Transforming PhilSTAR Media Group into a multimedia powerhouse

FOUNDED IN JULY 1986, The Philippine STAR was born out of a call for press freedom after the People Power Revolution. What began as a single publication later grew into a network under the PhilSTAR Media Group (PMG), with six successful titles and several digital brands.

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Since then, PMG has stood as one of the country’s most enduring and adaptable media organizations, remaining relevant and trusted in the modern media landscape. Behind many of the group’s initiatives, PMG Executive Vice-President Lucien C. Dy Tioco has helped lead the company’s growth while staying rooted in its mission to share the truth.

By the time Mr. Dy Tioco joined in 1987 as a branch coordinator for classified ads, The STAR was already laying the groundwork for national prominence. He rose through the ranks and was named advertising director in 2000. In 2012, he assumed the role of senior vice-president for sales and marketing at The STAR. When PMG expanded to include BusinessWorld in 2015, he took on a parallel position. A year later, he was appointed executive vice-president for sales and marketing across both flagship dailies and their supporting brands.

Despite the industry’s transformation due to the prominence of digital media, he has guided PMG's publications from their newspaper roots into multimedia content providers. Under his leadership, PMG also pushed for advocacy-based campaigns that go beyond the traditional sharing of information.

“I work in an institution where I have the chance to implement positive change, where I can utilize its platforms to do those things,” Mr. Dy Tioco previously said about PMG in a statement.

EARLY ADOPTION OF DIGITALIZATION

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic pushed most newsrooms to go digital, PMG had already begun laying down its digital roadmap years earlier.

In 2008, The STAR was already investing in multimedia innovation with “Engage,” a platform that allowed advertisers to connect directly with audiences through branded content.