And the simulcast setup returns.
On Friday, June 26, GMA Network announced development surrounding its two primetime action series, The Master Cutter starring Dingdong Dantes and Taskforce Firewall top-billed by Miguel Tanfelix and Kylie Padilla, which they collectively promote under the banner Actionverse.
According to the Kapuso network, both shows, which air on its GMA Prime block, will be carried on a simulcast basis across its two digital subchannels, Heart of Asia and I Heart Movies, as well as on the Kapuso Stream on YouTube and GMA Play app starting Monday, June 29.
The Master Cutter will remain at its 8:00 pm slot, while Taskforce Firewall will be retained at its usual time of 8:50 pm every weekday evening.
Meanwhile, over at GTV, both drama series will also continue to air on the secondary free-to-air channel. However, The Master Cutter will also be airing on a simulcast basis at 8:00 pm, while Taskforce Firewall will keep its delayed telecast at 10:30 pm.
This move is nothing new for the Kapuso network, with GMA having first implemented a multi-channel simulcast setup back in 2021 with the top-rating series First Yaya simultaneously broadcast over the flagship channel, GTV, and Heart of Asia.
The practice would later be carried over to succeeding programs on what was then-known as the GMA Telebabad block of the network.
At one point, the entire weekday evening lineup from 24 Oras until the third drama slot that airs from 9:35 pm to 10:20 pm were simulcast over GMA, HOA, IHM, and the now-defunct subchannel Pinoy Hits, on top of a delayed telecast on GTV for the dramas.
Meanwhile, observers and other netizens have also regarded this move by GMA to be a response to the recent primetime partnership of ABS-CBN and TV5 for Coco Martin’s Sigabo, which airs on the Kapatid network, as well as on three linear TV channels — ABS-CBN sa ALLTV2, A2Z, and Kapamilya Channel — and digital platforms Kapamilya Online Live, Kapatid Livestream, and iWant.
The Master Cutter was able to fend off Sigabo in the same timeslot rating during the latter’s premiere last Monday (June 22), but was soon taken over by the Kapamilya show in the succeeding days by a thin margin.
GMA’s The Master Cutter and Taskforce Firewall will air from 8:00 pm to 9:35 pm on GMA, Heart of Asia, I Heart Movies, Kapuso Stream, and GMA Play starring Monday, June 29.
