Broadcast giant GMA Network reported an 87 percent drop in first-quarter 2026 profit after missing the boost from election-related advertising seen last year.
The company earned P102 million from January to March, sharply lower than the P801 million posted in the same period in 2025. Total revenue also fell 28 percent to P3.36 billion.
GMA said the decline was mainly caused by the absence of political advertisements, which significantly boosted revenues during the 2025 election season. Advertising from television, radio, online, and international operations still made up nearly 90 percent of total revenue, but sales in this segment dropped by more than P1 billion.
Despite weaker ad earnings, the network saw growth in other businesses. Revenue from production services, digital distribution, streaming platforms, and subscriptions rose 14 percent to P381 million, helped by stronger production and online distribution activities.
However, subscription revenue from GMA International declined due to fewer subscribers, while sales of the GMA Affordabox also weakened because of lower demand and reduced pricing.
To soften the impact of lower revenues, GMA cut operating costs and expenses by 9 percent, bringing total spending down to P3.32 billion.
The results highlight how heavily Philippine broadcasters still rely on election advertising for earnings growth, while also showing GMA’s push to expand digital and alternative revenue sources.
