GMA Network Delivers Breakthrough Ratings Performance In 2011

In the year ended, GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) altered television channel ranking as it overtook ABS-CBN in nationwide total day household audience share, placing the latter only to second rank - according to broadcast industry's more trusted ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

Based on full 2011 nationwide data of Nielsen (December 25 to 31 based on overnight ratings), GMA posted a 34.2 percent total day average television household audience share, outscoring ABS-CBN's 31.1 percent and TV5's 15.6 percent by substantial gaps.

GMA noticeably increased its total day household audience share record in 2011 versus 2010 by 3.2 points. In contrast, ABS-CBN's record suffered a significant drop of 8.6 points during the same period.

In effect, GMA gained almost 1.5 million viewers from all over the country in 2011 relative to 2010, while ABS-CBN lost more than 500,000 viewers across all dayparts, using the assumption that there are five viewers per household. 

In December, GMA recorded substantial margins versus ABS-CBN and TV5 in total day average household audience share nationwide. GMA had 36.2 share points, higher than ABS-CBN's 29.1 points; and clearly ahead of TV5's 15 points.

GMA was a notable winner in both morning and afternoon blocks, where it led ABS-CBN by double-digit margins in National Urban Philippines.

GMA also led across all dayparts in the important areas of Mega Manila and Urban Luzon, where bulk of television households in the country at 77 percent and 58 percent, respectively, are found. 

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GMA dominated the list of overall top 30 programs in National Urban Philippines with 17 entries. In Urban Luzon, GMA had 23 programs in the same list; while in Mega Manila, GMA almost swept the slots with 25 entries. 

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Among GMA's top performing programs this December were Eat Bulaga, Pepito Manaloto, 24 Oras, Amaya, Protégé (The Final Battle), Munting Heredera, and Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho.

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Owing to the Kapuso Network's consistently high nationwide ratings performance, the industry's top 30 advertisers grew their advertising accounts with GMA by 36 percent or over one third for the period January to September 2011 from the same period in 2010. ABS-CBN's regular advertising revenues, meanwhile, declined by four percent during the same period.

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The Nielsen TV Audience Measurement used by GMA is also used by 21 companies including two other local networks, namely, TV5 and Solar Entertainment; Faulkner Media; CBN Asia; 13 advertising agencies and three regional clients. On the other hand, ABS-CBN is the only local major TV network reportedly subscribing to Kantar Media, formerly known as TNS. 

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In Mega Manila alone, the Nielsen TV Audience Measurement has a sample size of 800 homes as compared to Kantar Media's 770 homes. Nationwide, Nielsen has a total sample size of 2,005 homes compared to the lower sample size of 1,370 utilized by Kantar Media.

ABS-CBN continuously claims that it has a pending case against Nielsen. But based on available court records, the case was dismissed by Presiding Judge Charito Gonzales of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC) on January 7, 2008 for being prematurely filed. The Court likewise denied the Motion for Reconsideration filed by ABS-CBN in an Order dated June 8, 2009.

On January 5, 2010, Atty. Maila Doroteo Santos, Branch Clerk of the Quezon City RTC, issued a Certificate of Finality, which confirms the Court's Decision on the said case as final and executory. The subsequent Petition for Relief from Judgment and Motion for Reconsideration filed by ABS-CBN have also been dismissed by the Court for substantive and procedural grounds.