The competition among local TV networks just got more intense as Pangilinan-led TV5 claims that it landed in second in the ratings race among audiences in Metro Manila and nearby suburbs (Mega Manila), dislodging media giant ABS-CBN Corp., while closing in on GMA Network, Inc.
This as ABS-CBN’s UHF channel Studio 23 has asserted that it is now the fourth most watched free-to-air network nationwide, beating GMA 7’s sister channel, Quality Television (Q-11).
Ray C. Espinosa, TV5 president and chief executive, told reporters last week that based on a survey conducted by research firm AGB Nielsen Media Philippines among Mega Manila households on Sept. 18 (Saturday), TV5 received an audience share of 24.6% from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m.
That same day, GMA Network remained the dominant local channel in Mega Manila with an audience share of 34%, while ABS-CBN finished third with an audience share of 21.3%, based on the figures presented by TV5.
Mr. Espinosa said the same scenario happened the following Saturday, Sept. 25, when TV5 again finished second in the ratings game.
The network executive attributed TV5’s rising audience share to the growing popularity of the network’s weekend programming, led by the talent program Talentadong Pinoy. The show, which airs Saturdays and Sundays at 7:30 p.m., is the highest-rated program of TV5. "Surveys show that Talentadong Pinoy is beating the programs being aired by other TV stations on its time-slot," Mr. Espinosa said.
Roberto "Bobby" V. Barreiro, TV5’s executive vice-president and chief operating officer, said network executives are "pleasantly surprised" with the developments.
"We aimed to be number one in five years (2014), but we all knew it will be a very tough climb knowing very well that our competitors are very well entrenched," Mr. Barreiro told reporters. "But we did not expect that we will be number two within our first year in handling TV5. We thought we’ll be number two in three years."
Mssrs. Espinosa and Barreiro are part of the new management team led by businessman Manuel V. Pangilinan which took over TV5 late last year.
TV5 is currently under MediaQuest, a company owned by the beneficial trust fund of the Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. MediaQuest has a minority stake in BusinessWorld.
A source from ABS-CBN told BusinessWorld that TV5’s claims of beating ABS-CBN is not yet a trend. "What are two Saturdays? The ratings that they presented did not even cover the entire day," the source said. "It is easy to deceive people with statistics that does not tell the complete picture."
Mr. Espinosa said MediaQuest has allotted P10 billion for the next five years for TV5’s capital expenditures, including the construction of a state-of-the-art studio complex in Mandaluyong. The studio complex will house six studios, TV5’s corporate headquarters, and the network’s news and public affairs department.
The news and public affairs department is expected to be set up there by September 2011. The entire building is expected to be finished by September 2012.
Mr. Barreiro said that the challenge for TV5 now is to broaden its audience share to other programming blocs and time-slots. He said the network has set aside another P2 billion for programming until the end of the year, and an initial P3-billion programming budget for next year.
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