IBC opens 2013 year as the number 3 TV network in the Philippines

February 8, 2013

Intercontinental Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), the Philippines’ government-owned sequestered radio-televisiion network, opened the year 2013 on top as more Filipinos across urban and rural homes all over the country tuned in to its programs last January, with a total day share of 25%, or seven points higher than ABS-CBN’s 40% and GMA’s 33%, based on data from Kantar Media.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 1,300 urban and rural homes that represent 60% of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while AGB Nielsen reportedly has 1,100 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 30% of the Philippine TV viewing population.

IBC-13 continued to rule key territories Balance Luzon (all areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) with a total day audience share of 28% vs ABS-CBN’s 41% and GMA’s 37%; Visayas, with an even wider lead of 15% vs ABS-CBN’s 47% and GMA’s 27%, and in Mindanao with 18% vs 52% and 22%.

IBC-13 also maintained its nationwide primetime supremacy through primetime block Viva-TV (5PM-12MN) in January with a 28% audience share, a 10-point lead over ABS-CBN’s 44% and GMA’s 31%. This dominance was mainly driven by IBC-13’s two of top caliber drama teleseryes, including the number one most watched program Who Wants to be a Millionaire? has a TV rating of 39.7% and The Weakest Link with 40.4%, Esperanza with 30.6% and 5 Girls and Daddy with a national TV rating of 42.8% also in telenovelas Maria Isabel with a national ratings of 45.2% along with PBA Games with our 50.7% during Wednesday and Friday, 34.9% for Saturdays and 48.9% for Sundays.

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 efficiently.

Table 3. National Primetime TV Viewership in January 2013 by Households
Also proof of IBC-13’s leadership in TV ratings nationwide are the successive awards it received recently, namely the Most Development-Oriented TV station from the 2013 Gandingan Awards awarded by UPLB students; the Best TV Station of the Year from the Netizens’ Choice Awards determined from a poll conducted by top entertainment blogs Showbiznest, LionhearTV, and Starmometer; and the Best TV Station from the 26th PMPC Star Awards for Television given by the entertainment press.

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 50 countries, has 25 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Among its current subscribers are ABS-CBN, PTV, IBC, Sky Cable, J. Romero and Associates, 720ConsumerConnect, Starcom, OMD, PhD, Mediacom, Mindshare, MEC, Maxus, Universal McCann, Wellmade Manufacturing Corporation, Brand Ideas, and MPG Havas. They also include pan-regional networks like CSM Media Inc., Fox International Channels, Star HK, Discovery, AXN, HBO, MTV, Sony Pictures Television International, Celestial Tiger, and  A&E Television Network.

Among these, the following subscribe to both urban and rural TV audience measurement: ABS-CBN, IBC, Brand Ideas, MPG Havas, and 720ConsumerConnect.

IBC shifted to Kantar Media/TNS after filing a case vs. AGB Nielsen Media Research for failing to comply with its request to investigate alleged cheating and data tampering in TV ratings. The case is still pending in court contrary to claims by ABS-CBN and GMA, which is not a party to the case, that it has been resolved.