ABS-CBN Corporation, the Philippines’ largest and leading multimedia conglomerate, opened the year 2013 on top with more Filipinos across urban and rural homes in the country tuned in to its programs in January, with a total day share of 40 percent, or seven points higher than GMA’s 33 percent, based on data from Kantar Media, the ratings provider the network subscribes to.

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

ABS-CBN continued to rule key territories Balance Luzon (all areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila) with a total day audience share of 41 percent against GMA’s 37 percent; Visayas, with an even wider lead of 47 percent versus GMA’s 27 percent, and in Mindanao with 53 percent against GMA’s 22 percent.

ABS-CBN also maintained its nationwide primetime supremacy (6 p.m. to 12 midnight) in January with a 44 percent audience share, a 13-point lead over GMA’s 31 percent. This dominance was mainly driven by ABS-CBN’s top caliber drama teleseryes, including the number one most watched program Ina Kapatid Anak with a national TV rating of 32.8 percent.

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 efficiently.

TV Patrol remained as the most watched newscast with 29.6 percent, while Be Careful with My Heart still triumphs as the country’s highest-rating daytime program with a 26.3 percent national

Meanwhile, ABS-CBN’s new early primetime offering Kahit Konting Pagtingin captivated viewers with a national TV rating of 24.2 percent, ranked as the country’s 9th most viewed program in the country, clobbering GMA’s recently launched program Forever with only 11.9 percent TV rating.

Kailangan Ko’y Ikaw starring Kris Aquino, Anne Curtis and Robin Padilla also rated high at 21.7 percent, while game show Minute to Win It debuted strongly in its morning timeslot with an average rating of 20.8 percent.

ABS-CBN’s noontime program It’s Showtime also prevailed during the said month with a national TV rating of 12 percent, or five points higher than TV5’s Wowowillie that only rated 7 percent on its first three days.

Overall, 13 out of the 15 most watched programs in January were produced by ABS-CBN including Wansapanataym (32.5 percent), Princess and I (30.6 percent), Maalaala Mo Kaya (29.2 percent), Aryana (26.6 percent), Kapamilya Deal or No Deal (26.1 percent), Goin’ Bulilit (22.9 percent), and Rated K (22.4 percent).

Also proof of ABS-CBN’s leadership in TV ratings nationwide are the successive awards it received recently, namely the Most Development-Oriented TV station from the 2013 Gandingan Awards awarded by UPLB students; the Best TV Station of the Year from the Netizens’ Choice Awards determined from a poll conducted by top entertainment blogs Showbiznest, LionhearTV, and Starmometer; and the Best TV Station from the 26th PMPC Star Awards for Television given by the entertainment press.