ABS-CBN leads primetime TV ratings in Jan

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN Corp. opened 2012 on a high note as it continued to lead national TV ratings in January, especially on primetime when most Filipinos watch TV and where advertisers invest most of their TV ad placements, survey firm Kantar Media said.

Based on national samples of 1,389 homes and 8,015 individuals that are statistically representative of total Philippine TV population, Kantar Media reported that ABS-CBN scored an average audience share of 41.2 percent nationwide based on households watching TV, or a nine point lead against rival GMA Network that averaged only 32.1 percent on primetime (6 pm-12 mn).

ABS-CBN programs once again proved to be the most watched in the previous month as eight out of the top 10 programs nationwide for January were produced by ABS-CBN.

They are “Walang Hanggan” (29.6 percent), “Budoy” and “Ikaw ay Pag-ibig” both with 29.4 percent, “My Binondo Girl” (28.2 percent), “MMK” (27.5 percent), “Eboy” (27.2 percent), “TV Patrol” (26.3 percent), “Nasaan Ka Elisa?” (24.4 percent), and “Rated K” (21.8 percent).

ABS-CBN registered a net income of P2.2 billion in the first nine months of 2011, while news media reported that GMA Network earned P1.58 billion in the same period.

Kantar Media, a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries, has 22 TV networks, ad agencies and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services. Among its current subscribers are ABS-CBN, NBN, Sky Cable, J. Romero and Associates, Adformatix, Starcom, OMD, PhD, Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC, Maxus, Universal McCann, and Wellmade Manufacturing Corporation.

They also include pan-regional networks likes CSM Media Inc., Fox International Channels, Star HK, Discovery, AXN, HBO, MTV, and Sony Pictures Television International.

ABS-CBN shifted to Kantar Media/TNS after filing a case against AGB Nielsen Media Research for failing to comply with its request to investigate alleged cheating and data tampering in TV ratings. The case is still pending in court.