GMA Network, most watched station nationwide

Broadcast giant GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) continued to be the country's most watched television station nationwide in partial October, according to data of the industry's widely trusted ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

Based on data from October 1 to 19 (October 16 to 19 based on overnight readings), GMA scored 35.7 points in total day household audience shares in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), ahead of ABS-CBN's 28.9 points by an imposing 6.8 points.

The lead would mean that 1.2 million more viewers from all over the country were attuned to GMA over ABS-CBN during the said period, in the assumption that there are five viewers per household.

The strong lead was driven by the Network's outstanding nationwide ratings in the daytime block, alongside ABS-CBN’s weakening primetime performance in partial October.

GMA is still the uncontested primetime winner in Urban Luzon (which makes up 77% of nationwide TV households). In partial October, GMA led ABS-CBN in the said area on primetime by 3.5 household share points with 33.7 points versus ABS-CBN's 30.2 points.

In other words, GMA had 673,000 more primetime viewers than ABS in Urban Luzon in the said period.

Of the overall top 10 programs in Urban Luzon , seven were GMA primetime programs, namely, Munting Heredera, Amaya, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Iglot, 24 Oras, Pepito Manaloto, and Time of My Life.

In Mega Manila (which makes up 58% of nationwide TV households), GMA's primetime lead over ABS-CBN was even bigger at 5.9 points. GMA scored 34.4 share points against ABS-CBN's 28.5 points for the said period.

The lead would translate to GMA having 883,000 more viewers than ABS in Mega Manila during primetime.

GMA's primetime programs almost made a clean sweep of all the slots in the list of top 10 programs in Mega Manila. These hit primetime programs include Munting Heredera, Amaya, Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho, Iglot, 24 Oras, Time of My Life, Pepito Manaloto, and Imbestigador.

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.

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.

GMA Network posted a 22% growth in consolidated gross revenues from regular advertising and subscription accounts in the first half of 2011 compared to the same period last year. (GMA 7 Press Release)