Through a catalog of successful original dramas, GMA Network continues to grow steadily in the international market, conquering new territories in both the traditional and digital spaces. And now, they are headed to Mipcom to showcase the three latest additions to this highly-demanded catalog.
Through the more than two years of the TV and entertainment industry being shaken and reconfigured by the global Covid-19 pandemic, GMA Network continued to grow and adapt, to still remain the largest and most important media group in the Philippines.
Owner of a vast catalog of original productions spanning drama, comedies, rom-coms, mystery and more, the company has been able to grow in the international market, both in the traditional and digital spaces, developing content at a notable rate.
“Due to the pandemic, we have had to institute numerous innovations in the past two years. Although we have learned to adjust and cope with the production limitations of the dramas, the rate at which we are churning out the finished product is quicker than two years ago at the start of the pandemic”, said Roxanne J. Barcelona, Vice President/Consultant at GMA Network Inc, Worldwide Division.
Roxanne Barcelona
“Fortunately, we are able to offer and make fresh content available to our partners”, she said.
In this regard, the company’s most-demanded content is still dramas and is thus its primary focus for the international market.
“Interest in our content is constant”, the executive explained. “There is a steady stream of returning and new clients who are sourcing series with universal themes revolving around family, love, and revenge. Our dramas stay connected to long-held traditions and values about family and country. This makes the dramas relatable to the experiences of our international audience”.
“The dramas also feature versatile actors who have a mix of Asian and Western facial features. Most of our dramas also feature strong female leads, and this contributes to their success”, she added.
The executive also highlighted the popularity of GMA’s romantic dramas which still appeal to many of its international clients. An example is I Left My Heart in Sorsogon, a romcom which was one of the most-watched primetime series in the Philippines.
Article 247
It is the story of a highly successful woman in a love triangle. The series features real-life “crazy rich Asian” Heart Evangelista in haute couture outfits from some of the world’s leading fashion houses. It is shot amidst breathtaking scenery from the southern province of Sorsogon. “We find that viewers prefer this type of story that gives hope and touch the heart”, she explained.
The company is also seeing an increased interest in crime and mystery dramas. In this genre, the executive highlighted GMA’s miniseries AlterNate, an installment in the anthology series I Can See You, is a dark and intriguing story about twin brothers who switch lives.
In addition, GMA premiered several crime dramas this year, such as Widow’s Web, about the mysterious death of a man involving three women, and Article 247, about a woman haunted by the deadly consequences of her affair with her boss.
These new and exciting contents have allowed GMA Network to thrive in the global market during the pandemic. “Despite the challenges, the company has seen growth in its business in Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, and more recently, clients from Southeast Asia are slowly coming back,” she explained.
Widow’s Web
And the growth wasn’t just in terms of territories, as GMA was also able to excel in the digital space, registering significant growth in the OTT landscape. “This is why we continue to push our content in this direction by establishing more partnerships with major OTT platforms and providing simultaneous streaming rights as required by our traditional free and pay TV clients. In addition, we are in discussions with potential international partners to create content which targets online viewers” the executive explained.
“The pandemic has permanently changed the global streaming landscape. We now manage our business in what experts call an “attention economy.” Globally, there has been a significant shift to ad subscription services and a decline in linear TV. Ad-supported and subscription-based streaming has been developing even before Covid-19 happened. Naturally, marketing and ad spending have been migrated to these platforms”, she added.
And now, GMA Network is hoping to grow even further by reconnecting with its clients and extending its contacts during the upcoming Mipcom in Cannes, where they will be present in person with a catalog of new titles.
“With the resumption of physical trade markets, GMA Network will attend Mipcom and ATF. Through our participation in these markets, we will resume face to face meetings with buyers from all over the world,” she said.
Break Shot
“In-person events are more fruitful because we have the opportunity to personally meet with key industry entertainment players for content across all platforms to discuss their programming needs for 2023”, she added.
GMA will launch three new titles for this year’s Mipcom, starting with Widow’s Web, a mystery drama about three women suspected of being involved in a twisted murder case of a man with whom they are all connected.
Then there’s Break Shot, a story of a street-smart young girl from the slums who hopes to become a professional pool hustler in order to earn money and make it big. She learns that winning at pool and life are filled with challenges, especially for a girl in the male-dominated world of billiards.
Lastly, the company is presenting Article 247, a crime drama series that portrays a woman’s journey as she tries to move on from the consequences of her past entanglement with her boss and his psychopath wife.
