Charting BWorld’s multimedia future

By Bjorn Biel M. Beltran, Special Features and Content Assistant Editor

Over the past several years, BusinessWorld has been undergoing a transformation. Much of this shift began in 2015, when The Philippine STAR acquired the business newspaper and began applying its multimedia strategies to a brand that had long relied on its legacy as a print publication.

“When The STAR bought BusinessWorld in 2015, we immediately implemented our multimedia strategies into the paper, which had been bleeding for more than a decade,” Lucien C. Dy Tioco, executive vice-president of BusinessWorld, had said previously. “In just one year, BusinessWorld was taken out of the red by strengthening its hold on the business community and emphasizing the strength of its content.”

This transition involved expanding BusinessWorld’s platforms to reach readers beyond print, including online, social media, podcasts, and events, framing the brand as a holistic business information and insights provider.

Aren Mae M. Cayetano, BusinessWorld social media specialist, described it as a transition leveraged on the brand’s credibility and reputation in the business community.

“Our ability to simplify complex topics and adapt content for our different audiences helps us stay relevant in a noisy online ecosystem,” she said.

These changes positioned BusinessWorld to remain competitive in an increasingly digital-first media environment.

In fact, BusinessWorld is stronger than it has ever been, as President and CEO Miguel G. Belmonte noted in a recent interview.

“BusinessWorld is possibly among the top three now among the print companies in the country,” he said.

“But things are always evolving — technology changes so fast as does the environment — and we also have to evolve and adapt with all the changes that are happening. It’s really very hard to predict.”

Mr. Belmonte expressed his concerns about the uncertainty in a media landscape rife with disruption, but he believes in the current trajectory of the company.

“We really have to build further on our digital presence. There’s a lot of room for growth but exactly how we’re going to achieve that, we’re still searching for answers. That’s why we’re constantly trying and putting a lot of effort and resources into that.”

“We just have to accept that we live in the digital age; and if we want to still exist in the future, we have to be relevant to the new decision-makers in the future. These are the young people now — the millennials, the Gen Zs — so we have to try to get them engaged somehow as readers and future clients. Digital being their world, we just have to be there, too,” he said.

According to Mr. Dy Tioco, BusinessWorld’s continued relevance rests on three factors: its established credibility, its long-standing connection with the business community, and a content strategy aligned with the needs and concerns of that audience.

Ms. Cayetano echoed this sentiment: “We may not be the loudest player in the digital space, but we have carved out a steady, respected presence, particularly among business-minded Filipinos. Our strategy leans more on trust, quality, and clarity than viral tactics.”

This adaptability became especially critical during the pandemic, which accelerated the shift to digital platforms. The paper launched a number of virtual initiatives, including the BusinessWorld Insights series, which began in 2020 as a response to COVID-19’s disruption of the economy and business operations. Insights, which started out in a virtual format, brought together executives, experts, and policy makers for discussions on how industries could adapt to the crisis and what long-term lessons might emerge. The series has since become a continuing platform for in-depth dialogues on topics ranging from healthcare and energy to market outlooks and sustainability.

Alongside Insights, BusinessWorld also launched BusinessWorld One-on-One, an interview series aimed at spotlighting perspectives from industry leaders and government officials. Other event-based initiatives include the BusinessWorld Economic Forum and Forecast, both designed to serve as platforms for strategic discourse between the public and private sectors.

“For all the events that BusinessWorld has mounted, it has been a continuing conversation for all industry sectors that are vital to our economic growth,” Mr. Dy Tioco said. “These events help keep BusinessWorld on track in understanding progress and identifying the issues we still need to address.”

Beyond its growing library of events and video content, BusinessWorld’s Digital Services team has also begun to push the boundaries of how stories are told.

One of its latest innovations includes the launch of interactive parallax-style features, or web-native longform articles designed with scroll-triggered animations, embedded videos, data visualizations, and dynamic layouts.

The first such feature published in 2023 revolved around the “Parol: The Symbol of a Filipino Christmas,” which traced the history and cultural meaning of the iconic Christmas lantern. Another multimedia report the same year, “Letters to the Mountains: A day in the life of a Cordillera mailman,” featured the postal service challenges in the country.

Two other features published in 2024 explored the lives of motorcycle taxi drivers and Manila’s flower trade.

The BusinessWorld B-Side podcast is also going from strength to strength as it establishes itself as a popular source of business and economic information. Recent topics have ranged from the rise of content creation and the shifting algorithms that define it, to debates on amending or revising the Philippine Constitution, to the continued importance of cash on delivery in an increasingly cashless economy, and the ripple effects of US tariffs on global trade.

Building on this direction, the Top 1000 Corporations in the Philippines magazine has since been adapted into a digital platform, Top 1000 Premium (top1000.bworldonline.com), offering subscribers access to a decade’s worth of financial and sectoral data in a searchable and interactive format.

“The first of its kind delivered by a multimedia content provider, Top 1000 Premium… brings all the details you need to know about the country’s leading corporations, conglomerates, and sectors in a seamless and immersive platform,” Mr. Dy Tioco said at its launch during the 2024 Forecast forum.

To complement these initiatives, BWorldX (www.bworld-x.com) stands as the top platform that brings together all of BusinessWorld’s range of digital content, including the exclusive digital magazine BusinessWorld In-Depth, which conducts a deep dive into various industries and issues.

This year, In-Depth featured recent developments in fintech, sustainability, and healthcare. Special editions of digital magazine, meanwhile, also served as means to feature industry-specific events, namely the Trust Consciousness Week, led by the Trust Officers Association of the Philippines, last March and the 33rd convention of the Bankers Institute of the Philippines last May. Also, Quarterly Banking Reports, initially released in the print issue of BusinessWorld, are also available on BWorldX as special In-Depth issues.

The website also collates all of BusinessWorld’s e-paper editions, Top 1000 Corporations in the Philippines magazine issues, the B-Side podcast, and various event recordings, among others. The platform is designed to provide users with a more organized and accessible experience across BusinessWorld’s offerings.

“BWorldX intends to be a comprehensive and accessible space that allows you to consume BusinessWorld’s content based on your preferences or interest,” Mr. Dy Tioco had said at the platform’s launch in 2022.

Across these efforts, the emphasis has been on expanding BusinessWorld’s utility beyond daily reporting, toward becoming a long-term resource for analysis, insight, and strategic reference.

BusinessWorld Vice-President for Sales and Marketing Jay R. Sarmiento said she envisions BusinessWorld moving beyond just reporting the news in the future, from a traditional publisher to a multifaceted business information and insights platform.

“Leveraging its historical data and industry reputation, I see BusinessWorld deepening its analytics and research capabilities offering more sophisticated and premium reports and data-driven insights. Instead of being just a media company, it can offer consultative services or bespoke reports to help companies navigate complex market challenges,” she said.

Mr. Dy Tioco echoed her vision. As digital technologies move ever forward enhancing everyday living and behavior, so too must media adapt.

“As we approach to 40th year, we are already working for BusinessWorld’s future by reinventing and redefining its role in the business community, a future where it will be a reference for economic progress and international recognition. Imagine the innovation of its content that will go along with it,” Mr. Dy Tioco said.