ABS-CBN still dominates primetime block

MANILA, Philippines - Multimedia conglomerate ABS-CBN Corp. maintained its lead in nationwide primetime TV ratings in May, citing data from the global research group Kantar Media.

Lopez-led ABS-CBN said majority of Philippine TV households across the country tuned to its programs on the primetime block (6 p.m. to 12 midnight) last month, garnering an audience share of 42 percent as against GMA Network’s 29 percent.

Kantar Media, which has national samples of 1,370 homes and 7,535 individuals that are statistically representative of total Philippine TV population, reported that ABS-CBN inched up its lead in Metro Manila to 36 percent from 35 percent in April.

GMA, on the other hand, retained its share at 32 percent.

ABS-CBN likewise kept its primetime lead in other key territories like Balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) with 46 percent audience share as against GMA’s 30 percent.

In the Visayas, GMA registered a two-point increase to 58 percent, or a 40-point lead over GMA’s 18 percent, and in Mindanao with 59 percent or almost four times bigger than GMA’s 15 percent share.

The same survey showed that seven out of the top 10 most-watched programs in the country in May were produced by ABS-CBN.

ABS-CBN posted an average audience share of 34.1 percent in total day with rival GMA Network placing second with 33.6 percent.

Kantar Media, a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries, has 22 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Among its current subscribers are ABS-CBN, NBN, Sky Cable, J. Romero and Associates, Adformatix, Starcom, OMD, PhD, Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC, Maxus, Universal McCann, and Wellmade Manufacturing Corp.

Overseas, Kantar Media also provides data for companies like CSM Media Inc., Fox International Channels, Star HK, Discovery, AXN, HBO, MTV, and Sony Pictures Television International.