GMA tops November survey

MANILA, Philippines - GMA Network Inc. kept its stronghold of the TV ratings lead in viewer-rich Luzon and the hotly-contested Mega Manila area in November, aided by a formidable line-up of its primetime programs.

Data from AGB Nielsen showed that GMA posted an audience share of 35.4 percent in Mega Manila, eight percentage points higher than the 27.4 percent registered by its perennial rival ABS-CBN Broadcasting Corp.

Mega Manila and Total Urban Luzon comprise 55 percent and 77 percent of total urban TV households nationwide, respectively.

GMA said it sustained its lead despite program changes made by competition, backed up by aggressive promotion during the said month.

“ABS-CBN brought back veteran anchors in its primetime newscast while TV5 launched its much-hyped variety show in the early primetime slot but both failed to overcome GMA’s primetime newscast 24 Oras in TV ratings in Luzon and Mega Manila last November,” GMA said.

Including specials, 17 out of the overall Top 30 programs were from GMA with six of its shows making it to the Top 10. The boxing bout between pound for pound king Manny Pacquiao and Antonio Margarito topped all programs for the month.

In Total Urban Luzon, GMA led ABS-CBN by 3.8 percentage points as the Kapuso network recorded an average total day audience share of 33.6 percent versus ABS-CBN’s 29.8 percent.

Fourteen out of the Top 30 overall programs in Urban Luzon were from GMA.

Despite a weak third quarter showing, GMA still expects to hit its 2010 income target of P3-B with the return of some of its big advertisers.