CARMELA ECLIPSES THE LEGAL WIFE IN MEGA MANILA!

As Vhong's rape issue wanes, Kapamilya Programs experience a drop in ratings in Mega Manila. Data from AGB Neilsen indicate a 2-3 percentage point drop in ratings of Kapamilya Programs beginning with TV Patrol, Honesto, Got to Believe, The Legal Wife and The Biggest Loser. On the other hand Kapuso Programs almost remain flat week-to-week, although most of its primetime line-up also experienced a slight drop in ratings. Carmela although still losing against Got to Believe has finally won over The Legal Wife in Mega Manila.

KANTAR AND NIELSEN TV RATINGS: WHO IS TELLING THE TRUTH!

It has been the norm to believe that data released by AGB Nielsen always favor GMA7 while data from Kantar Media favor ABS-CBN, but is this really the case?

Looking closely at the numbers reveal that the two Ratings provider have little difference! Here's why:

MVP AIMS FOR MINORITY STAKE IN GMA7!

After months of speculation, Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said they are aiming for a minority stake in GMA Network Inc.

In a phone interview, Pangilinan declined to comment on reports that PLDT is nearing the completion of a buyout of GMA's main shareholders.

He only said "it is a fair statement" to say he is aiming for a minority stake in GMA.

Unverified reports indicate that the PLDT group is aiming at least 40% of GMA7 after one of the three major family who owns GMA7 (Gozons, Duavits and Jimenezes) declines any offer to sell their stake with the PLDT Group. The Gozons according to reports welcomes the offer from MVP as competition in the advertising business intensifies.

DESPITE CLAIMING NO.1 IN TV RATINGS, GMA'S PROFIT FALLS, ABS-CBN'S UP!

GMA Network Inc., operator of the country’s second largest television network, is unlikely to meet an earlier projected 10 percent profit hike this year as earnings in the nine months through September slid due to higher expenses and slowing revenues, officials said Monday.

Company officials said in a briefing that net income during the period dipped 6 percent to P1.49 billion while revenues rose 4 percent to P9.75 billion. GMA said airtime revenues during this period was up 5 percent. Operating expenses, meanwhile, rose 7 percent to P7.6 billion, which the company said was due to higher production costs meant to “diversify and strengthen” TV content.

SAMSUNG DONATES $1 MILLION TO YOLANDA VICTIMS!

MANILA, Philippines - South Korea's biggest conglomerate, the Samsung Group, on Tuesday said it is offering $1 million in aid to the Philippines, which is recovering from the devastation caused by typhoon Yolanda.

South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said Samsung Group is making the donation through the Red Cross and World Vision Philippines.

GMA PRIMETIME PROGRAMS POSTS RATINGS BELOW 20% IN MEGA MANILA!

Supposed to be GMA's strong hold, TV Ratings of Kapuso Programs in Mega Manila fell to historic lows registering ratings below 20%! All of GMA's primetime shows except 24 Oras are consistently losing to rival programs from ABS-CBN in Mega Manila. This may be a real problem to GMA as Primetime shows are major source of ad revenues. If this continues GMA may lose more advertisers to ABS-CBN!

October 28, 2013 (Monday)

PH'S RICHEST MAN MORE WEALTHY THAN SAMSUNG AND NEWS CORP EXECS!

MANILA - Mall tycoon Henry Sy has cemented his position as the Philippines' richest man after he landed on Bloomberg Markets magazine's ranking of the world's wealthiest men and women -- the only Filipino to make it to the list.

In a statement, Bloomberg Markets magazine said Sy -- whose empire spans the retail business, banking, property and resort development -- landed on the 72nd spot with a net worth of $13.3 billion, ahead of the likes of Australian media mogul Rupert Murdoch, who ranked 86th, and South Korea's Lee Kun Hee of tech giant Samsung, who placed 99th.

LOPEZ DENIES AYALA'S ENTRY TO ABS-CBN!

MANILA, Philippines - ABS-CBN stockholders approved the cancellation of their pre-emptive rights when the company sells new shares.

ABS-CBN chairman Eugenio Lopez III says ABS-CBN was one of the few major listed companies where stockholders still had pre-emptive rights.

He says it needed to be removed to give the company better flexibility in raising capital wherever there are willing investors.

ABS-CBN TO COMBINE EQUITY AND DEBT TO FUND SHIFT TO DIGITAL TV!

MANILA -- ABS-CBN Corp. is in talks with various entities to raise funds for its investments for digital television migration and other initiatives, executives said on Tuesday.

"We continue to review our options... we're doing exploratory talks... we're talking to a lot groups, not just banks [and] it can be a combination of equity or debt," Rolando Valdueza, ABS-CBN's chief financial officer, said in a press conference following the firm's annual stockholders' meeting.

PH'S LARGEST BUSINESS GROUPS HEAD ON FOR THE P16-B NAIA EXPRESSWAY PROJECT!

MANILA, Philippines - The San Miguel and Manuel V. Pangilinan-led groups submitted the only two bids for the P16 billion NAIA Expressway project, which is on track to becoming the government's third PPP project. 

In a text message, Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson said the bids are now being evaluated. He said the evaluation will take at least a week before the financial bids are opened.

PLDT GROUP COOLS OFF TO MYANMAR TELCO ENTRY!

MANILA, Philippines—Dominant network Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. (PLDT) is cool to the idea of investing in Myanmar’s telecommunications industry, citing the high cost of entry and a competitive landscape that heavily favored locals.

PLDT chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan said he expected that the two nationwide telecom licenses being bid out by the Myanmar government would be “hotly contested.”

LOPEZ GROUP AIMS TO INVEST IN THE P17-BILLION MACTAN-CEBU AIRPORT EXPANSION!

MANILA, Philippines - The Lopez family's listed holdings firm, First Philippine Holdings Corp. (FPHC), is eyeing a return to infrastructure projects.

In a disclosure to the stock exchange on Friday, April 5, FPHC said its board approved the participation, through a consortium, in the government's auction of the P17-billion Mactan-Cebu International Airport expansion project.

It did not name the consortium of the partners. The Lopez group are among the biggest business groups in the country that are joining the bid to expand and operate the country's 2nd busiest international gateway.

NIELSEN: SMART SUBSCRIBERS SWITCHING TO GLOBE!

SOURCE

MANILA - Globe Telecom on Thursday said it is gaining subscribers at the expense of its main rival, a claim that Smart Communications refuted.

Citing a survey by Nielsen, Globe said 49 percent of SIM switchers came from Smart. Commissioned by Globe, the survey was conducted from January 9 to December 31, 2012, and polled 12,937 respondents in randomly selected areas nationwide.

“Leading the market with innovation and customization, Globe continues to reinforce its position as a strong and formidable challenger in the market with sustained subscriber gains despite the aggressive switching campaigns and negative tirades of our competitors. We are bringing in this huge source of inspiration and motivation as we sustain growth momentum this year and in the years to come,” Ernest Cu, Globe president and chief executive said in a statement.

ABS-CBN'S AD RATE MORE THAN HALF A MILLION!

MANILA, Philippines -- Makabayan senatorial candidate Teddy Casiño on Wednesday revealed a jaw-dropping truth behind placing a 30-second ad spot on National TV. Casiño disclosed the cost for airing a 30-second ad in ABS-CBN which stands for more than half-a-million pesos! It is not yet clear whether the 30% discount for Political Ads aired on National TV is already discounted on the mentioned amount. But if the amount is already discounted, then the real cost for advertising on ABS-CBN is a mind-blowing P769,417.00 for a 30-second ad spot!     

GMA NETWORK KEEPS LEADERSHIP IN MEGA MANILA AND URBAN LUZON!

Broadcast industry leader GMA Network, Inc. (GMA) maintained its dominance in the key areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila for the month of March citing data from the more widely recognized ratings service provider Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

For the period March 1 to 31 (March 17 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA registered comfortable leads against rival networks ABS-CBN and TV5 in these two areas particularly important to advertisers.

ABS-CBN AND GMA7 RECEIVES BULK OF POLITICAL ADS, COMELEC

GMA'S 2012 NET INCOME MISSES TARGET! DOWN BY 5% Y-O-Y!

Listed GMA Network Inc.'s consolidated gross revenues grew 6 percent year-on-year to P13.929 billion in 2012, the broadcast giant reported Friday.

For the period, the Network raked in a 7 percent growth in airtime sales to P12.703 billion comprising 91 percent of gross revenues.

GMA Chairman and CEO Felipe Gozon said the company is expected to deliver better financial results this year, as evidenced by its strong financial performance at the opening of the year.

ABS-CBN CORP. 2012 RECURRING NET INCOME UP BY 23%!

MANILA -- ABS-CBN Corp.'s consolidated net income amounted to P1.708 billion in 2012, breaching the company's P1.6-billion target amid growth in advertising revenues and consumer sales.

However, the 2012 net income is below the P2.420 billion consolidated net income in 2011, the Lopez-led multimedia conglomerate said in a statement on Thursday.

But removing the one-time gain from the sale of investments in 2011, recurring net income of the company jumped 23% last year, ABS-CBN said.

ABS-CBN CORP TO SPEND P5B IN 2013! HIGHER AD REVENUE SEEN IN THE FIRST 3 MONTHS OF 2013!

MANILA-- ABS-CBN Corp has allocated about P5 billion for capital expenditures this year, and this would be spent on equipment, transmission facilities, film and program rights acquisition, and on the operations of unit SkyCable Corp., Valdueza said.

The company expects to rake in higher profits in the first quarter versus the same period last year, banking on an increase in regular or non-political ads amid a buoyant Philippine economy.

"The first three months will be significantly better than last year," Rolando Valdueza, chief financial officer at ABS-CBN, said in a briefing on Thursday.

The broadcast giant raked in a P306-million net income in the first quarter of last year, a big decline from the P976-million recorded in the previous year.

Valdueza said that for the first three months of 2013, revenues will be driven by regular or non-political ads due to the country's strong economy at present.

"Spending and consumption are up, reflective of the positive economic situation of our country," Valdueza pointed out.

PTV-4 PREPARING FOR DIGITAL TV IN 2015!

MANILA, Philippines - President Benigno S. Aquino III signed into law a measure that will “revitalize” the operations of state-owned and -operated television station People’s Television Network, Inc. or PTV-4.

"I am happy to announce that President Aquino signed into law Republic Act 10390, an Act Revitalizing the People’s Television Network, on March 14," Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma, Jr. said in a Malacañang press conference on Wednesday, March 20.