ABS-CBN Keeps Ratings Lead in September 2012

ABS-CBN Keeps Ratings Lead in September 2012

ABS-CBN continued to dominate nationwide TV viewing across urban and rural homes in September 2012 with an average national audience share of 42%, or ten points higher than GMA’s 32%, according to data from Kantar Media.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes, more than AGB Nielsen’s 1,980 homes that are only based in urban areas. Kantar Media’s panel represents 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while AGB Nielsen reportedly represents only 57% of the Philippine TV viewing population.

A recent Kantar Media study also revealed that there are differences in the viewing preferences between urban and rural homes that will be important for advertisers in making ad placement decisions.

Data also show that ABS-CBN ruled total day viewing from June to September this year with an average national audience share of 42% versus GMA’s 31%. Kantar Media launched its expanded TV ratings measurement to include rural homes in June this year. ABS-CBN also dominated viewer-rich primetime (6PM-12MN), when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers efficiently , with a national audience share of 49% in the four-month period, or a whopping 21-point lead versus GMA’s 28%.

Meanwhile, for the month of September, more households tuned in to ABS-CBN’s primetime block that registered a national audience share of 48% or 18 points higher than GMA’s 30%. ABS-CBN also ruled primetime viewing in Luzon where it hit an average audience share of 43% versus GMA’s 33%; in the Visayas with 55% against GMA’s 26%; and in Mindanao with 62% or more than three times bigger than GMA’s 18%.

Out of the top 15 top running programs in September, ABS-CBN took 13 spots and secured the top 10 spots. Royal teleserye “Princess and I,” which Filipinos followed until Mikay (Kathyrn Bernardo) was finally revealed to be the long lost princess of Yangdon, is now the most watched program in the country with a national TV rating of 37.7%.

“Walang Hanggan” enjoyed a whopping 36.6% national TV rating, while weekend programs “Wansapanataym” and “Maalalala Mo Kaya” claimed the third and fourth spots in the top 15 most watched programs, both hitting a national TV rating of 33.8%.

“TV Patrol,” the only newscast to make it to September’s top 15 programs, also remained as the Philippine’s number one newscast with an average TV rating of 32.5% or nine points higher than GMA’s “24 Oras” (18.1%), while “Aryana” steadily climbed to 24.5% from last month’s 22.2%.

Other top Kapamilya programs include “Kapamilya Deal or No Deal” (26.8%), “Rated K” (25.9%), “Goin’ Bulilit” (23.2%), “Be Careful With My Heart” (22.9%), “Lorenzo’s Time” (19.6%), “Sarah G. Live” (19.4%), and “The X Factor Philippines Saturday” (18.7%).

ABS-CBN registered a net income of P2.4 billion for the full year 2011, while news media reported that GMA Network net income plummeted to P1.72 billion in the same period.

Kantar Media is a leading television (TV) audience measurement provider with capabilities in gathering TV viewing data in both digital and analog platforms. It Is a multinational market research group that specializes in audience measurement in more than 80 countries, has 26 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, 720ConsumerConnect, Starcom, OMD, PhD, Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC, Maxus, Universal McCann, Wellmade Manufacturing Corporation, Brand Ideas, and MPG Havas. They also include pan-regional networks like CSM Media Inc., Fox International Channels, Star HK, Discovery, AXN, HBO, MTV, Sony Pictures Television International, Celestial Tiger, and A&E Television Network.

Among these, the following subscribe to both urban and rural TV audience measurement: ABS-CBN, Brand Ideas, MPG Havas, and 720 ConsumerConnect.

ABS-CBN shifted to Kantar Media/TNS after filing a case vs. AGB Nielsen Media Research for failing to comply with its request to investigate alleged cheating and data tampering in TV ratings. The case is still pending in court contrary to claims by GMA, which is not a party to the case, that it has been resolved.