GMA Network Inc. is operationally prepared for the planned shutdown of analog television broadcasts in Mega Manila later this year as the transition to digital transmission would require little more than switching off its existing analog transmitters.
President and CEO Gilberto Duavit Jr. said GMA’s digital infrastructure was designed to accommodate the National Telecommunications Commission’s target to end analog television broadcasts by Nov. 22.
”[I]t is a very ministerial and very simple operational exercise. It’s almost literally simply turning off the two main analog transmitters in Mega Manila,” Duavit said during the company’s annual stockholders’ meeting on Friday.
He said GMA’s digital signal coverage in Mega Manila now matched, and in practical terms exceeded, its analog reach.
“Our digital coverage presently in Mega Manila is second to none. It, in fact, not only mirrors, but practically or for practical purposes exceeds that of our analog reach,” he said.
Duavit said they had no estimate for now as to how many households would be affected by the shutdown because the number of viewers who rely solely on analog broadcasts had yet to be determined.
He said the government was preparing assistance programs for affected households while GMA would launch an information campaign to help viewers determine whether they would be affected, and if so help them identify available options, including digital television devices.
“To the extent that we can, we have an inventory of available devices that the public can avail of, and separately we will be launching a communications program to allow the affected, or all households, to make a clear determination if they will be affected, and if so, what their options are,” Duavit said.
Nationwide, GMA’s digital television network currently reaches about 90 percent of television households, he said, with further expansion expected as other areas eventually transition away from analog broadcasting.
GMA has reported strong results for 2025, with net profit up 6.49 percent year on year to about P2.2 billion on the back of a 3-percent growth in consolidated net revenues which amounted to P18.2 billion.
The company said higher digital advertising revenues and its continued leadership across television, radio and online platforms were behind the improved performance.
Duavit said GMA remained the top television network based on Nielsen’s National Urban Television Audience Measurement and Philippine National Television Audience Measurement, while its Radio Group continued to lead the Mega Manila market.
He added that GMA ranked first among media and entertainment companies in Southeast Asia and the Philippines on the Tubular Labs Leaderboard for all 12 months of 2025, helping drive a 13-percent increase in digital advertising revenues.
Duavit said the shift to digital television could eventually support improved services and commercial opportunities but conceded that the benefits would depend on consumer adoption and advertiser response.
GMA shares on Friday dropped P0.08, or 1.74 percent, to close at P4.51 each amid a 1.25-percent rise for the benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange index.