GMA Leads the Ratings War

Many issues hound this war of the networks.

One such issue is...
"GMA fabricates ratings that are reported by AGB-Nielsen. The ratings indicate that GMA is number 1 in Mega Manila."

FROM WIKIPEDIA:

Extra Challenge started to lead the game. And with launch of the telefantasya Mulawin, GMA finally gained a rating advantage in Mega Manila over ABS-CBN, officially on September 23, 2004.[16] By the end of the year, GMA was one of the most profitable companies in the country.

In 2005, GMA began broadcast of Mars Ravelo's Darna, a classic comic book character among Filipinos which became a big hit, with its ratings being the highest ever for a pilot episode of 47.7% and the first telefantasya to hit up to 52.1%, followed by Encantadia at 47.2 percent at Mega Manila. Other primetime telefantasyas like Mulawin (2004) and Sugo (2005) also maintained the network's lead in its Mega Manila ratings during the year.

In 2006, GMA maintained its primetime ratings re-formatting shows Extra Challenge and Encantadia (which was succeeded by sequels Etheria and Encantadia: Pag-ibig Hanggang Wakas), and by the localized versions of the Korean series, Stairway to Heaven, Full House, Jewel in the Palace and My Name is Kim Sam Soon.

In 2007, GMA started broadcast of MariMar, an original Mexican telenovela turned into Filipino version that became a huge hit, in which the final episode got 52.6%, making it the only soap opera to achieve the highest rating in the network's history.

In a 2006 survey conducted by Pulse Asia, 7 out of 10 Metro Manila-based viewers find GMA Network a more credible network than rival ABS-CBN. The network managed to lead in the Mega Manila and Southern Luzon demographic, which has the highest television ownership and up to 79% of advertisement spots. The NUTAM was officially launched last October 16, 2006 to determine the TV ratings and audience share of local TV Programs from the different urban areas in the Philippines. This changes the television landscape and the manner in which the advertisers will allocate their TV investments to achieve cost efficiency and maximize each. With this larger geographical measurement coverage, a greater level of accountability and confidence in television as a primary advertising medium is achieved.

As of August 2007, GMA maintained its lead in Mega Manila TV ratings against rival ABS-CBN for the first half of 2007 citing Mega Manila TV ratings data from AGB-Nielsen GMA (as shown below), which resulted to a 23 percent growth in its consolidated net income to P1.13 billion in the first half of the year from P915 million in the same period last year.

As a result, GMA continues to have a good run in the stock market. The network's net income grew by 23% year-on-year to P1.126 billion in the first six months of the year. Mega Manila accounts for about 48% of total TV households. The Mega Manila and Luzon markets combined account for about 76% of the total TV households. It earned P 2.3 billion in 2007.

As of the first Month of 2009 GMA Network continue to lead the ratings specially in Metro Manila, GMA-7 got the 77% total of audience shares. 15 out of the overall top 20 programs are on GMA from AGB and TNS. and the Overall Channel Audience Shares based on AGB, 12 out of 20 programs are on GMA-7.