In this time and age, turning 60 is a feat especially if such is laden with achievements. And for this, we take cognizance of GMA Network’s accomplishments all throughout its 60 years of existence, most notably in the last decade.

During this time, the Kapuso Network posted remarkable growth, from being only second player to ABS-CBN 20 about years ago, to being industry leader starting in the year 2000 when lawyer Felipe L. Gozon and Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr. assumed their posts as chairman, president and chief executive officer, and executive vice president and chief operating officer, respectively.

Atty. Gozon calls their tandem the “Batman and Robin” of GMA Network and under their leadership, “GMA has gone beyond what I ever imagined.” It was Atty. Gozon who originated the network’s clear-cut vision to outrank the company’s nearest competitor in both ratings and revenues. A sharp and distinguished lawyer before joining the broadcast industry (which he finds more interesting, he said), he is equipped with critical tools to study the competitive media landscape.

The Network’s competency built on the Gozon-inspired paradigm shift has earned for them financial success – from only P3.1 billion when the Gozon-Duavit management took over at the start of the millennium, to P13.8 billion in 2009, more than 10 billion away from GMA’s seed money when it seriously began chasing its rival. The company’s net income rose by more than 10-fold to P2.8 billion in 2009, the highest in its 60 year history, from only P209 million in 2000.

Every year, the Network added more and more feathers to its colorful cap. In 2000, when it celebrated its golden year, GMA was the official local station of the Global Millennium Day Broadcast. The GMA-Ayala Millennium Celebration was beamed to 67 countries. In the same year, GMA won the George Foster Peabody Award for its “I-Witness” documentary entitled “Kidney’s for Sale.” This year, GMA won again such award, with “Ambulansyang de Paa,” another documentary of “I-Witness.”

In 2002, GMA launched its new corporate equity, “Kapuso Mo, Anumang Kulay ng Buhay,” and intensified promotion for its new corporate logo – the heart shaded with the colors of the rainbow. That same year, “Saksi” won the first Gold World Medal for Best Newscast in the New York Festival.
In 2003, GMA got on top of the ratings charts in Mega Manila for the first time, with their shows “StarStruck,” the first ever reality-based talent search program, and “Extra Challenge,” the first Filipino reality TV series, which became big hits.

2005 was another milestone-laden year with GMA becoming the first Philippine broadcast station to receive the coveted Asian TV Award for Terrestrial Channel of the Year. In the same year, GMA launched GMA Pinoy TV in Japan, Guam and the US. A sister channel, QTV was also launched.

In 2006, GMA News covered the Filipino’s first attempt to summit Mt. Everest, becoming the first Philippine network to broadcast live via satellite at 21,000 feet above sea level, the highest altitude ever tested for broadcast via satphone.

In 2007, under the Gozon management, GMA launched it first Initial Public Offering (IPO) at the Philippine Stock Exchange. Also, the Network’s N&PA team was once more lauded at the New York Festival as the “I-Witness” docu called “Boy Pusit” won the Gold World Medal for the Social Issues and Current Events category.

In 2008, GMA inaugurated the country’s most sophisticated production facility – the GMA Network Studios which houses state-of-the-art equipment and the largest TV studios in the country.

In 2009, GMA completed its key market transmission facility upgrade program with four new satellite stations in Naga, Bacolod, Cagayan de Oro and GenSan. GMA News.tv, only after two years, made a record-breaking average of 37 million pageviews per month.

And now at 60, GMA Network celebrates with the theme “Touching Hearts, Enriching Lives.” Looking back at the decade filled with milestones, both Gozon and Duavit could only beam with great pride.

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60th anniversary show aired tonight

Incidentally, their 60th anniversary celebration program aptly dubbed “GMA at 60, The Heart of Television” staged at the Araneta Coliseum last June 18, will be aired tonight on SNBO, after “Kap’s Amazing Stories.” In the musical extravaganza, GMA’s brightest stars, homegrown talents and industry pillars are shown in 12 spectacular production numbers.

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Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings for June 27, go to former Sen. Helena Benitez, Chit Dee, Olive Hiyas, Chief Inspector Francisco F. Bautista, Fr, Louis Lester Niez of Missionaries of Mary, Ma. Lourdes R. Valdez, Ms. Zeny Cabral, Chit Estrada, Nora Alapan, Joey Tiongco, Johanna Lim, Dr. Amelia V. Jarin, Jasper Romulo of ABS-CBN, and Aby Acosta… Happy wedding anniversary to Benjamin and Racquel Lacaden…