The recent launch of three popular noontime shows, It’s Showtime, EAT, and Eat Bulaga!, set the stage for a thrilling TV ratings battle and a fierce competition on social media.
However, behind the scenes, the end of the TV war between ABS-CBN and GMA-7 can be traced back to the toxic partisan politics of the previous Duterte administration.
As the dust settles, a new rivalry between Manuel V. Pangilinan’s TV5 and the Lopez-Gozon ABS-CBN-GMA tandem looms large. Let’s dive into the exciting results and analyze the factors that contributed to the triumph of TV5’s EAT.
TV Ratings Battle
In the clash of noontime shows, TV5’s EAT emerged as the clear winner, capturing the highest television ratings, according to Nielsen TV ratings.
On the other hand, ABS-CBN’s It’s Showtime proved its social media prowess, surpassing Tito Vic and Joey (TVJ) in combined views on various platforms.
Unfortunately, Jalosjos Brothers’ Television and Production Exponents Incorporated’s (TAPE) Eat Bulaga! faced defeat in both TV ratings and social media engagement.
TV5’s EAT Claims Victory
A day after the highly anticipated shows on July 1, TV5 revealed impressive Nielsen ratings data on Twitter.
EAT secured an average program rating of 8.4%, while It’s Showtime garnered a combined rating of 3.94% on its main channels, GTV (2.39%), A2Z (1.28%), and the Kapamilya Channel on cable providers (0.27%). TAPE’s Eat Bulaga trailed with a 2.62% rating.
EAT’s success can be attributed to the absence of the beloved trio, Tito Sotto, Vic Sotto, and Joey de Leon (TVJ), from the TV scene for a month. Fans eagerly awaited their return on free TV, resulting in high viewership numbers.
TV5’s Strategic Moves
TV5 left no stone unturned in its quest to expand the viewership of EAT. The network made its Standard Definition (SD) Channel 5 freely accessible to all subscribers, regardless of load, on digital satellite television from July 1 to 8.
This move ensured that even viewers in the most remote areas could enjoy the highly anticipated noontime show. TV5 also organized viewing parties across select cities and towns nationwide, generating an atmosphere akin to the excitement surrounding a Manny Pacquiao boxing match.
Social Media Showdown
While TV5 celebrated its victory in TV ratings, the battle continued on social media platforms. TV5 proudly announced that the July 1 show garnered a total of 10 million views on TV5 and TVJ’s Facebook and YouTube accounts, with a peak viewership of 500,000.
In terms of social media followers, TV5’s online presence experienced a significant boost. TV5 Manila’s Facebook page gained an additional 83,000 followers, and TV5’s YouTube channel acquired 51,000 new subscribers. TVJ’s Facebook page also witnessed a surge, accumulating 229,000 new followers, and their YouTube channel gained 9.6 thousand subscribers.
It’s Showtime
- YouTube: 3,754,596 views
- TikTok: 40,177,200 views
- Facebook: 10,166,500
- Twitter: 20,093,946 views
- Instagram: 1,119,831 views
Total: 75,312,073 views
E.A.T.
- YouTube: 2,086,421 views
- TikTok: 28,386,348 views
- Facebook: 24,472,200 views
- Twitter: 855,203 views
- Instagram: 252,823 views
Total: 56,052,995 views
Eat Bulaga!
- YouTube: 283,675 views
- TikTok: 352,226 views
- Facebook: 1,461,027 views
- Twitter: 192 views
- Instagram: 289 views
Total: 2,097,409 views
Eat Bulaga’s Struggle
In contrast, TAPE Inc.’s new Eat Bulaga faced challenges in attracting online viewers. The show streamed live on Isko Moreno Domagoso and Paolo Contis’s official Facebook pages, but each stream garnered a meager 1,000 viewers, as reported by LionhearTV.
Different Perspectives on the Battle:
While TV5 celebrated its victory, ABS-CBN Corporation did not release official data on It’s Showtime’s July 1 episode. Kapamilya Kingdom, a blog on ABS-CBN shows and stars, presented an alternative perspective.
They reported a combined 75.3 million views for It’s Showtime on various social media platforms, compared to 56 million views for EAT and 2 million views for Eat Bulaga!. These numbers were calculated based on views across the social media pages of ABS-CBN, It’s Showtime, GMA, and Eat Bulaga!, including unauthorized clips of the July 1 episode.
The Role of Social Media Demographics
An industry observer noted that the varying metrics on social media platforms could indicate a shift in the demographic preferences of users.
EAT found success on Facebook, which is primarily used by older individuals, while It’s Showtime excelled on TikTok, capturing the attention of a younger audience.
The TV ratings battle and social media showdown between It’s Showtime, EAT, and Eat Bulaga! showcased the fierce competition within the Philippine entertainment industry. As the previous TV war between ABS-CBN and GMA-7 comes to an end, a new rivalry between TV5 and the Lopez-Gozon ABS-CBN-GMA tandem emerges. The changing landscape of the media industry, influenced by both partisan politics and shifting demographics, highlights the evolving preferences of viewers and the ever-increasing significance of digital platforms in shaping the entertainment landscape.
The Daily Netizen 