MANILA, Philippines - GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) recently hosted luncheon parties for its trade partners to showcase its upcoming Entertainment and News and Public Affairs launches and to celebrate its nationwide ratings dominance.

Broadcast industry’s trusted ratings supplier, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, surveyed that GMA went ahead of ABS-CBN in household audience share in partial February (till Feb. 19; Feb. 13 to 19 based on overnight data) by 2.4 points.

The Network is set to be more aggressive in the succeeding period across its multimedia platforms – from television to radio to online. Flagship business unit Channel 7 will air television’s most expensive primetime series “Amaya” to be headlined by Marian Rivera; remake of “Captain Barbell” by Richard Gutierrez; fantasy-comedy-drama series “Magic Palayok” by reel and real sweethearts Carla Abellana and Geoff Eigenmann; and “My Lover, My Wife” by Nadine Samonte and Maxene Magalona.

Just recently, GMA made another first with the launch of its free-to-air all-news channel. Named GMA News TV, the channel will be backed by the formidable news team led by Jessica Soho, Mike Enriquez, Mel Tiangco, Arnold Clavio, Vicky Morales, and Howie Severino. The channel started airing last Feb. 28 and will have its international launch mid-2011.

GMA News and Public Affairs’ (N&PA) online counterpart, GMA News Online (with URL www.gmanews.tv), branded as the “go-to portal for Filipinos everywhere,” has often been first with news. It is ran with a multimedia content (i.e. news videos from TV and live stream from radio), and other web innovations such as news browser and election dashboard.

GMA’s Radio business unit, meanwhile, delivers a more solid AM and FM programming thru its Super Radyo DZBB 594 and Barangay LS 97.1. DZBB is headlined by Mike Enriquez, alongside Arnold Clavio, Lala Roque, Susan Enriquez, among others; while Barangay LS was recently relaunched with a new slogan “TugStugan Na!”

GMA Marketing and Productions, Inc. (GMPI) Pres. and COO Lizelle Maralag expressed excitement on the trade’s overwhelming approval of GMA’s efforts.

Present during the trade luncheon were GMA Chairman and CEO Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, GMA Pres. and COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., GMA Films Pres. Atty. Annette Gozon-Abrogar, SVP for Corporate Services Group and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong, SVP for Entertainment TV Wilma V. Galvante, SVP for Radio Operations Group Mike Enriquez, and other network officers.

Richard Gutierrez, Solenn Heussaff, Marvin Agustin, Rhian Ramos, Dennis Trillo, Heart Evangelista, Carla Abellana, Dingdong Dantes, Iza Calzado, and Tim Yap hosted the three-day event at Makati Shangri-La Hotel. They were joined by Kapuso artists and performers, namely, Regine Velasquez, Ogie Alcasid, Marian Rivera, Jolina Magdangal, Glaiza de Castro, Kris Bernal, Aljur Abrenica, Louise delos Reyes, Ryza Cenon, Bella Padilla, Mark Bautista, Rachelle Ann Go, Jay R, Kyla, Drew Arellano, Luane Dy, Jillian Ward, Jackie Rice, Eugene Domingo, among others.

• • •
SM Tickets launched

SM launched last week at the Discovery Suites Hotel a new service – SM Tickets. With this service, purchasing and selling tickets – to concerts, sports and arts events – will never be the same again. Patrons now have full access to all entertainment events in all SM Cinema ticket booths nationwide. Actually, SM Tickets kicked off last August 2010 yet.

Last December, the marketing website of SM Tickets (www.smtickets.com) was introduced to the public and later the SM Tickets Facebook fan page was launched. What makes the SM Tickets website amazing is that it allows patrons to reserve and buy tickets online.

What more, SM Tickets has partnered with Mobile Group Inc. to bring the best ticketing system. Once you’ve purchased your tickets, you will be given a choice of either receiving an SMS (sTicket) or printing the e-mail verification. Scan the eTicket on your mobile phone or your printed copy on BCode machines located at the venue and your ticket will print instantly.

• • •

Tidbits: Happy b-day greetings for March 3 go to Mrs. Erlinda E. Panlilio, Atty. Lulu T. Castaneda, Viva’s Baby Gil, Bambi Mendoza, Michael Agassi, Connie Mopas, Benita Galang vda. de Gallardo, Nena del Rosario, Marcrina “Baby” Moreno, Ms. Zenaida Luna, Luz Cruz, Edith D. Caligacion of Toronto, Canada, and Marina Escano...