ATF Perspectives: The View from GMA Network

World Screen Newsflash hears from GMA Network’s Roxanne J. Barcelona and Reena de Guzman Garingan about the expanding interest in Filipino drama from the region and markets across the globe.

Barcelona, VP of the worldwide division at GMA Network, and de Guzman Garingan, who oversees business development and strategic content partnerships, will be on-site at the Marina Bay Sands in Singapore, showcasing a wide variety of Filipino content.

WS: How is the demand for Filipino drama across Asia?
BARCELONA: The Philippines has a thriving television and entertainment industry, and its dramas, often referred to as “teleseryes,” are known to attract many viewers beyond its borders. Filipino dramas are dubbed or subtitled in other languages to cater to the worldwide audience. Post-pandemic, the demand for Filipino drama across Asia and outside Asia has increased.

WS: How have strategy shifts at the global streamers impacted your business in the region?
GUZMAN GARINGAN: Strategies have to be more intentional as it is no longer the traditional way of thinking or doing business. Windowing is crucial, and granting rights and creating content specifically for streaming platforms and not necessarily for mass free-to-air audiences are key factors. Collaborations with streaming or linear platforms are forged, doing business never done before. We need to bring the expertise of both companies together, whether it be in creating content or having technological expertise and having a platform. It is all about finding the right fit for a partnership and making a story in the region. It is a tedious and lengthy process to come up with a business plan, but this is what we now call making relevance.

WS: What have been some of your best markets in Asia?
BARCELONA: GMA began its syndication business in 2007 through its worldwide division. We began by exporting a few of GMA’s top-rating dramas to an Indonesian broadcaster. The dramas were dubbed in Bahasa. Filipino dramas slowly gained popularity in the region because of their engaging storylines. Following the success of GMA dramas in Indonesia, GMA aggressively pushed its content to other ASEAN countries such as Cambodia and Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Myanmar. As GMA increased its production of local content, more dramas were exported and shown in other countries. Our market has expanded to include sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and even Russia.

WS: What new markets are opening for you in the region?
BARCELONA: The Cheating Game, a GMA-produced feature film, was acquired by Netflix for worldwide SVOD rights. This is a first for GMA since most of the GMA content acquired by Netflix is limited to the Philippines. We are currently in discussions with other streaming platforms in the region for possible co-productions and collaborations.

WS: What are your goals for your distribution business in AsiaPac in 2024?
GUZMAN GARINGAN: In 2024, GMA Network plans to expand its presence in the CIS and in MENA. The network’s strategic focus is on syndicating its content to diverse cultures. This move underscores GMA Network’s commitment to providing high-quality content to a global viewership.

One key initiative is ensuring that GMA Network’s programs are widely available on various streaming platforms across Asia and the rest of the world. This approach helps create more awareness of GMA’s content to a wider audience, which, in turn, drives GMA’s thriving syndication business.

Additionally, GMA Network is actively exploring co-production opportunities with key players in AsiaPac.