ABS-CBN, GMA Network claim lead in ratings

Media giant ABS-CBN Corp. claimed a lead in nationwide televisions ratings last month, as main rival GMA Network Inc. said it had maintained its edge in urban ratings.

ABS-CBN, using data from Kantar Media, said it had recorded an average audience share of 46 percent for March 2017, compared to GMA’s 34 percent. Higher ratings are coveted since these help shape the level and pricing of valuable advertising spending.

ABS-CBN said it also led in the so-called “primetime block,” with an average audience share of 50 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent.

“The prime-time block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively,” ABS-CBN said.

In a separate statement, GMA, which uses data from Neilsen TV Audience Measurement, said it was the leading network last March, based on National Urban Television Audience Measurement, or Nutam.

GMA said from March 1 to 31 this year, it cornered an audience share of 41.7 percent of urban TV households versus 36.3 percent for ABS-CBN. It also claimed a lead across all day parts in Nutam, including the contested prime-time block.

In the meantime, ABS-CBN said it held the overall lead in the morning block with 39 percent against GMA’s 33 percent, the noontime block with 47 percent against GMA’s 34 percent, and the afternoon block with 45 percent compared to GMA’s 36 percent.

ABS-CBN also claimed a lead in other areas such as Total Balance Luzon where it recorded an average audience share of 47 percent compared to GMA’s 35 percent, Total Luzon with 42 percent versus GMA’s 36 percent, Total Visayas with 53 percent versus GMA’s 29 percent, and in Total Mindanao with 55 percent versus GMA’s 30 percent.

Kantar Media is a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries. It has 26 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Nielsen TV Audience Measurement said its client pool increased to a total of 36 subscribers. This now includes 12 local TV networks, 5 regional clients, two blocktimers, and 17 media agencies.