ABS-CBN and GMA 7 claimed network supremacy in the past five years based on ratings from Kantar Media and AGB Nielsen, respectively. (Photo credit: Starmometer.com)
Since ABS-CBN accused AGB Nielsen of tampering with its ratings in 2007, they have been subscribing to Kantar Media as its main ratings provider. And since they started their subscription to Kantar, the network has claimed to achieve higher ratings than that of competitor GMA 7 based on Kantar Media’s data. On the contrary, GMA 7 continued to claim ratings leadership in most areas using data from AGB Nielsen. With both media giants claiming their right to be the number one television station in the Philippines based on their respective data from their ratings providers, does it make sense to make claims such as this?
GMA’s No. 1 ‘supremacy’ comes from their afternoon programming, whose block included the 34-year old variety program Eat! Bulaga, its Afternoon Prime series of teleseryes, showbiz talk shows such as Startalk, and public service programs such as Wish Ko Lang. Prior to ABS-CBN’s move to Kantar, its evening programs have been traditionally high-rated. But since the move, ABS-CBN claimed to dominate nightly programming, which included TV Patrol, its Primetime Bida series of teleseryes, Maalala Mo Kaya on Saturdays, and Ganda Gabi Vice on Sundays. And when ‘Be Careful With My Heart’ started airing on late mornings in mid-2012, its cheerful and infectious storyline started taking over a majority of TV sets by the end of the year. As for a new giant in TV5, they are still tinkering with their programming lineup in an attempt to challenge ABS-CBN and GMA 7.
For over 50 years, both networks have pushed each other to the limits in an effort to produce high-quality programming to all walks of life. But claiming to be the number one network in the country is not the answer. Viewers have their own choice of programs to watch, so it is up to them to watch any program they like, as long as they enjoy it.
From the Tube 
About AGB Nielsen, my Daddy said that in the U.S., Nielsen has a black box which they call “The People Meter,” which is used in most households there to determine what are the programs the people watch on TV. Usually, the so-called “People Meter (PM)” sits on top of the TV set and is programmed with the age and gender of each member of the household.
When members of the household are watching TV, they enter their code into the PM. The “code” would be used to identify, record, and log the time and the channel viewed. Then, every evening, at a specific time, the PM sends the recorded info-statistics to a central computer via a modem, and Nielsen gathers the data to determine on what were the TV programs most-viewed for that particular day. (Info taken from Nielsen Media Research, U.S.A.)
IMO, if ever Nielsen would start this kind of method here in the Philippines, I’m sure this would be the solution to the question on what is the real no. 1 TV network in the country. On the other hand, though, I wonder what modus is Kantar Media using to collect data on what are the top TV programs the Filipinos watch on a particular day.
As far as we know, both AGB and Kantar are mum on their approaches on gathering TV and radio ratings. It’s hard to see why, considering the intricacies of ratings in the country.
They said AGB Nielsen focuses on Metro Manila and Greater Manila Area (I think). While Kantar media is aimed towards the whole country.
There is NUTAM though for AGB Nielsen, which covers not only Metro Manila, but also other parts of the country that have urban neighborhoods. The problem is, PEP only wanted to post AGB Nielsen figures for Metro Manila only, which is unfair.
And the fact that dun lang pwede magyabang ang GMA speaks to how poor their programming is despite of the success of AlDub.
Blame Rasonable.
And it is reasonable to remove Rasonable. Di ko magtataka magiging TV5 din sila at kukunin nila si Malou Fulgar to run the entertainment department.
Kung papayag talaga si Malou, that will only be possible. Then again, TAPE may not even bite with the offer.
But knowing that EB wants to be independent from other entities will be difficult for GMA to convince them.
Indeed.