More households in urban and rural areas nationwide tuned in to ABS-CBN in September, leading all TV networks in terms of viewership with an average national audience share of 44 percent, or eight points higher than its rival network GMA’s 36 percent, according to data from Kantar Media.
Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has only 1,980 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57 percent of the Philippine TV viewing population.
The Kapamilya network also maintained its dominance in primetime (6 p.m.-12 midnight) as it hit an average national audience share of 50 percent, which is 19 points higher than GMA’s 31 percent. The primetime block is the most important part of the day when most Filipinos watch TV and advertisers put a larger chunk of their investment in to reach more consumers effectively.
ABS-CBN’s primetime lead was sustained by its top-rating programs, led by the Coco Martin-starrer FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano, which garnered an average national TV rating of 40.4 percent and shot to the top of the most watch programs nationwide. Its pilot episode on Sept. 28 also hit a whopping national TV rating of 41.6 percent.
It was followed by the recently concluded Nathaniel, which earned an average rating of 35.2 percent, or almost double than that of Marimar’s 18.2 percent.
ABS-CBN’s newest talk-comedy-game show Celebrity Playtime is making waves as it immediately landed on the list of the top 10 programs with 28.7 percent.
The return of Your Face Sounds Familiar, meanwhile, also hooked audiences as it earned a national TV rating of 26.5 percent for September.
Viewers, meanwhile, continue to get their news from TV Patrol, which got a national TV rating of 30.5 percent, versus 24 Oras ‘s 18.3percent.
Rounding up the list of the most watched programs nationwide for the month of September are Pangako Sa ‘Yo (32.8 percent), Maalaala Mo Kaya (31.7 percent), Wansapanataym (30.2 percent), and Rated K (27.3 percent).
Meanwhile, primetime family drama Pasion de Amor maintained its winning position with 24.4 percent, or more than twice the 10.9 percent-rating recorded by rival program Starstruck.
In the morning, ABS-CBN won the ratings game with series Ningning gaining an average national TV rating of 16.8 percent versus The Ryzza Mae Show (11.1 percent).
Afternoon block Kapamilya Gold, on the other hand, remained strong in September with Doble Kara and All of Me registering 15.3 percent and 14.6 percent, respectively.
ABS-CBN, the only Philippine media company in FinanceAsia’s list of “Asia’s Best Companies 2015,” also remained as the most watched TV network in key territories such as Balance Luzon (all areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) where it got an average total day audience share of 46 percent vs. GMA’s 37 percent, in the Visayas with 56 percent vs. 26 percent, and in Mindanao with 57 percent vs. 27 percent.
Meanwhile, more and more online and smartphone users continue to watch ABS-CBN programs online via the video-on-demand and livestreaming service iWanTV, which received a total of 89.4 million page views in September, up from the previous month’s 83.8 million views. On The Wings of Love is now the most watched program online with 3.7 million views, followed by Pangako Sa ‘Yo with 2.7 million views, and Pinoy Big Brother 737 with 941,117 views. All Of Me (870,019 views) and Doble Kara (751,405) are also online favorites, along with Pasion de Amor (775,511).