TV firms claim ratings lead

MANILA, Philippines–Lopez-led media holding firm ABS-CBN Corp. claimed the lead in nationwide ratings for the month of August while its closest competitor, GMA Network Inc., claimed a lead in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, statements citing different research companies showed.

ABS-CBN, which uses data from Kantar Media, claimed an average total day audience share of 43 percent against GMA’s 35 percent. ABS-CBN also claimed a lead in its primetime block (6 p.m.-12 midnight) with an average total day audience share of 49 percent, or 15 points ahead of GMA’s 34 percent.

The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investments in to reach more consumers effectively, ABS-CBN noted.

GMA, which uses data from Neilsen TV Audience Measurement, said it cornered a total day household audience share of 34 percent, just 0.2 percent below ABS-CBN.

GMA added that it kept its total-day advantage in its strong areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, while ruling across all day parts. Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, respectively, account for 77 percent and 60 percent of the urban TV household population in the entire country.

For Urban Luzon, GMA said it captured a 37.6 percent total day audience share, leading ABS-CBN’s 30.4 percent.

The network also maintained its stronghold in its bailiwick Mega Manila with a 38.7 percent against 28 percent for ABS-CBN.

GMA continued to lead in the morning block with a 30.7-percent audience share, higher than ABS-CBN’s 30.3 percent, it said.

The same trend was seen in the afternoon block, wherein GMA scored 36 percent against ABS-CBN’s 30.4 percent and it further hiked up its shares in the evening block to 34.1 percent, it added.