ABS-CBN claims dominance in GMA’s territory

The country’s two largest television networks released ratings data for the month of May 2018, which showed each one successfully defending their market share in their respective strongholds.

In separate statements, television giant GMA Network Inc. continued to lead in urban ratings while rival ABS-CBN Corp. said it was still ahead nationwide.

GMA, using data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement, said it cornered about 39.8 percent of total day people audience share, based on the National Urban Television Audience Measurement. It said ABS-CBN got 38.3 percent.

For its part, ABS-CBN said its nationwide audience share for the month of May stood at 45 percent against GMA’s 32 percent. ABS-CBN gets its data from Kantar Media.

Ratings figures are crucial as these are closely followed by advertisers.

GMA has long claimed a lead in urban areas, in particular Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which it said accounted for 72 percent and 59 percent, respectively, of all television viewers in the country.

For Urban Luzon, GMA claimed an average audience share of 44.4 percent against ABS-CBN’s 33 percent. In Mega Manila, it held 45.8 percent against its rival’s 30.4 percent.

ABS-CBN, based on its statement, has been encroaching on GMA’s territory.

ABS-CBN said that for May, it was ahead in Mega Manila with an audience share of 36 percent, against GMA’s 34 percent. For Metro Manila alone, ABS-CBN claimed a lead of 41 percent against GMA’s 26 percent.

It likewise claimed the No. 1 spot in the primetime block, which is when advertisers pour the bulk of spending. ABS-CBN said it scored 49 percent in this crucial block against GMA’s 32 percent.

ABS-CBN held on to its traditional strong lead in provincial areas.