MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine STAR has established itself over the last four decades, becoming one of the pioneers that helped reshape the print media landscape while evolving into a multimedia company.
As the media landscape continues to evolve, the company opens new avenues to grow and reach wider audiences.
NEXT by PhilSTAR Media Group was officially launched in 2024 as one of The STAR's steps into the worlds of events, brand activations, entertainment, and education.
The division serves as a new arm of PhilSTAR Media Group, exploring ventures beyond the traditional scope of newspaper operations.
"NEXT was created to expand what PhilSTAR Media Group could offer beyond traditional media," says Marriane Faraon, director of operations for NEXT. "While storytelling remains at the heart of what we do, we wanted to bring stories to life through events, experiences, partnerships and entertainment."
She adds, "Our goal has always been to connect audiences and brands in more meaningful ways by combining the credibility of PhilSTAR with creative ideas that people can actually experience."
Where next started
The COVID-19 pandemic brought significant challenges to the company, particularly to its print business.
"Advertising crashed, so we needed to find other revenue streams. We wanted to preserve print because we believed in print," says Jay Sarmiento, vice president for Sales and Marketing.
"We had an idea to create a new unit that would focus on new revenue streams for The STAR. NEXT was born out of that," she adds.
"We focused on education, events, and content for the NEXT team to lead."
Innovation remains part of The STAR's strategy. Creativity and forward thinking continue to drive the company's plans as it explores new ways to grow while staying true to its mission.
"NEXT was created as an important strategy for the growth of The STAR. I consider it the next frontier of PhilSTAR Media Group's transition as a media entity," says Lucien Dy Tioco, PMG executive vice president.
"It's one way where NEXT can promote the essence of PhilSTAR through different avenues, whether it's in entertainment, content creation or education."
Next at its core
One of NEXT's goals is to think outside the box in planning and executing events and partnerships. Teamwork remains at the heart of every project the team takes on.
"NEXT is an experience builder. We help brands bring their ideas to life by combining strategy, creativity, content, events and partnerships into one seamless experience," says Faraon.
"Being part of PhilSTAR Media Group, we are able to bring together media, content, live experiences and strategic partnerships into solutions that are tailored to each client's goals."
Every client partnership is an opportunity to grow, collaborate and deliver not just an event strategy but an experience that people can enjoy, learn from and remember.
More than just a unit, NEXT continues to create value by working as one team, bringing together diverse expertise to deliver meaningful and impactful experiences.