Top TV networks intensify battle for ratings

MANILA, Philippines - Rivals GMA Network Inc. and ABS-CBN Corp. claimed rating leadership for the month of September as both broadcast companies race for better content for its viewers.

GMA said it managed to grab the nationwide ratings lead in September after it led National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) ratings with a 35 percent total day household audience share compared to ABS-CBN’s 34.1 percent and TV5’s 8.9 percent.

GMA ruled over ABS-CBN in the morning and afternoon blocks in NUTAM with 32.6 and 36.2 percent, respectively, ahead of the latter’s 28.9 and 32.4 percent by 3.7 and 3.8 points. GMA bested TV5 across all time blocks in NUTAM.

GMA Network chairman and CEO Felipe Gozon said the feat was achieved by offering superior content to the viewers.

 “We saw our audience shares increasing further across all time blocks in NUTAM in September. We are grateful to our viewers for their continued support and are all the more challenged to keep providing them with superior content,” Gozon said.

GMA held onto the top post in Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which account for 77 and 60 percent, respectively, of the all urban TV households in the country.

In Urban Luzon, GMA recorded a 38.8 percent total day audience, ahead of ABS-CBN’s 29.7 percent by 9.1 points, and of TV5’s 8.2 percent by 30.6 points.

GMA also came strongly ahead of competition in Mega Manila with a 39.6 percent audience share, up 12.4 points from ABS-CBN’s 27.2 percent and up 30.8 points from TV5’s 8.8 percent.

Moreover, GMA dominated the list of 30 top performing programs in NUTAM, Urban Luzon and Mega Manila — with 17, 19 and 21 programs, respectively.

For its part, ABS-CBN said it again topped all local TV stations in September as more Filipino households across urban and rural homes continue to tune in to its programs.

Kantar Media said ABS-CBN had an average total day audience share of 43 percent versus the 36 percent of GMA.

The survey showed that ABS-CBN remained unbeatable in other key territories such as Balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) with an average total day audience share of 47 percent compared to GMA’s 36 percent.

ABS-CBN also dominated the Visayas with 56 percent versus the 28 percent of GMA and Mindanao with a share of 53 percent compared to 29 percent of its rival network.

ABS-CBN continued to lead in the primetime (6PM to 12MN) block, gaining an average audience share of 48 percent, or 13 points ahead of GMA’s 35 percent.

The primetime block is when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investments to reach more consumers.

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN also widened its lead in the late afternoon (3PM-6PM) block, recording an average audience share of four percent, outweighing GMA’s 35 percent.