GMA Network earmarks P200M to test digital TV

GMA Network Inc has earmarked P200 million to test digital television, a company official said Tuesday. GMA executive vice president and chief operating officer Gilberto Duavit Jr said the amount is part of the capital expenditures worth P673 million that the company has set for the second half of the year. He said during a press conference at GMA's office in Quezon City that the company has secured a permit from the National Telecommunications Commission to test digital TV. Duavit noted that the P200-million amount refers to a “fully scaled-up configuration" and because the company is looking to “phase in investment" in the technology, GMA would likely spend only half the earmarked funds this year. GMA reported on Tuesday that its net income in the first half of the year reached P1.126 billion, a 23 percent increase compared to the same period in 2006. GMANews.TV is operated by Media Merge Corp, a GMA subsidiary. -GMANews.TV