ABS-CBN starts off 2016 on the right note as the Kapamilya network remains the most watched TV network in the country last January after the station garnered an average audience share of 43% from combined urban and rural homes vs GMA 7’s 36%, according to recent data from Kantar Media.

ABS-CBN kept a stronghold of the primetime block hitting an average audience share of 48% nationwide versus rival’s 33%. The station’s afternoon block also garnered a 42% nationwide rating versus GMA’s 37%. 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 effectively.

Kantar Media uses a nationwide panel size of 2,609 urban and rural homes that represent 100% of the total Philippine TV viewing population, while the other ratings data supplier AGB Nielsen reportedly has only 1,980 homes based solely in urban areas that represent only 57% of the Philippine TV viewing population.

Still topping the list of most watched programs during the previous month is “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano” with an average national TV rating of 39.8% followed by “Pangako Sa’Yo” with 31.4% which tied at second with weekend top-raters “Maalaala Mo Kaya” and “Wansapanataym.” “Dance Kids” maintained its good showing (29.8%) at third place.

Primetime newscast “TV Patrol” continues to be the choice news source of majority of the Filipinos as the only news program in the Top 10 programs of January, landing at the fourth spot with an average national TV rating of 28.7%.

Two new programs also debuted strongly in January. “Pilipinas Got Talent Season 5” averaged a rating of 26.6% while late morning feel-good series “Be My Lady” earned a remarkable 18.3% rating, almost 10 points higher than competition. “Rated K” (24.3%) and “Home Sweetie Home” (24.1%) rounded up the Kapamilya programs in the Top 10.

“It’s Showtime” (16.1%) was also able to regain the lead in the weekday noontime slot as its rival show’s rating dropped to 15.2%.

ABS-CBN also fared better than its competition in other territories such as Balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) where it scored a national average audience share of 45% vs GMA’s 36%; in Visayas with 54% vs rival’s 26% and in Mindanao with 55% vs GMA’s 27%

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 80 countries, has 26 TV networks, ad agencies, and pan-regional networks subscribing to its ratings services.

Among its local current subscribers are ABS-CBN, Peoples Television Network Inc., The Huddle Room Media Inc., JRA Advertising (J. Romero and Associates), 720 Consumer Connect, ZenithOptimedia, Viva Communications Inc., Manprom, Philippine Daily Inquirer , CNN Philippines, Starcom, Clubmedia, Havas Media Ortega, and Media Agency groups IPG Mediabrands (Touch BPN, UM), Dentsu Aegis Network (Dentsu, Mediaforce, Carat), Omnicom Media Group (OMD, PHD and M2M) as well as Group M (Mindshare, MEC, MediaCom, and Maxus).

International subscribers to Kantar Media include Turner Broadcasting System Asia, NBCU Global Networks Asia Pte Ltd, Google Asia Pacific Pte Ltd, Home Box Office (Singapore) Pte Ltd, Scripps Networks Interactive (Asia) Pte. Ltd., MTV Asia, Fox International Channels, Discovery Networks Asia-Pacific Pte Ltd, CSM Media Research (China), AETN All Asia Networks Pte Ltd, Celestial Tiger Entertainment and Sony Pictures International.