ABS-CBN, the country’s leading media and entertainment company, captivated more viewers in September and registered a 46% average audience share nationwide in combined urban and rural homes as compared to rival GMA’s, which only got 34%, according to data from Kantar Media.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has 2,000 homes based in urban areas that represent only 57% of the Philippine TV viewing population. ABS-CBN has consistently cited national TV ratings covering urban and rural homes in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Eight out of the top ten most watched programs last month were produced by ABS-CBN led by “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” with an average national TV rating of 39.2%. The program is currently celebrating its first anniversary.

It was followed by newest weekend top-rated “Pinoy Boyband Superstar” (34.5%), which features good-looking and talented boys reaching for their dreams, and fantasy drama “Wansapanataym” (34.2%).

“TV Patrol” remains as the most-watched newscast in the country with an average national TV rating of 33.1% beating “24 Oras” with only 22.6%.

“Magpahanggang Wakas” instantly landed on the 8th spot and scored an average of 25.2% after it premiered on PH TV last Sept 19.

Other programs in the top ten include “MMK” (31.5%), “Goin Bulilit” (27.2%), and “Home Sweetie Home” (26.8%).

Meanwhile, “It’s Showtime” is still the most watched program on noontime, hitting an average national TV rating of 18.1% vs “Eat Bulaga” with 13.0%.

ABS-CBN’s primetime block continues to dominate urban and rural Filipino households, hitting a national audience share of 49% last month vs GMA’s 33%. 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.

Aside from primetime, ABS-CBN also ruled other time blocks nationwide that include the morning block (6AM to 12NN) with 41% vs GMA’s 36%; noontime block (12NN to 3PM) with 45% vs GMA’s 34%; and afternoon block (3PM to 6PM) with 46% vs GMA’s 34%.

While ABS-CBN has sustained its TV ratings dominance, it has also kept its leadership in the digital platform through its pioneering video-on-demand service iWant TV. Rapidly transitioning into a digital company, ABS-CBN leads all media networks in bringing its content online to address the change in the Filipinos’ viewing habits.

Top programs on iWant TV last month are “Till I Met You,” “Pinoy Big Brother Lucky Season 7,” “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” “Doble Kara,” and “The Greatest Love.”

More Filipinos will be able to watch ABS-CBN shows soon with its partnership with PLDT, Inc., which will enable PLDT and Smart subscribers to access iWant TV’s rich library of TV shows, specials, and other exclusive content. iWant TV is the leading OTT platform in the country with over 6 million subscribers.

In other areas, ABS-CBN also dominated GMA. The Kapamilya network led the ratings game in Total Luzon with an average audience share of 41% vs GMA’s 37%; in Total Visayas with 55% vs GMA’s 26%; in Total Mindanao with 58% vs GMA’s 28%; in Total Balance Luzon with 49% vs GMA’s 35%; and in Metro Manila with 37% vs GMA’s 33%.

ABS-CBN has gone beyond radio and television to also become the leader in the local music, film, cable TV, and publishing industries and is also the pioneer of digital television in the country. ABS-CBN has also ventured to other businesses including telecommunication services, money remittance, cargo forwarding, TV shopping services, theme park development, among others, showing that it has become more than a broadcasting network through the years.

The company reported PHP 20.9 billion consolidated revenue for the first half of 2016, bringing its net income to PHP 2.1 billion, 76% higher compared to the same period last year.

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 local current subscribers are ABS-CBN, Peoples Television Network Inc., The Huddle Room Media Inc., JRA Advertising (J. Romero and Associates), 720 Consumer Connect, Viva Communications Inc., Manprom, Solar Entertainment Corporation, Starcom, Havas Media Ortega, and Media Agency groups IPG Mediabrands (Touch BPN, UM), Dentsu Aegis Network (Dentsu, Mediaforce, Carat), Omnicom Media Group (OMD, PHD and M2M) as well as Group M (Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, and Maxus).

International subscribers to Kantar Media include Turner Broadcasting System Asia, NBCU Global Networks Asia Pte Ltd, Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Scripps Networks Interactive (Asia) Pte. Ltd., MTV Asia, Fox International Channels, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, CSM Media Research (China), AETN All Asia Networks Pte Ltd, Celestial Tiger Entertainment and Sony Pictures International.