GMA Network reports over 98% TV household coverage

GMA NETWORK, Inc. said it now covers more than 98% of television households with around 84 million viewers nationwide.

“In both total Luzon and total Visayas, GMA’s net reach was similarly at 98.6% of TV households, while posting 49.8% and 47.7% people audience shares, respectively,” the listed media company said in an e-mailed statement on Monday. “In total Mindanao, GMA was able to reach 97.9% of TV households with 42.2% people audience share.”

The network cited Nielsen Philippines TV Audience Measurement’s total Philippines data for 2020, from Jan. 1 to Dec. 26.

In December 2019, ABS-CBN Corp. reported, citing data from Kantar Media, that its nationwide TV audience share stood at 42% as of November, versus GMA’s 30%.

But GMA said it started “strong” in 2020.

“For the period January to May 5, GMA was already ahead of ABS-CBN in terms of both reach and viewership before the latter went off air in May. GMA registered over 95% household reach and was also on top with its 33.1% people audience share during the said period,” it explained.

This year, GMA plans to launch its digital TV mobile receiver GMA Now.

Also on Monday, GMA reported it already sold 1 million units of its digital terrestrial television (DTT) receiver “GMA Affordabox.”

“As GMA Network expands its digital broadcast coverage, more and more Filipinos are able to use GMA Affordabox,” it said.

“Recently, Misamis Oriental (including Cagayan de Oro City) and Camiguin were added to its coverage areas. It is also available in selected towns/cities within Metro Manila, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Rizal, Bohol, Cebu, Leyte, Davao de Oro, Davao del Sur, and Davao del Norte,” it added.

The company has allocated more than P20 billion for capital expenditures (capex) and content cost for the current year until 2023.

A big portion of the budget is allocated for content production and post-production.

The media giant had set aside a capex of P1.22 billion last year.

The listed company recently reported an attributable net income of P3.90 billion for the January to September 2020 period, up 79.03% from the previous year’s P2.18 billion.

It saw its total revenue grow 3.59% to P12.66 billion during the same period in 2020, from P12.22 billion in 2019.

GMA Network shares closed 1.84% lower at P5.88 apiece on Tuesday. — Arjay L. Balinbin

https://www.bworldonline.com/gma-network-reports-over-98-tv-household-coverage/