GMA Network, Inc. (PSE: GMA7), a Philippine multi-media conglomerate, is a television network in the Philippines. GMA provides news and entertainment programs through its forty-seven fully owned television relay stations, four affiliate television stations and thirty-four radio stations throughout the Philippines. The network also offers its shows worldwide through GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and Internet TV.
Its headquarters are located at the GMA Network Center at EDSA, Diliman, Quezon City. With transmitters at Tandang Sora, Quezon City. Atty. Felipe Gozon is its current Chairman and CEO. In Metro Manila, it uses terrestrial VHF Channel 7 (DZBB-TV), Channel 11 (DZOE-TV, leased from ZOE Broadcasting Network, operated by Q) and terrestrial UHF Channel 27 (DWDB-TV), it also uses the AM radio station DZBB and FM radio station DWLS.
Origins
The origin of GMA can be traced to DZBB of Loreto F. de Hemedes, Inc. owned by the late Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart, an American war correspondent (The company's name was christened after Stewart's wife). The station first went on-air on March 1, 1950 and launched on June 14 on the same year, at the fourth floor of the Calvo Building in Escolta, Manila. It went on to cover events such as President Ramon Magsaysay's sudden death, the eruption of Mt. Hibok-Hibok on March 17, 1957 and the various elections in the country. DZBB became the first radio station in the country to use the telephone patch for live interviews. The station also broadcast the forerunner of today's political satire programs with Kwentong Kutsero and glued audiences to the amateur radio contest, Tawag ng Tanghalan. A decade after the radio station's launch, the Stewarts ventured into television. Using two old cameras and a surplus transmitter, Channel 7, the Philippines' third television station, started airing on October 29, 1961. While the station's programming were mostly canned shows from the United States, the station did produce local programming like Uncle Bob's Lucky Seven Club, Dance Time with Chito, Lovingly Yours, Helen, GMA Supershow and various news programs like News at Seven. During the establishment of the television station, it was always in the red and was always at a distance from the larger and better funded networks. But it did not stop the company to start broadcasting in Cebu (DYSS-TV) in 1963. The company was renamed to Republic Broadcasting System, Inc. (RBS) in 1970.
GMA Radio-Television Arts
GMA Radio-Television Arts logo (1974-1992).
On September 21, 1972, then President Ferdinand Marcos placed the entire Philippines under Martial Law. Military troops entered radio and television stations and placed them under military control to prevent "communist" propaganda. All media outlets that were critical of the Marcos regime were shut down.
Foreign citizens and corporations were disallowed from owning media outlets in the country. Stewart and the American Broadcasting Company, who owned a quarter of the company,was forced to cede majority control to a triumvirateMalacañang official, Menardo Jimenez, Accountant, and Felipe Gozon, Attorney of the Stewarts in 1974. Through the acquisition, the station now was able to broadcast in color with a seven million peso credit line. The station also changed its name to GMA Radio-Television Arts composed of Gilberto Duavit Sr., a (GMA stood for Greater Manila Area, the station's initial coverage area), although RBS remained its corporate name until 1996. Jimenez sits as president of the company while Gozon served as its chairman until now.
When Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, Jr., a senator who strongly opposed the Marcos administration, was assassinated on August 21, 1983, it was a small item on television news. The iron grip that the Marcos administration had on television began to slip, as GMA broadcast the funeral, the only local station to do so. In 1984, Imee Marcos, daughter of Ferdinand Marcos, attempted to take over GMA. However, the takeover was prevented by GMA executives. Stewart left the Philippines for good as he was utterly disappointed with the Marcos move. GMA was also instrumental during the years preceding the People Power Revolution. The network was the first to air a television interview with Corazon Aquino in 1984, and when she later announced that she would run for the presidency if she receives one million signatures. In February 1986, the network was also the first to report that Fidel Ramos and Juan Ponce Enrile broke away from the Marcos administration.
When democracy in the Philippines was restored in the People Power Revolution in 1986, television stations began to air, some with their original owners. The political instability of the country also added to the station's burden, when soldiers stormed into the studios for two days in a part of coup attempt to topple then President, Corazon Aquino. In 1987, it opened its high-end live studio, the Broadway Centrum, boosting its local programming, and inaugurated its 777-foot Tower of Power located along Tandang Sora, Quezon City, the tallest man-made structure in the country on November 7, 1988.
The Rainbow network
GMA's first rainbow satellite logo since GMA re-launch as Rainbow Satellite Network.
International reach became GMA's target in the 1990s, which began when the Rainbow Satellite launched on April 30, 1992. Through its relay stations, GMA programs were seen across the archipelago and Southeast Asia. GMA programming started airing in 60 American cities and parts of South America through the International Channel Network. GMA was also the official broadcaster of the 1995 World Youth Day, which was the last visit of Pope John Paul II to the country. During the same year, two popular TV shows, Eat BulagaOkey Ka Fairy Ko! began broadcasting on GMA after TAPE Inc. disagreed with ABS-CBN's proposal to buy the airing rights of the two shows. At the same time, GMA launched a UHF channel subsidiary, Citynet 27, several new shows (among them were Bubble Gang and Startalk, now some of the longest-running shows on TV), and the news program, Saksi with Mike Enriquez, Mel TiangcoKaren Davila. and and
GMA positioned itself as the Rainbow Network (1992-2002).
In 1996, GMA formally changed its corporate name to GMA Network Incorporated, with GMA now standing for Global Media Arts. GMA Films was also launched in 1998 - its film José Rizal, which was at the time the most expensive movie production ever in the country (costing over 80 million Pesos to produce), but becoming a huge success with many accolades and award nominations. GMA was the first Philippine broadcaster to receive a Peabody Award for Investigative Reporting in 1999. Later, Citynet 27 became EMC, the first locally programmed music video channel, later becoming a part of the Channel [V] franchise called Channel [V] Philippines. Channel [V] Philippines, however, ceased operations due to a conflict of interest between the owners of GMA and PLDT (which bought a stake in GMA), who operate MTV PhilippinesNation Broadcasting Corporation. GMA was also the Philippine broadcaster for 2000 Today. At the beginning of the year, Menardo Jimenez announced his retirement as president and CEO and on December 31, 2000, Felipe Gozon assumed the position with his concurrent capacity as chairman. Duavit's son Gilberto Duavit Jr. assumed the post of Chief Operating Officer. through their subsidiary, the
The Kapuso network
On October 27, 2002, during an episode of the network's longest-running Sunday afternoon entertainment show SOP, GMA officially revealed a new logo and image campaign. The new logo features a rainbow colored heart-shaped logo, the Kapuso, represented by a new slogan "Kapuso ng Pamilyang Pilipino, Anumang Kulay ng Buhay" ("One in Heart With the Filipino family, In Whatever Colors of Life"), and a Century Gothic font. The "Kapuso" theme song is sang by Regine Velasquez.
In 2003, Saksi won the New York Festival Gold Medal for best newscast, the first Philippine newscast to do so. This, and the Peabody Award in 1999, earned the network a House of Representatives commendation later that year. On September 1 of the same year, GMA Network withdrawn its membership from the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) after incidents involving host Rosanna Roces, alleged commercial overloading and interfering when news anchor Mike Enriquez aired his complaints over his radio program, Saksi sa Dobol B, against Lopez-owned cable firm SkyCable's distortion of GMA's signal on its system, and a lost videotape containing evidence that the cable firm had violated the rule on soliciting ads for cable TV. GMA was also an official TV network of the 4th World Meeting of Families held in Manila, Philippines.
In 2004, GMA launches more new line up of new programs are Te, Amo, Hanggang Kailan, Forever In My Heart, Marinara, as well as, Bahay Mo Ba 'To?, Naks, Lovely Day, StarStruck Kids, Ikaw Sa Puso Ko, Leya, 30 Days, Wag Kukurap, Pinoy Pop Superstar, SOP Gigsters, Joyride, 3R, Out & Bitoy's Funniest Videos.
In 2005, the company’s subsidiary, Citynet Inc., also signed a co-production and blocktime agreement with ZOE Broadcasting Network, allowing the GMA Network with another platform to showcase its programming and talents. On November 11, 2005, ZOE's flagship station, DZOE-TV Channel 11, went on the air as Quality TeleVision (now known as Q), and broadcasts shows that primarily targets women audiences. Q's news programs share the same resources of GMA News and Public Affairs, while some programs are produced by Citynet, Inc. Also in 2005, GMA won the Asian Television Awards' Best Terrestrial Television Station, besting MBC of Korea and Mediacorp Channel 5 of Singapore. The network planned to go public, but due to political instability and downward trend of broadcast advertising, it has since been delayed.
In 2006, Debate with Mare at Pare, a late-night public affairs program, won the bronze medal in the New York Festival. The network was also praised on its coverage of the Wowowee (a program of ABS-CBN) stampede by various local publications. In an exclusive interview, a reprehensive Mike Enriquez also interviewed embattled Philippine president, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for the first time since the lifting the State of National Emergency, which the network allowed other stations to air without prior consent. At the end of the interview, the President praised the network for its news coverage, hinting that other media outfits to do the same. In April, the founder of the network, Robert "Uncle Bob" Stewart died in the United States. During the Everest climbing season the same year, GMA supported climber Romi Garduce, the third Filipino to reach the summit of Mt. Everest in only three days. The network is one of the first local companies to produce an iMax film, with the opening of the San Miguel-Coca-Cola iMax Theater in SM's Mall of Asia.
In 2007, the network announced that it will offer its stocks to the public.
After being canceled numerous times and despite the Marcoses claim to the shares held by the Duavit family, their IPO was finally held on July 30 offering PHP 8.50 per share.The Network started to produce television Franchises from other countries when they produced Celebrity Duets: Philippine Edition with FremantleMedia, one of the largest producers of television franchises in the world based in United Kingdom. They later produced MariMar, Zaido: Pulis Pangkalawakan, Kakasa Ka Ba Sa Grade 5? and Whammy! Push Your Luck from various countries. On September 16, 2007, it was announced that the Idol franchise, which had previously been used by the Associated Broadcasting Company to produce Philippine Idol) would be transferred to GMA under the new name Pinoy Idol.
In 2008, GMA produced a diverse set of shows for its primetime block by airing Carlo J. Caparas' Joaquin Bordado, Mars Ravelo's Dyesebel, Babangon Ako't Dudurugin Kita, Gagambino, Codename: Asero, Lalola, Ako si Kim Sam Soon, Survivor Philippines, Family Feud Saan Darating Ang Umaga? and Luna Mystika. GMA also became the new home of the Idol franchise, with Pinoy IdolPinoy Idol Extra. also premiering that summer along with its companion show,
In the first half of 2009, GMA Network lined up new shows for its primetime like Carlo J. Caparas' Ang Babaeng Hinugot Sa Aking Tadyang, Carlo J. Caparas' Totoy Bato, All About Eve, Zorro, Adik Sa'Yo, All My Life, Sana Ngayong Pasko. The primetime news program 24 Oras won 2 awards on the New York Festival, a Gold Medal for Best Continuing Coverage and a Silver Medal for Best News Program.
The network likewise lined up new primetime shows for the second half of 2009 like Rosalinda, new version of Darna, second season of Survivor Philippines, Stairway to Heaven, Full House, new season of StarStruck.
In 2010, for the first and second quarters, GMA Network released new anticipated and commercialized soaps and shows like The Last Prince, Panday Kids, First Time, Laff En Roll, Diva, Zooperstars, Claudine, Wipeout, Pepito Manaloto, Wachamakulit, Sunnyville, Comedy Bar, Love Bug, Langit Sa Piling Mo, Pilyang Kerubin, Endless Love, Danz Showdown, as well as Diz Iz It which replaced the longest morning talk show SiS along Party Pilipinas which replaced SOP
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