2.06.2008

ABS-CBN to GMA-7: Cable and Free TV Ratings Non-Issue

The disparity between the ratings of ABS-CBN in cable and non-cable households is a "non-issue" according to an ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network official.

Vivian Tin, ABS-CBN Research and Business Analysis chief, disputed claims by


network rival GMA Network, Inc. that ABS-CBN is using its cable TV resources to manipulate ratings in cable TV households to its advantage.

GMA Network earlier issued an official statement noting the disparity between its ratings in households with cable TV and those with free TV, saying that:

"There is absolutely no truth to ABS-CBN’s claim that it was the first one who initiated the move to clean up the TV ratings system. For about five (5) years now, GMA Network has been complaining to AGB Nielsen [Editor: AGB Nielsen is a media research firm that tracks TV ratings] why the ratings of GMA Network’s programs are so low in cable TV households but so high in non-cable TV homes, a situation that does not obtain in ABS-CBN’s programs."

The statement also said that since ABS-CBN either owns or has a controlling stake in the dominant cable companies in the country, it would be able to access information as to which homes are fitted with AGB Nielsen ratings meters.

Technical issue

Tin however said that there's a simple explanation for why GMA Network shows do better ratings-wise in households with free TV, while ABS-CBN has higher ratings in homes with cable TV: signal reception and bandwidth.

Tin explained that ABS-CBN airs over Channel 2, which “is the lowest of the low band channels", making its free TV signal vulnerable to "noise", meaning, electronic and physical interference.

“Kapag low band ang channel, it’s vulnerable to noise... noise that we couldn’t hear as humans but electronically the TV picks up… (the noise) will cause the TV (picture to be) blurry.”

“In the fringes where the signal is not as strong, the noise - the noise of electricity, telecommunication activities, even rain and wind - interfere with the low band frequency. There are areas where homes would have snowy reception of ABS-CBN. In these areas we will lose in terms of ratings," she said.

Tin said that since the free TV reception of Channel 2 is bad in certain areas, it's not surprising that those households would tend to switch to programs on GMA Network, since they would get clearer picture and sound quality.

She said that homes fitted with cable TV would have clear reception of ABS-CBN shows “because cable takes away the noise.”

"In an environment when the receptions of all channels are clear, our ratings tend to be higher," Tin said, adding that "in an environment that is patas (fair), because (all channels are) clear, we always win,” she said.

Tin said certain measures have been taken by ABS-CBN to improve the reception of the network in non-cable homes. For a long-term solution, Tin said ABS-CBN plans to introduce digital television.

“We have a cable company because it makes good business strategy. That’s another part of the market... hindi naman namin ginawa ang cable para gumawa ng iba (we didn’t engage in this business just to do something illegal),” she said.

Bribery and corruption

ABS-CBN has filed a P63-million civil suit against AGB Nielsen for its alleged failure to probe reports of an organized, systematic and well-funded attempt to cheat in the ratings.

ABS-CBN filed the case after an informant approached the network and confessed that he was hired to find and bribe households equipped with AGB Nielsen meters in Bacolod, in order to influence their viewing habits.

A court has dismissed the civil suit based on technicality but ABS-CBN has filed a motion for reconsideration.

“Bribery of homes to change viewing habit, that one is the real corruption issue,” said Tin.

Tin assured that once enough evidence has been gathered ABS-CBN will conduct its own investigation.
Source.

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