| GMA Network chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe Gozon |
ONE only needs to look at the history of GMA Network to realize that the media giant cannot be threatened by the super aggressive moves of current network war third-placer, TV5.
This was the matter-of-fact statement made by its chairman and chief executive officer, Atty. Felipe Gozon, at a round table with the entertainment press to announce the network’s new roster of programs and direction for 2012.
“Let us go back in history and take a look at where we started in 2000,” said the 2011 BizNews Asia Tycoon of the Decade Awardee. “We had nothing [when we acquired GMA 7], but old cameras and vehicles; some 350 employees; and a loan of P1.9 billion.
“Yon ang pinanggalingan namin, pero inambisyon naming talunin ang [ABS-CBN] Channel 2, which had money coming out of its ears.”
Gozon even recalled that three minutes of advertising airtime on GMA 7 back then was only worth ABS-CBN’s 30-seconder.
“But in less than three years—by September 2003—natalo namin ang Channel 2 sa Mega Manila, and by January 2011, [we had beat them] nationwide.”
It is with this track record that Gozon and the company steels itself against competition. From a struggling company just a decade ago, GMA now employs more than 3,000 workers; boasts of the latest technologies for radio, TV and film; and posts yearly net incomes in the billion peso mark.
“Last year, we made P1.58 billion, which is even 30 percent lower than our 2010 income, which was beefed up by political ads during the elections,” he elaborated.
Gozon also reiterated that it is for this very reason that talks about a buyout of GMA Network by TV5 just after Christmas was “a very wild rumor.”
Money matters
In short, GMA Network, according to Gozon, is not afraid of the obscene amount of money TV5’s chairman, Manny V. Pangilinan, is throwing around to drive his media conglomerate all the way up to the top.
“What does TV5 have except money? And they’re using it with impunity, outbidding everybody,” Gozon boldly stated. GMA’s head honcho was of course alluding to the huge talent fees at the rival network, the most staggering of which is Megastar Sharon Cuneta’s P1-billion package.
“When we were starting out at GMA we never pirated any talents because we didn’t have money. Bakit sila lilipat sa amin ‘di ba?” he conveyed. “That’s why I also don’t blame TV5 for offering higher talent fees because no one will transfer to them if they don’t do that.”
Despite such money matters, Gozon is still confident that GMA Network will attract a large percentage of 2012’s advertising budget. And he proudly added that it will be solely because of their new lineup of shows.
Drumming up drama
Encouraged by the successful ratings of its homegrown teleseryes like Amaya and Munting Heredera, GMA Network will strengthen its afternoon and primetime line ups with original dramas this 2012.
The forerunner of telefantasyas on TV, this is a surprising direction for the network, which produced such hits as Mulawin in 2004, all the way to Dwarfina in 2011. ABS-CBN 2, meanwhile, has long lorded the teleserye genre.
“[With Amaya and Munting Heredera], we have discovered na marunong din pala kami sa drama at hindi lang sa fantasy nananalo,” Gozon beamed.
Passing on the task of explaining the network’s new move to Wilma Galvante, GMA’s senior vice president for Entertainment, the top lady executive related that they carefully studied timeslots and viewer demographics to come up with seven new titles just for the first quarter of the year.
“The industry knows that drama ang gusto ng mga viewers—drama series na nagiging bahagi ng araw-araw nilang buhay,” Galvante detailed. “So what we did in the past was to buy titles of successful dramas as well as Koreanovelas. Pero pag-inisip mo, kami pa rin naman ang nag-e-execute ng mga storya—mga artista namin, directors namin, writers namin—so now that we have the audience’s attention, the time is right for us to make our own shows. Original dramas of quality entertainment.”
Produced by the GMA Drama Group, first on the list of homegrown shows is, Legacy, which features a powerhouse ensemble of artists top-billed by Heart Evangelista, Alessandra de Rossi and Lovi Poe (see sidebar).
The soap opera Biritera, premiering on February 6, will star Dennis Trillo, Glaiza de Castro and Angelika Dela Cruz, as well as new child singing sensation.
For its Valentine offering, the network will bring back the tried and tested love team of Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera in My Beloved, beginning February 13.
Meanwhile, on its “Afternoon Prime Block,” GMA Entertainment starts off with Broken Vow on February 6, casting the fresh tandems of Luis Alandy and Bianca King, and Gabby Eigenmann and Rochelle Pangilinan.
The Good Daughter begins on February 13, with Kylie Padilla and Rocco Nacino, and pretty Kapuso newcomer Max Collins.
Also in the offing is Hiram na Puso, a compelling family drama featuring Kris Bernal, Polo Ravales, Bela Padilla and Mark Herras, on March 5.
Finally, a telefantasya still makes its way to the roster for young audiences, via Alice Bungisngis and Her Wonder Walis, headlined by Tween stars Bea Binene, Jake Vargas, Derrick Monasterio and Lexi Fernandez.
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