GMA News' SONA 2013 coverage most viewed nationwide — Nielsen

GMA News and Public Affairs’ comprehensive live coverage of President Benigno Aquino III’s fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) topped overall television household ratings on July 22 based on overnight data, according to the industry’s leading ratings service provider, Nielsen TV Audience Measurement.

Anchored by GMA News pillars Mel Tiangco and Mike Enriquez, GMA-7’s live coverage bested rival network ABS-CBN in National Urban TV Audience Measurement (NUTAM), Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila ratings.

GMA-7’s “SONA 2013” scored an average household rating of 12.8 percent in NUTAM compared to ABS-CBN’s “Sa Gitna Ng Daang Matuwid” with only 12.1 percent.

In Urban Luzon, GMA-7’s coverage emerged as the preferred choice with 15.0 percent, ahead of ABS-CBN’s, which only managed 10.3 percent. The Network also triumphed in its bailiwick Mega Manila with 16.1 percent, 5.8 points ahead of ABS-CBN’s 10.3 percent.

Leading news channel GMA News TV (News TV)’s “SONA Ni PNoy” bannered by Peabody awardee and three-time Reader’s Digest Most Trusted News Presenter Jessica Soho likewise ruled over TV5’s “Pagbabago” in NUTAM, Urban Luzon, and Mega Manila.

News TV recorded an average household rating of 3.2 percent in NUTAM, higher than TV5’s 3.1 percent. News TV’s “SONA Ni PNoy” also led TV5’s “Pagbabago 2013” in Urban Luzon, with 3.7 and 2.6 percent respectively. In Mega Manila, News TV delivered 4.1 percent, ahead of TV5’s 2.6 percent.

GMA Network’s SONA coverage used new media platforms like YouScoop, Twitter, and Facebook to measure the public pulse, encouraging Filipinos from all walks of life to post questions and give feedback on the day’s highlights.  

The Network also mounted a GMA News Hangout, an online discussion and post-SONA analysis hosted by GMA News Online Editor-in-Chief Howie Severino and attended by expert panelists. The 30-minute discussion reviewed the Aquino administration’s performance and predicted the direction it would take in the next three years.

Live reports in and out of Congress were also heard on GMA’s flagship AM radio station dzBB 594 kHz Super Radyo. Listeners also sent in their views and comments via the station’s Twitter account @dzbbGMA, and were read on the air.