ABS-CBN Head of TV Production and Star Magic Head Direk Lauren Dyogi seemingly tore down the decades-long network rivalry after acknowledging GMA Network as the current number-one station in the country.
In an ambush interview with the media last week, Dyogi said that ABS-CBN’s route now is geared towards collaboration as they are now operating as a media company and content creator, not a television network.
“For now, you need to understand that we’re not a network anymore because we don’t have a franchise. We’re a media company, we’re a content creator now. So, wherever we can bring our content with the biggest reach. And we have to recognize that GMA has the biggest reach right now because they’re the number one station,” he said.
“Our mindset right now is really collaboration because, we will be honest, we cannot do it on our own. It’s very difficult to do it on our own.
“Isa lang naman pangarap natin ng mga Filipino artists — to really go global. Hanapan natin ng paraan, whether it’s Netflix, Amazon, or Viu. Lahat ng posibilidad,” he added.
The Kapamilya executive also thanked GMA, TV5, and A2Z for giving them the opportunity to showcase their programs so they could continue reaching their audience.
“We’re very thankful to [GMA Network] for opening their doors to partner with us, the same way that A2Z has been with us from the start. And Channel 5, and all the other OTT platforms that have been collaborating with us, maraming maraming salamat. You keep us alive. We’ve been struggling for the past three years, and sa awa ng Diyos, nandito pa rin kami,” he said.
Dyogi, along with other ABS-CBN executives, was recently seen meeting GMA network executives again, hinting at another collaboration project aside from Unbreak My Heart, which is currently filming in Switzerland.
Following the broadcast shutdown of ABS-CBN on free TV in May 2020 and the subsequent killing of their franchise renewal application in July 2020, ABS-CBN has shifted its focus to content creation.
At the onset of the network shutdown, ABS-CBN immediately boosted its digital presence with the launch of Kapamilya Online Live, where most of its shows are aired.
After a few months, Kapamilya shows were able to go back to free TV via its block time agreement with A2Z Channel 11, which started airing in October 2020. Because of A2Z’s limited reach, ABS-CBN then entered a block time agreement with TV5, which started airing ASAP Natin To and FPJ Da King movie block in January 2021, followed by the Primetime Bida teleseryes in March 2021.
