GMA steps up its regional reach

MANILA, Philippines - The Kapuso network is getting more and more aggressive in expanding its regional presence. This year alone, it launched two originating stations — Ilocos and Naga City — and regional TV execs are saying to expect more. GMA has a total of nine originating stations to date.

One satellite station that is being considered for an upgrade to originating station (meaning, it will house a studio, among others) is Bacolod City. The Negros Occidental capital recently celebrated its annual Masskara Festival, highlights of which will be featured on GMA 7’s Let’s Fiesta TV special to air tomorrow, Nov. 11.

“In terms of performance, Bacolod is doing really well. It was able to recover its operating expenses on the second year that it was in operation. We opened the (satellite station) in 2009,” said Rikki Escudero, VP for Regional TV and head of expansion of production services for News and Public Affairs in an interview with The STAR.

“So we’re really taking a closer look. The unique nuance in Bacolod is that they are all Ilonggos with Iloilo but they have a different mindset from Iloilo, so the question is will this area of Negros Occidental and the Panay Region be united into one big originating station, or can it stand with two originating stations because of cultural differences? That’s why we’re really exploring the differences in terms of culture and of mindset.”

Nevertheless, the network has made signal improvement in the area that cost over P60M. According to Engr. Elvis Ancheta, VP for Transmission Regional Engineering Department, they just launched a transmission station to strengthen its Channel 13 in Negros Occidental. “As far as the station is concerned, it’s reaching the far-flung areas and covering a lot more households.”

Growing the network’s regional reach since 2005 is undoubtedly a huge challenge, not just because of the competition — like ABS-CBN which has had originating stations existing since 25 years ago — but also because of the differences in culture, language and other factors. 

“But we should celebrate it. There’s no cookie-cutter way in running regional stations. It’s not like you just show one program emanating from Manila and then you expect all the other regions to just follow because that’s not the Philippines, terrain-wise, we’re separated into islands, ergo the influences in culture are also different, and you have to take that into account, how do they like their news, how do they like their entertainment, how religious festivities are very important to the people, and that affects your programming,” Escudero said. 

She added, “If you study programming in the Philippines, we’re really entering into a phase that’s more like Indian TV in the sense that India, which is very advanced TV-wise, also has a lot of groups. The way they program, although they have commonalities, there are also differences. And we’re somehow like that, which is why when you approach television for regional TV, mas malalim dapat ang kuha mo when it comes to programming. So, we’re happy that we really experiment with program content.” 

GMA has already put out a lot of money for transmission that “now, what’s important is content,” said Escudero. “It’s a battle of content, which is why it’s very exciting. TV is no longer insular...” with their news programs localized and unique to the regions like Balitang Bisdak in Central Visayas, Balitang Amianan in Ilocos, or Baretang Bicol in Bicol.  

In terms of regional entertainment, GMA is bringing the focus on festivals. She said, “We realized that local advertisers get excited about festivals and celebrations, so instead of having a regular entertainment program, we decided to have regional festival specials weekend, week-out, that we de-chain.”

These shows are also the network’s way of “prodding interest and (domestic) tourism.” The Masskara Festival, for one, thrives on domestic tourism as people reportedly attending it are tourists coming from neighboring towns, cities, provinces and islands.

Why regional viewers are very important to GMA is because they believe that “the last battleground will be fought in the trenches of regional TV,” Escudero said, “…event for event, newscast for newscast, coverage for coverage. National news and national entertainment programs will be there, but the future of TV lies in de-chaining local content, making sure you have the right program for the right audience and offering what’s best for the viewers, also for local advertisers and national advertisers. Regional TV will still evolve… Hopefully, in the future, the same quality and variety offered in the national programming grid will be offered in the regional grid.”

In terms of being physically there for the regional viewers, GMA is visibly above competition, what with the shows they are mounting every weekend.

Oliver Amoroso, AVP for Regional TV, said, “Now, regional viewers get to see stars more often. Stars were mostly confined to Metro Manila mall shows before.”

For the Masskara, the network flew in a stellar line-up as it brought its Sunday variety show Party Pilipinas, staged mall shows and joined forces with the city government led by Mayor Evelio Leonardia in opening and closing the festival with a bang. 

Escudero said the stars know that there’s a big fanbase in Visayas and Mindanao. “And how can that be possible, unless management also deems the regional viewers as important as the Manila viewers. They are really compelled to go to the regions.”

Meanwhile, the freshest Kapuso faces got their first taste of regional shows via the Masskara. Protégé: The Battle for the Big Artista Break winners Jeric Gonzales and Thea Tolentino put their learnings to good use, as they excitedly performed before the Bacolodnons.

Both will soon star in the revival of the hit ’90s teen show T.G.I.S. Asked on what advice they’re taking to heart as they plunge into showbiz, Thea, 16, said, “My mentor Nanay Gina (Alajar) told me that stage fear isn’t a hindrance to performing well.” For Jeric, 20, “it’s to act natural and just be myself, as what my mentor Jolina Magdangal said, because people will love me for that.”