In 1965, DXSS-TV began broadcasting on channel 7. It was owned by the Southern Broadcasting Network and affiliated with the Republic Broadcasting System, GMA's predecessor, While followed by the establishment of provincial stations of ABS Channel 4 (owned by ABS-CBN Corporation's predecessor Alto Broadcasting System). DXSS-TV shut down on September 21, 1972, following the declaration of martial law by then-PresidentFerdinand Marcos by the virtue of Proclamation 1081.
In 1974, DXSS-TV returned to the air; the network also began its first local newscast of News at Seven Davao during the same year. It also launched its Cebuano drama series Goot da Wanderpol, which was syndicated from its co-owned station in Cebu from 1980 to 1985.
On April 30, 1992, following the network's expansion of coverage, DXSS-TV was integrated into the Rainbow Satellite Network nationwide satellite broadcast to bring live broadcasts of national and foreign programming from Manila-based DZBB-TV, the network's flagship TV station, to viewers in the Davao region, with added opt-outs to serve local audiences.
In late 1998, GMA acquired the channel 5 frequency, having transferred its transmitter from its original site in Tagum, Davao del Norte to Shrine Hills. Channel 5 relaunched as a GMA station with the call sign DXMJ-TV. A year later, GMA restored local programming with the return of a local newscast, known as Testigo: GMA Super Balita, covering the Davao City area. Also, GMA's television operation in Davao then moved to the Amesco Building, which had already been housing the GMA radio stations. It would remain there until relocating to Shrine Hills, Matina, in 2008.
On December 31, 1999 GMA special Global Millennium Day got a regional version to be served to Cebuano residence and including regional host. Then it was simulcast from GMA Manila (for the Regine Velasquez performance called Written in the Sands) and the regional feed were simulcast all over Mindanao via relayers.
Also it had a radio version via DXGM 1125 and Campus Radio stations all around Mindanao area.
GMA Davao started conducting digital test broadcasts on UHF channel 37 in 2018, covering Metro Davao and the provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur, as well as several parts of Davao de Oro.
Local programming
GMA Davao currently produces two news programs on weekdays that are broadcast throughout Mindanao: One Mindanao, a local evening newscast begun in 2017, and At Home with GMA Regional TV, a morning program started in 2020. In addition, GMA Davao produces annual coverage of the Kadayawan Festival.
Previous efforts at local news programming—morning show Una Ka BAI, the newscast 24 Oras Davao (previously Testigo), and a local edition of the Isyu Ngayon
news magazine—were scrapped in 2015 and 2016, respectively, as part of retrenchment in GMA's regional news operations. Biyaheng DO30, focused primarily on Davao city government issues. However, the program ended on December 25, 2022.
Red: Home location of GMA Davao Light red and red: Market audience of GMA Davao Violet: Areas that may receive signals from GMA DavaoRed: Home location of GMA Northern Mindanao Light red and red: Market audience of GMA Northern Mindanao Violet: Areas that may receive signals from GMA Northern MindanaoRed: Home location of GMA General Santos Light red and red: Market audience of GMA General Santos (de jure) Violet: Areas that may receive signals from GMA General SantosRed: Home location of GMA Zamboanga Light red and red: Market audience of GMA Zamboanga Violet: Areas that may receive signals from GMA Zamboanga
GMA Davao's programmings were seen in over fourteen relay/rebroadcasting stations in the whole Mindanao since 2017. Prior to its Davao-based satellite station, the General Santos station was previously operated as an originating station from 2010 to 2015, with its former programs Soccksargen Isyu Karon and Flash Bulletin until it was absorbed by GMA Davao which led to simulcast One Mindanao and other regional interstitial, as well as some of the editorial and reportorial staff are employed by the latter when GMA General Santos is not re-upgraded in the future. The Cagayan de Oro station was previously operated as an originating station from 2010 to 2015, with its former programs Northern Mindanao Isyu Karon and Testigo Northern Mindanao/24 Oras Northern Mindanao until it was absorbed by GMA Davao which led to simulcast One Mindanao and other regional interstitial, as well as some of the editorial and reportorial staff are employed by the latter. The Zamboanga, Sulu, Butuan, Kidapawan, Cotabato, Surigao and Tandag stations are formerly direct satellite stations to GMA-7 Manila before being reassigned as relays to GMA Davao since August 28, 2017. The Zamboanga station was later upgraded as a semi-satellite station for Western Mindanao as of October 14, 2021, along with General Santos station for South Central Mindanao as of March 21, 2022.[1]
