RIVAL broadcasters ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. claimed in separate statements on Thursday they dominated the ratings war last month.
The Lopez-led entertainment and multimedia conglomerate claimed to have posted a higher national average-audience share in October.
Citing data from Kantar Media, ABS-CBN said it recorded a solid 45-percent audience share nationwide, an 11-point lead over GMA’s 34 percent. It also fared better against GMA in the prime-time block, after it registered a 47-percent audience share in September, significantly higher than its rival’s 34 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.
Aside from prime time, ABS-CBN won in other time blocks nationwide that include the morning block with 40 percent versus GMA’s 36 percent; noontime block with 45 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent; and afternoon block with 45 percent versus GMA’s 34 percent.
The Lopez-led broadcaster also attracted more viewers than GMA in other areas. It won the ratings game in Total Luzon with an average total-day audience share of 40 percent versus GMA’s 37 percent; in Total Visayas with 53 percent versus GMA’s 29 percent; in Total Mindanao with 55 percent versus GMA’s 29 percent; in Total Balance Luzon with 49 percent versus GMA’s 35 percent; and in Metro Manila with 36 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent.
These claims were disputed by GMA, however, citing data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.
It claimed to have dominated in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (Nutam) with a 37.4-percent average household audience share, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 35.6 percent by 1.8 points.
The Gozon-led network also claimed to have furthered its leadership position in Urban Luzon, which accounts for 77 percent of all urban households in the country.
In Urban Luzon, GMA won across all dayparts and registered an average household share of 41.9 percent, while ABS-CBN posted only 31.3 percent, which is 10.6 points behind GMA’s total-day average.
ABS-CBN sources its data from Kantar Media, which uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV-viewing population.
GMA bases its claims to leadership from Nielsen data, which have a nationwide sample size of 3,500 urban and rural homes.