ANNOYING: On the road, which means at least five hours daily in a 24-hour cycle (thanks to traffic), I tune in 99 percent of the time to three AM radio stations to keep track of the news on the go.

Lately, however, I have been annoyed by the incessant insertion of lengthy statements of ABS-CBN and GMA-7 on their market rivalry and alleged TV rating manipulation. I feel being robbed of valuable time.

I strongly urge both parties to keep their quarrel out of the airlanes and settle it within the industry and the courts.

What are they quarreling about in the first place? I asked a broadcast friend to wrap it up for me and here is part of what she reported back:

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TRADING CHARGES: ABS-CBN filed a P63-million lawsuit against survey firm AGB Nielsen in relation to the alleged ratings manipulation in Bacolod. This, however, was dismissed by the Quezon City Regional Trial Court for being premature.

GMA Network filed a P15-million libel case against ABS-CBN, including some of its officers and talents, for reporting in its TV and radio programs that GMA was responsible for the alleged TV ratings manipulation in Bacolod.

Some TV sets of selected households in targeted areas are equipped with meter devices that tell a survey group to what program the set is tuned when it is switched on. This simplifies the survey, but now there are charges of manipulation.

ABS-CBN reported that AGB Nielsen's Ms Maya Reforma had admitted that GMA was behind the alleged ratings manipulation. As there was no such claim in Reforma's affidavit, GMA concluded that her statements were distorted.

GMA complains that the repeated airings of Reforma's statements show an “orchestrated, scripted, and intentionally perpetrated act that is obviously intended to defame and ridicule GMA Network.”

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PROMO EXPLAINED: GMA Network said it has been spending a lot of money to improve its signal and reach throughout the country.

It added that its regional promotional activities are legitimate and not targeted at AGB Nielsen panel homes, but rather to the general population. The objective, it said, is to reach as many viewers to introduce GMA and its programs to the local audience.

Most of its promo activities are done in Cebu, Iloilo and Davao where GMA has originating stations. This is aggressively advertised via TV, radio, print and on-ground for maximum awareness in each locality.

GMA said its house-to-house promo was never conducted in Bacolod, where its activities were limited to participation in the Masskara festival.

ABS-CBN, with its over 20 regional stations nationwide (including one in Bacolod City), is also reported to be aggressive in its promotional activities in the provinces.

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METER DEVICES: Mark Dumago (ABS-CBN's informant) claimed that he and his team spotted in Bacolod around 89 meter devices. Statistics have it that Bacolod City TV homes account for 7.9 percent of total TV homes in urban Visayas and 1.5 percent in urban Philippines.

Based on projections/estimates derived from the 2000 NSO Census of Population and Housing, and the 1995-2000 Growth Rate by Area from the AC Neilsen Phil. Factbook 2000, Proportion of TV Ownership, GMA said there should be around 32 meters in Bacolod, not 89.

There has been reportedly no substantial ratings movement for both GMA and ABS-CBN in urban Visayas for the past six months.

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CABLE DOMINANCE: On Jan. 10, GMA asked the court to order the other network from repeating over ABS-CBN's radio and television outlets the statements complained of by GMA on the alleged manipulator in Bacolod, Cebu, Davao, and Iloilo and elsewhere.

Then on Jan. 11, ABS-CBN's informant Mark Dumago revealed his face in an interview on TV Patrol of ABS-CBN.

Other informants from Cebu, Davao and Iloilo were also interviewed on ABS-CBN programs, but with their faces blurred. Apparently, the alleged ratings manipulation was not confined to Bacolod.

In this country, btw, there is a big difference in the ratings of TV programs among non-cable (or free TV) households and cable households.

The ratings of the same GMA programs are so low in cable but are so high in non-cable. This only happens to GMA and not with ABS-CBN programs.

An apparent explanation is that the Philippines is the only country where a competing free-to-air TV station operates or controls the major cable company. The owners of ABS-CBN directly or indirectly operate the country's largest cable company.

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DTI ACTION: AGB Nielsen has filed an indirect contempt charge against ABS-CBN, complaining that the network distorted the meaning of a Temporary Restraining Order of the court.

AGB Nielsen's Data Review on the panel intervention issue released on Jan. 15 showed that ABS-CBN also contacted metered homes during their promo activities in the Visayas and Mindanao.

Promo offers allegedly included P300 cash monthly plus groceries in exchange for loyal viewing of ABS-CBN shows.

Meanwhile, the Department of Trade and Industry filed administrative charges against ABS-CBN after finding alleged irregularities in the Wilyonaryo segment of the Wowowee show in August 2007. Show host is Willie Revillame.

But the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas cleared Wowowee and its host of charges of cheating. It concluded that no cheating occurred and that the controversial game result was due to a design flaw in the game paraphernalia used.

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