The company has fortified its digital TV products, beginning with the high-quality and affordable set-top box, the GMA Affordabox, which sold almost 1 million units in the first six months since its launch last year. This was followed by a mobile dongle version for smartphones, GMA Now. Viewers were also treated to four new digital channels that cater to the different viewing interests: Heart of Asia, Hallypop, DepEd TV and I Heart Movies, which complement the free-to-air channels GMA and GTV.<\/p>\n
![\"***Image***\"](\"http:\/\/newsletters.worldscreen.com\/screenings\/img\/2021-06-10-Felipe-L-Gozon.jpg\")
\u201cIndeed, it was a stellar year for GMA, as we recorded the best performance in its 70-year history across all financial indicators,\u201d Gozon says. \u201cOur net income after tax reached over PhP6 billion ($126 million), which soared by 128 percent from 2019. Consolidated revenues nearly surpassed the PhP20-billion mark ($419 million), or a 17 percent hike from 2019, notwithstanding the effects of the pandemic and the absence of three-fourths of a billion worth of non-recurring political advocacies and advertisements from the 2019 midterm national elections.\u201d<\/p>\n
For the international market, GMA continues to deliver Filipino dramas for partners looking for \u201coutside-the-box and beyond conventional stories,\u201d says Roxanne J. Barcelona, VP of the Worldwide Division. \u201cOur clients acquire our top-rating dramas and romantic comedies because they not only entertain but also give hope and touch the hearts of viewers, especially during this time of the Covid-19 pandemic. Our catalog of series produced under the new normal continues to receive a positive response from partners across Asia and Latin America, while our family and romantic dramas resonate well with audiences in Sub-Saharan Africa.\u201d She adds that the Filipino values of resilience, perseverance and familial love are relatable in these markets.<\/p>\n
\u201cGMA is also in discussions with several production partners in Asia for co-production opportunities to deliver content that will surely make a mark with audiences across Asia,\u201d says Barcelona.<\/p>\n The interest, she says, is for family dramas, romantic comedies and romantic dramas. There are ongoing deals for the hit daytime dramas Prima Donnas <\/em>and Broken Faith<\/em>and the prime-time ratings hits Descendants of the Sun <\/em>(the Philippine adaptation), I Can See You<\/em>, Love of My Life <\/em>and The First Nanny<\/em>.<\/p>\n GMA\u2019s original dramas are also available for remakes. \u201cGMA has drama formats with unique storylines with relatable themes that are common to many markets, especially in Asia and Latin America,\u201d Barcelona says. \u201cThemes on family values, faith\/spirituality and enduring friendships are topics that are common to a global audience.\u201d Its drama formats have been sold into Mexico, Vietnam and Cambodia. \u201cWe make sure that the scripts we offer to a particular territory are flexible enough to introduce local elements that will make it more appealing to their local viewers.\u201d<\/p>\n As GMA Network looks ahead to the rest of 2021 and the coming year, the plan is to continue to invest in long-term, sustainable value creation, according to Gozon.<\/p>\n \u201cWe announced early this year that GMA Network earmarked more than PhP20 billion ($419 million) for our capital expenditures and content cost for the next three years. The budget is allotted for new upgrades in terms of our content production and post-production, construction of a new building and state-of-the-art studios, and the ongoing expansion of our DTT reach to further strengthen our nationwide presence. We are also beginning to gear up for the upcoming elections this 2022, which is another defining moment in our country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n \u201cIn terms of content, we will likewise continue to be focused on providing meaningful and superior entertainment for our viewers. In the coming months, we are launching nearly 100 programs consisting of Network-produced and acquired foreign programs.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"***Image***\"](\"http:\/\/newsletters.worldscreen.com\/screenings\/img\/2021-06-10-roxannebarcelona.jpg\")
\u201cGMA is known to push boundaries and continues to experiment on productions with themes like crime\/action, supernatural and suspense,\u201d Barcelona adds. The Network continues to produce fresh content, including a number of big-budget fantasy-adventure series with special effects, among them are The<\/em> Eagle\u2019s Quest<\/em> (Agimat ng Agila<\/em>), Lolong<\/em> and the highly anticipated live-action adaptation of Japanese anime Voltes V: Legacy<\/em>. Also on GMA\u2019s 2021 slate are the provocative dramas Legal Wives<\/em>, The World Between Us<\/em> and Flames of Love<\/em>, as well as the record-breaking, top-rating romantic comedy series The First Nanny<\/em> and Owe My Love<\/em>.<\/p>\n