As the country went through one of the most polarizing national elections to date, more Filipinos trusted GMA News and Public Affairs’ Eleksyon 2016 special coverage as the most credible news source on-air and online.
Based on Nielsen TV Audience Measurement overnight ratings data for May 9, GMA’s special coverage of the 2016 national elections was the most watched nationwide with an average people share of 37.7 percent in National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM). It beat ABS-CBN’s Halalan 2016, which posted 34.1 percent and TV5’s Bilang Pilipino 2016 with 7.5 percent.
The Kapuso Network’s special coverage registered even higher numbers in the viewer-rich areas of Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 77 and 60 percent of all urban TV households in the country.
GMA’s Eleksyon 2016 scored an average people share of 42.4 percent in Urban Luzon as against ABS’ 29.2 percent and TV5’s 6.1 percent. In Mega Manila, Eleksyon 2016 dominated competition with 45.3 percent compared to ABS’ 25.7 percent and TV5’s 6.1 percent.
Eleksyon 2016 was also the go-to news source of netizens with GMA News Online registering an unprecedented 34 million page views on May 9, according to data from Effective Measure for worldwide audience. It led ABS-CBN News, which only managed 6 million page views on the same day.
Anchored by Mel Tiangco, Mike Enriquez, Vicky Morales, Arnold Clavio, Howie Severino, and Jessica Soho, Eleksyon 2016 delivered the most in-depth coverage of the national elections being the first television news organization to broadcast the partial and unofficial results tally.
And shortly after, GMA News was able to do a live interview with leading presidential candidate Mayor Rody Duterte in the Kapuso primetime newscast 24 Oras.
GMA’s special coverage also featured cutting edge technology such as immersive graphics, 360-degree video cameras, and live drone footages that took Filipinos right where the action was, giving them blow-by-blow accounts of the election as it unfolded nationwide.
Adding star power to the coverage were Kapuso celebrities who volunteered at the Eleksyon 2016 call center as well Eat Bulaga’s Maine Mendoza, who delivered the do’s and don’ts of voting via a number of vignettes, and another Eat Bulaga girl Patricia Tumulak, who delivered the updates from GMA’s social media hub.
As it reaffirms its commitment to delivering Serbisyong Totoo, GMA News and Public Affairs has once again proven that it is the country’s most trusted news source on-air and online, especially during events of national significance.