Media giant GMA Network on Wednesday confirmed its position as the leading TV station in the country during its Annual Stockholders’ Meeting (ASM) at the GMA Network Center.
Citing data from the Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, GMA Network chairman and chief executive officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon said the media company has become the leading television station all over the country since the start of the year, enabling the company to improve its advertising rates and share.
“We’re working doubly hard to keep our lead. With our clinching of number one spot, we have rendered academic the last argument of our advertisers whenever we negotiate with them concerning our rates and share of their ad budgets,” Gozon told shareholders.
Although GMA Network reported a marginal increase in its earnings from P2.818 billion in 2009 to P2.821 billion in 2010, it fell short of its target to reach the P3-billion mark. Gozon, however, remained optimistic about the company’s prospects, noting a number of positive developments.
These include the recent launch of GMA News TV on Channel 11 and the acquisition of state of the art technologies to further improve GMA Network’s programs.
“Since the launch of GMA News TV in late February 2011, our viewers have immediately felt the benefits of a news channel on VHF free TV. We have been able to more comprehensively broadcast all the significant local and international events including the Senate hearings on corruption in the military, the tsunami in Japan, the violent protests in the Middle East and North Africa, the impeachment of Ombudsman Gutierrez, and more recently, the Royal Wedding in London and the Beatification of Pope John Paul II,” Gozon told the stockholders.
During the stockholders’ meeting, the following were re-elected as directors: Felipe Gozon, Gilberto Duavit Jr., Jose Marcelo Jimenez, Felipe Yalong, Anna Teresa Gozon-Abrogar, Judith Duavit Vazquez, Laura Westfall, former Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban and Jaime Laya. Panganiban and Laya will serve as independent directors.
At the Organizational Meeting of the Board of Directors in the afternoon, Gozon, Duavit and Yalong retained their positions as chairman and chief executive officer, president and chief operating officer and senior vice president -corporate services and chief finance officer, respectively.
The following were also re-appointed and confirmed as officers of the company: Wilma V. Galvante as senior vice president for the Entertainment TV Group; Marissa L. Flores, senior vice president for News and Public Affairs Group and; Miguel C. Enriquez as senior vice president for the Radio Operations Group.
Belo Gozon Elma Parel Asuncion and Lucila was also reappointed as the company’s external legal counsel. CMA/OMG, GMA News