ABS-CBN, GMA 7 claim ratings lead

MANILA, Philippines—ABS-CBN Corp., the media holding company of the Lopez clan, claimed nationwide ratings lead for January while rival GMA Network Inc. said it continued to dominate the viewer-rich Urban Luzon and Mega Manila.

In a statement, ABS-CBN said that data from research firm Kantar Media showed it captured an average national audience share of 44 percent against GMA Network’s 32 percent.

In a separate statement, GMA Network said it cornered a 35.5-percent average total day audience share in Urban Luzon against ABS-CBN’s 32.1 percent.

GMA uses data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

TV5’s ratings stood at 11.2 percent.

In Mega Manila, GMA said it had a 36.4-percent average total day audience share, higher than ABS-CBN’s 29.4 percent. TV5 had 12.2 percent.

GMA Network added that it led competitors across all parts—morning, afternoon and evening.

For its part, ABS-CBN said it continued to rule in key territories, including Balance Luzon, or all areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila, where it registered an average audience share of 45 percent against GMA’s 36 percent.

ABS-CBN even beat GMA with a 35-point lead in Visayas and Mindanao. It said GMA’s ratings stood at 23 percent and 22 percent for Visayas and Mindanao, respectively.

ABS-CBN added that its network maintained its primetime lead with 48 percent last January against GMA’s 32 percent.

In Mega Manila, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement gathers data based on a sample size of 1,190 homes, while Nielsen has a nationwide urban sample size of 2,000 homes.

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, ABS-CBN said.