24 Oras (24 Hours) is the flagship national network news broadcast of GMA Network. A nightly national newscast which airs in the Philippines and worldwide via GMA Pinoy TV. It is aired Weeknights at 18:30−19:40, Saturdays and Sundays 17:30−18:00 (PST). The newscast is simulcasted on radio through Super Radyo DZBB 594 kHz in Mega Manila and several of its regional Super Radyo stations nationwide.
History
24 Oras premiered on March 15, 2004 at 6:15pm, replacing Frontpage: Ulat ni Mel Tiangco as the network's answer to longest-running newscast TV Patrol. Frontpage anchor Mel Tiangco was joined by Saksi's Mike Enriquez, rejoining them in one newscast since they co-anchored Saksi from 1996 to 1998. Special weekend editions are also being aired when it deemed necessary (See below).
On June 2004, along with Saksi, the show relaunched its studio set, and graphics packages, and later in September 2004, the show was listed top 10. from the AGB Nielsen Ratings where, during that time, GMA Network gained the top ratings.
On December 1, 2005, the coverage by 24 Oras of a siege of Camp Bagong Diwa was mentioned in the best news program category in the Asian Television Awards in Singapore.
The show relaunched in April 17, 2006 with a new graphics package, and a new set with floating large rear projection screens that allow the anchors to virtually "talk" to correspondents in live feeds, also the anchors are doing stand-up news delivery. The studio set was shared by Saksi during that time. PAGASA's Nathaniel Cruz anchors weather news during severe weather conditions.
On August 11, 2008, the show was relaunched again with a new set using LED, a new desk which is identical to the desk used by CBS Evening News, new graphics and titles; during that time, 24 Oras earned a new slogan "Tahanan ng Katotohanan", since it was the most-watched and critically acclaimed newscast. On April 2010, the show became the home of Vizrt Touchscreen system a real-time broadcast solutions system which is use in the YouScoop segment designed and developed by GMA New Media.
24 Oras became instrumental and controversial on covering the 2010 Manila hostage crisis, during that time, no one even the media knew that the bus was equipped with a TV set, more worse, the hostage-taker was monitoring the said coverage, where he witness his brother's arrest, that started the situation until his death. The coverage almost ate up its primetime block, from 6:30-9pm, giving 19.7% of its audience share. The network eventually released some guideline when a future crisis coverage comes.
On December 6, 2010, the news program updated its graphics. A day later, it updated its OBB and title card. On February 21, 2011, along with Unang Hirit, Saksi, and GMA Flash Report, the newscast introduced a new studio set, new graphics, new theme, and new OBB. The new theme music is a remix of 24 Oras 2008-2011 theme music & an element of an opera voice, eventually it was developed in 2010.
On October 10, 24 Oras updated only its graphics. The logo on the bottom left corner is now square and features: 24 Oras current logo, Facebook page, Twitter account and GMA News Online URL. The news ticker became shorter than February 2011 24 Oras news ticker. The news ticker of the late 2011 24 Oras shows the return of the time shown on the news ticker (the former is 2006-2011). The headlines at the right of the 24 oras logo is rectangular with the red line at the right of the headlines. This also use a new font Antique Olive on their graphics, replacing Myriad font (which has been reused on Nov. 10, 2014), which use on other GMA newscast.
On June 4, 2012, 24 Oras launched its new weather segment titled I.M. Ready: GMA Weather (based on the advisory advertisement of the said title, and the branding of I.M. Ready). On June 2013, 24 Oras introduce its augmented reality graphics, it was used only on the beginning of the show, however it was used only for presentation/demonstration. A notable coverage of GMA News called "Super Typhoon Yolanda", covering the devastating Typhoon Haiyan (international name), won its 4th George Foster's Peabody Awards in 2014.
On November 10, 2014, As part of GMA News' shakeup, Vicky Morales joined the 24 Oras team as it's third anchor, while Pia Arcangel leaves GMA News TV's Balitanghali to replace her (Archangel remains on Weekend edition of 24 Oras). Also, GMA Regional newscasts for Bicol, GMA Cebu, Davao, Northern Mindanao, Iloilo, Dagupan and Ilocos adopted the 24 Oras branding. Along with Saksi and Balitanghali, the graphic package went flat, also their title cards, and the OBB, along with its energetic theme music. All of this changes are answers to competition of its long-time rival, ABS-CBN's TV Patrol. On April 24, 2015, with GMA Network's plans of streamlining regional operations, seven regional newscasts were reduced to four, with the Ilokano, Bikol and Northern Mindanao editions having their final broadcast.
After 11 years of delivering showbiz news on Chika Minute, Pia Guanio tearfully bid farewell to 24 Oras, her reason was to concentrate on her family. Pia became notable for 24 Oras in 2004, for her "Chika Minute" catchphrase, and most of all she was also the reason the program went no.1, during that time.
Weekend edition
Before the launch of the weekend edition, 24 Oras occasionally appeared on weekends during special coverages (e.g. typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, and the Maguindanao massacre) and the weekend before the elections instead of airing GMA Weekend Report or Flash Report Special Edition from 2004−07 which also anchored by Enriquez and Tiangco (So have been called Tutok:Eleksyon 2004/2007). Notable guest anchors (once appeared) for the special edition were Saksi anchors Arnold Clavio and Vicky Morales.
On February 21, 2010, the weekend edition of 24 Oras was launched, replacing GMA Weekend Report. Balitanghali anchor Pia Arcangel and Reporter's Notebook host Jiggy Manicad were the anchors of weekend edition. Unlike the weekday edition, one of the anchors narrate the headlines.