from strong election spending, which bolstered net income almost four times to P801 million as ad revenues jumped 29 percent.
Despite the earnings decline last year, GMA rewarded loyal shareholders with P2.4 billion in cash dividends, which were paid to stockholders on May 20.
Miguel R. Camus has been a reporter covering various domestic business topics since 2009.
