GMA Network launches GMA Batangas
GMA Regional TV, GMA Network’s regional arm, expands its reach in Southern Luzon this month with the launch of GMA Batangas.
GMA Batangas’s reach extends from Region-4A (Calabarzon) to Oriental and Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. GMA Batangas, is the network’s fourth regional station in Luzon after GMA Dagupan, GMA Ilocos, and GMA Bicol. It is the network’s 11th regional channel nationwide.
The new channel can be accessed by viewers via GMA TV 12 on free TV and GMA Affordabox.
GMA Batangas completes the lineup of the network’s regional television stations from GMA Dagupan (North Central Luzon) to GMA General Santos (Soccsksargen).
GMA Batangas took two years to set up.
“The COVID-19 pandemic presented an obligation and an opportunity. But even before the pandemic, we were already expanding, and we continued,” GMA Regional TV and Synergy First Vice-President and Head Oliver Victor Amoroso said during an online press conference on Feb. 11.
Preparations included training the team of their local flagship newscast, GMA Regional TV Balitang Southern Tagalog. It airs on weekdays at 5 p.m. on Channel 12 and is anchored by Ivy Saunar-Gasang with Ace Medrano.
“Mas magiging in depth ’yung pag-cover namin ng mga stories (Story coverage will be more in depth). Instead of the Manila reporters coming here, our reporters can go to the location as it happens. Mas madali namin mare-report locally… (It will be faster to report locally). It will also reach our international audience,” Ms. Saunar-Gasang said.
Mr. Medrano said that there are other communities that can be focused on in the local newscast. “Marami pa rin sulok sa South Luzon na hindi pa nakikila ng bansa at ng mundo (There are still many places in South Luzon that are not known in the country and in the world),” he said.
Balitang Southern Tagalog is the seventh flagship newscast from GMA RTV following the launches of other local newscasts like GMA Regional TV Balitang Amianan (North Central Luzon), GMA Regional TV One Western Visayas (Western Visayas), and GMA Regional TV One Mindanao (North, Central, South Central, and Southern Mindanao).
“We have identified that the focus of [the newscast] will be everything about the community,” Southern Tagalog Station Manager Darlene Leviste-Mangubat said, adding that there will also be news segments for various sites and activities.
The regional newscasts will be uploaded online at www.gmanetwork.com/regionaltv an hour after television airtime. “We are looking at streaming it real-time soon,” Mr. Amoroso said.
Balitang Southern Tagalog airs on weekdays at 5 p.m. via GMA TV-12 Batangas on free TV and GMA Affordabox. — Michelle Anne P. Soliman
