ABS-CBN, GMA both claim ratings lead in 2012

MANILA, Philippines - Rivals ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network Inc. both claimed leadership in TV ratings last year, although based on separate surveys commissioned by both companies.

ABS-CBN said it capped 2012 with a bang by dominating nationwide TV viewing across urban and rural homes from June to December as surveyed by Kantar Media, with an average national audience share of 42 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent.

ABS-CBN proved unbeatable in the 6 p.m. to 12 midnight primetime slot with 48 percent of Philippine households watching its programs, a striking 20-point lead over GMA’s 28 percent.

Primetime 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 efficiently.

Likewise, ABS-CBN also punctuated the morning block from 6 am to 12 noon with an average audience share of 40 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent.

For the month of December alone, ABS-CBN topped all TV stations in national daytime ratings with an audience share of 40 percent compared to GMA’s 32 percent, as well as its primetime lineup with 44 percent versus its main competitor’s 30 percent.

Overall, ABS-CBN surged ahead of its competitors in rural homes from June to December last year, garnering an audience share of 49 percent versus GMA’s 31 percent in total day viewing and 56 percent compared to 26 percent in primetime.

It also ruled urban homes for the whole of 2012 with an average audience share of 36 percent versus GMA’s 33 percent in total day and 42 percent against GMA’s 30 percent in primetime

Kantar Media is a leading TV audience measurement provider with capabilities in gathering TV viewing data in both digital and analog platforms, and a multinational market research group.

On the other hand, GMA said it ended 2012 on a positive note, leading other local free-to-air channels in full year nationwide TV ratings for the second consecutive year after overtaking ABS-CBN in National Urban TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM) in January 2011.

For the period January to December 2012, the Nielsen TV Audience Measurement showed GMA scored an average total day household audience share of 34.4 percent, outscoring ABS-CBN’s 31.5 percent and TV5’s 15.1 percent.

“GMA’s lead in overall nationwide ratings was driven mainly by its strong ratings performance in the afternoon block, where it led competition by significant margins. In addition, GMA was also ahead of the other networks in the morning block,” GMA said.

GMA also led across all day parts for the second straight year in the important areas of Urban Luzon that make up 77 percent of total television households nationwide and Mega Manila that account for 59.5 percent.

In Urban Luzon, GMA ruled over rival stations with a 38.2 percent average total day household audience share compared to ABS-CBN’s 27.4 percent and TV5’s 14.6 percent.

GMA also ended the year strongly in its bailiwick Mega Manila with an average total day household audience share of 39.2 percent versus ABS-CBN’s 25.8 percent, and TV5’s 15.2 percent.