ABS-CBN, GMA claim fortified ratings leadership

MANILA, Philippines - Industry rivals ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. claimed to have fortified their national rating leadership for the month of June particularly in the hotly contested Metro Manila.

ABS-CBN claimed in a statement that it led all TV networks in terms of viewership as measured by the national TV ratings of Kantar Media with a recorded average total day audience share of 43 percent compared to GMA’s 32 percent last June.

ABS-CBN dominated the primetime block from 6pm to 12 midnight with an average audience share of 47 percent versus GMA’s 30 percent.  

Primetime is the most important time block when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers efficiently.

ABS-CBN, likewise, won in other key territories on total day and earned audience share of 44 percent compared to GMA’s 34 percent in  areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila.

It also dominated the Visayas with a share of 51 percent compared to GMA’s 26 percent as well as in Mindanao with a share of 55 percent versus GMA’s 22 percent.

In a separate statement, GMA said it remained undisputed in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila after leading other television networks in terms of total day household audience share for the entire month of June.

Based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, GMA garnered an average total day audience share of 35.2 percent in Urban Luzon compared to ABS-CBN’s 32.1 percent and TV5’s 13.3 percent.

Urban Luzon represents 76 percent of the total urban TV household population in the entire country.

GMA said it continued to edge out competition in its bailiwick Mega Manila where 59 percent of the total urban television households nationwide are found. The Kapuso Network led with 36.4 percent followed by ABS-CBN with 30.4 percent, and TV5 with 14.5 percent.

GMA reaffirmed its leadership in the afternoon block after increasing its audience share in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) ratings, as well as in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, beating competition by significant margins.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population while Nielsen TV Audience Measurement gathers data based on a sample size of 1,190 homes.