GMA News TV was created as a replacement for "Q", a network that primarily featured imported dramas and lifestyle-oriented programming aimed at women.

This agreement allowed Citynet to lease the entire airtime of DZOE-TV 11 Manila in exchange for upgrading ZOE's facilities and providing an off-peak time slot for its programs on Channel 11 and GMA Network.

[8] In line with the enhanced community quarantine imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, GMA News TV temporarily went off the air on March 19, 2020.

The plans were unveiled following GNTV's gradual shift away from its original news channel format toward general entertainment and sports since September 2020.

This shift included the acquisition of broadcast rights to NCAA and PSL games, a simulcast of its sister digital channel Hallypop, and additional entertainment programs from its parent station, GMA Network, due to an increase in commercial load.

[12] These changes drew negative reactions from viewers, particularly when news coverage was put on hold for entertainment programs during the Typhoon Goni (Rolly) crisis in the Philippines.

GMA News TV was broadcast via regular free-to-air television on Channel 27 in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, and 28 other regional stations nationwide.

Unlike its domestic counterpart, programs on GMA News TV International aired with a delay (except for selected special events such as live coverage of Day 1 of Eleksyon 2013), and the timepiece in the lower-left corner of the screen was covered.

It began to be offered as a preview channel in Australia on FetchTV, IPS/AccessTV in Japan, GUdTV in Guam, Zuku TV in Kenya, and on OSN, with an official launch planned for the third quarter of 2011.