As the shutdown date of the analog signals of TV broadcast networks in Mega Manila looms.
At the recent virtual Annual Stockholders’ Meeting, GMA Network President and Chief Executive Officer Gilberto Duavit, Jr. detailed the network’s strides in terms of digital terrestrial television.
He noted, “Our digital coverage presently in Mega Manila is second to none,” adding that the network’s digital signal is already covering 90% of television households around the country and even surpasses the coverage of its analog signal.
Thus, he also disclosed the network’s readiness for the impending analog switch-off in Mega Manila, which covers the National Capital Region and the surrounding provinces of Bulacan, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, Pampanga, and Bataan.
It was back in November 2025 when the National Telecommunications Commission issued Memorandum Circular No. 005-11-2025, directing television networks to shutdown their analog signals within 12 months of issuance or until November 22.
“Our digital infrastructure has been designed to accommodate precisely periodic directives on shutdowns,” Duavit said. “This is a very ministerial and very simple operational exercise. It’s almost literally simply turning off the two main analog transmitters in Mega Manila: one for GMA-7 and the other for GTV.”
GMA-7 is the flagship station that airs on free TV VHF channel 7, while GTV is the secondary channel occupying UHF channel 27.
The executive also noted that they have already an inventory of their Affordabox set-top boxes that are being sold to allow television sets to receive digital signals via the antenna included in the box.
He also furthered that the network is ready to assist by launching an informational drive to both inform and allow them to find alternatives to continue viewing the stations and their programs.
“To the extent that we can, we have an inventory of available devices that the public can avail of,” Duavit said. “We will (also) 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.”
According to their disclosure for FY 2025, the GMA Affordabox posted a “double-digit reduction” in sales due to less quantities sold in between periods, coupled with the price reduction from P799 to P699 starting May 15, 2025.
Meanwhile, according to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), about 82% have already made the shift to digital TV in Mega Manila, while the remaining 18% or below to be assisted by the government in some form as the switch-off date looms.
Meanwhile, beyond terrestrial airwaves, GMA is also rapidly expanding its coverage online, with the Kapuso executive billing the GMA Play app, which is the relaunched version of the GMA Network app, as one that shows “tremendous potential.”
According to him, the app has been downloaded over 4.4 million times since it was launched last February to showcase videos and full episodes of GMA shows, among others.
“Another positive derivative benefit is the fact that it allows us now to monetize content which ordinarily we would not have been able to,” Duavit noted.