TV networks both claim ratings lead in March

MEDIA giants ABS-CBN Corp. and GMA Network, Inc. both continued to claim dominance in television ratings in March, citing different measurement providers.

ABS-CBN said on Wednesday it gained 47% average audience share last month to beat GMA’s 30%, based on data from Kantar Media.

Kanta Media, according to ABS-CBN, gathers its data from a survey of 2,610 urban and rural households across the Philippines.

GMA, on the other hand, said it had 36.4% average total day people audience share in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM) from March 1 to 27, with findings from March 24 to 27 based on overnight data. This is higher than its rival’s 35.5%, based on data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

By location, ABS-CBN said its rating in March reached 44% in Metro Manila, almost double GMA’s 24%. In Mega Manila, it likewise outscored its rival with 38% against 30%.

The Lopez-led company said it dominated the country’s three main islands, with an average audience share of 41% in Luzon versus GMA’s 33%; 57% in Visayas compared to GMA’s 23%; and 56% in Mindanao against GMA’s 25%.

But in its own statement, GMA said it trumped the Urban Luzon market with an average audience share of 39.8% to beat ABS-CBN’s 30%. In Mega Manila, the network also claimed the lead with a rating of 41.6% against its rival’s 27.1%.

In terms of time slots, ABS-CBN again said it led the ratings acrossthe-board with an average audience share of 50% for prime time (6 p.m. to 12 a.m.) against GMA’s 30%. In the morning block (6 a.m. to 12 p.m.), it said it had 38% share versus GMA’s 28%. In the noon time block (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.), ABS-CBN scored 48% to beat GMA’s 29%. And in the afternoon block (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.), it had 49% against GMA’s 30%.

On the other hand, GMA said Nielsen data found it leading two time slots: the morning block with 32% rating versus ABS-CBN’s 29.2%, and the evening block with 38.4% against ABS-CBN’s 37.1%.

They also both said their shows were among the top programs in the month of March. ABS-CBN said its “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” was the number one show with a prime time rating of 42.2%, whereas GMA said its “Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS)” was the number one show, without giving the details.