TV ratings war between GMA Network, ABS-CBN continues

RIVAL broadcasters GMA Network, Inc. and ABS-CBN Corp. claimed on separate statements that they led the ratings war last month, citing data from two different sources.

GMA Network, the Gozon-led network, claimed to have dominated in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) with a 39.8-percent average household audience share in May, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 38.3 percent by just a few percentage points, based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

From left: Juancho Trivino, Barbie Forteza, and Derrick Monasterio, stars of the top rating romcom, 'Inday Will Always Love You.'

It also claimed to have led NUTAM’s morning block with 35.9-percent audience share versus its ABS-CBN’s 33.2 percent, and the afternoon block with 42.1 percent versus ABS-CBN’s 38.8 percent.

GMA also claimed to have furthered its leadership position in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which account for 72 percent and 59 percent, respectively, of all urban households in the country.

In Urban Luzon, GMA won across all day parts and registered an average household share of 44.4 percent, while ABS-CBN posted only 33 percent; in Mega Manila, it posted an audience share of 45.8 percent, while ABS-CBN booked 30.4 percent.

GMA maintained its stronghold in NUTAM’s list of top-rating programs with “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho” still reigning as the most watched Kapuso show for the month of May followed by “Kambal, Karibal.”

Newly-launched Kapuso primetime series “Inday Will Always Love You” immediately entered the list as the third top-rating program from GMA. It was followed by consistent ratings drivers “Magpakailanman,” “Celebrity Bluff,” “Pepito Manaloto,” “The One That Got Away,” “The Cure,” “24 Oras,” “Lip Sync Battle Philippines,” “Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko,” and “24 Oras Weekend.”

Completing the list were “The Stepdaughters,” “Contessa,” “Eat Bulaga,” “Hindi Ko Kayang Iwan Ka,” “Unang Hirit,” “My Guitar Princess,” “Sunday PinaSaya,” “Dear Uge,” “Tadhana,” “Wish Ko Lang,” “Imbestigador,” “Bubble Gang,” “Saksi,” and “Wowowin.”

Kapuso programs also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila lists, claiming 21 spots out of the top 30 shows in both areas.

Lopez-led entertainment and multimedia conglomerate ABS-CBN claimed to have posted a higher national-average audience share in March. Citing data from Kantar Media, ABS-CBN said it recorded a solid 45-percent audience share nationwide, a 13-point lead over GMA’s 32 percent.

ABS-CBN also claimed it fared better against GMA in the prime-time block, after it registered a 49-percent audience share, significantly higher than its GMA’s 32 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 36 percent, versus GMA’s 31 percent; noontime block with 47 percent, versus GMA’s 32 percent; and afternoon block with 45 percent, versus GMA’s 37 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 41 percent, versus GMA’s 35 percent; in Total Visayas with 54 percent versus GMA’s 25 percent; and in Total Mindanao with 52 percent, versus GMA’s 30 percent.

Data also showed that ABS-CBN led the primetime block (6 p.m. to 12 midnight), after it recorded an average audience share of 49 percent, 17 percentage points higher than GMA’s 32 percent.

The Kapamilya network also proved supreme in all time blocks, including the morning block (6 a.m. to 12 noon) where it gained 36 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent, in the noontime block (12 noon to 3 p.m.), where it scored 47 percent versus GMA’s 32 percent, and in the afternoon block (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), where it got 45 percent versus GMA’s 37 percent.

Eight ABS-CBN produced programs have made it to the list of top 10 most watched shows in the country for the month of May, based on data from Kantar Media.

Topping the list is the long-running action drama “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” which remained unbeatable with an impressive national TV rating of 40.7 percent.

The Coco Martin-starrer was followed by “Bagani,” “Since I Found You,” “Tonight with Boy Abunda,” “Bandila,” “Your Face Sounds Familiar Kids,” “Maalaala Mo Kaya,” “I Can See Your Voice,” “Gandang Gabi Vice,” “Umagang Kay Ganda,” “Magandang Buhay,” “Sana Dalawa ang Puso,” “It’s Showtime,” “Asintado,” “Araw Gabi,” “The Blood Sisters,” “TV Patrol,” “Ipaglaban Mo,” “Goin’ Bulilit,” “Wansapanataym,” “Home Sweetie Home” and “Rated K.”

The Lopez-led network 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 has a nationwide sample size of 3,500 urban and rural homes.