With the twenty-0ne-hour TV watching average of Filipino viewers, Television, among Print, Film and Radio, is absolutely the broadest and most influential form of Media nowadays. Thus, TV network rivalries become more intensified. Giant companies ABS-CBN & GMA , among many other local TV networks, are the two top contenders competing to be superior on Philippine TV. The top slot remains a big question and a great confusion to the viewers for the said stations were both hailed the best by different award-giving bodies this year. 2006 Star Awards for TV Best Station of the Year GMA 7 claim that they are the top local TV station for their shows garnered the most ratings than shows of any other TV station even if the quantity of awards the received is lesser than their rival’s. This year’s KBP Golden Dove Awards Station of the Year ABS-CBN, on the other hand, claim that they remain supreme for the quality of their programs harvested the most awards in both award-giving bodies even if their TV ratings are obviously inferior than GMA7. Due to the current intensity of the networks’ feud, programs, talents and other station-related projects concerning business and viewers’ welfare, become a major consideration for both station just to capture Filipinos’ hearts.

TV programs are the primary component of a TV station, that’s why proper selection of these is an enormous contemplation for both GMA and ABS-CBN. Morning shows are the day-starters for both networks. Kapuso network’s morning show Unang Hirit greets the Pinoys a louder Good Morning with its cheerful and energetic hosts compared to the composed and dull hosts of Kapamilya network’s Magandang Umaga Bayan. Although GMA’s UH has lots of “pakulos” for their audience, the completeness of a morning show goes to MUB for its fun-filled segments that educates the viewers. Targetting children’s attentions, ABS often comes up with more action-packed anime programs that only promotes violence and substances that are somehow not suitable to its audience while GMA traditionally repeats old animes that are more tedious but edifies children moral values and contributes to the their personality development. The purpose of a talkshow is to imply something positive to the lives of its viwers. This is what ABS’ Homeboy does. Homeboy chitchats with its guests and studio audience about matters in life and at the end of every episode, host Boy Abunda summarizes the whole episode with his reflections and leave his audience lessons in life. This is what GMA’s Sis lacks for it only entertains its audience through their guests showcasing their talents by song and dance numbers. Among these talkshows, GMA’s Mel & Joey tops them all for it amuses and educates viewers at the same time, but its format isn’t so much of a talkshow but a magazine program. ABS-CBN’s Sharon is also a contender for it tickles the audience with intimate conversations with the guests, leave the audience something to reflect on and entertains them with song numbers of the host at the beginning and ending of every episode. Asianovelas irrefutably altered the Mexican Telenovelas today. Although GMA claim that they are the true home of Asianovelas, ABS is the real starter of the hysteria. ABS-CBN’s Meteor Garden’s what started driving the Filipinos loco, with its very romantic scenes that frenzied those hopeless romantic viewers. But unfortunately, ABS didn’t came up with equally beautiful series, thus, making GMA7 ahead of them after airing top-rating Koreanovelas that incarcerated Noypis’ hearts. Variety shows oftentimes serve the right menus in joining Filipinos during lunchtime. GMA’s longest-running variety show Eat Bulaga has never been dethroned by any other noontime shows ABS dared to have come up. EB retains its number one spot for almost three decades now with its hilarious games and numbers and reinventions that never failed the taste of its supporters. However, today’s Kapamilya’s Wowowee goes beyond the entertainment purpose. Wowowee, though less entertaining, offers greater chances to change Filipino lives with its prize-full games and financial helps given during every episode. The greatest form of entertainment when it comes to TV programs would be the musical variety shows aired every Sunday. ABS’ Sunday ace program ASAP ’06 features jam-packed song and dance numbers grooving the Filipino viewers’ hearts out but talents of this show is nothing compared to GMA’s SOP which showcases talented artists of this generation and concert-like performances from the country’s premier concert artists. GMA’s Master Showman is a plus for the network for ABS has none of this genre. Filipinos’ attachments to telenovelas are so grave prompting both station to develop new approaches in doing such just to satisfy the cravings of the viewers. Kapuso network doesn’t take any risks in creating their primetime soaps. They often come up with well-budgeted Fantaseryes with superb visual effects and uses their popular talents so that viewers wouldn’t let go of them. Fantaseryes of GMA7, although amazing, becomes duller and duller nowadays, this is because of the super unbelievable stories mostly crafted just to tickle the mind of the viewers unlike ABS’, though cheap and the visual effects is disgusting, definitely identify the realities with the masses by using their new breed of talents which appear to be one with the people. Kapamilya lets its most-anticipated artists and biggest stars that’re well-known for their acting prowess to do the soaps that will mirror the lives of the people. This is Kapamilya’s biggest forte compared to GMA7 who has never produced a well-acclaimed soap as of its using newbies who only have the face but not the talent. However, GMA’s soaps are more fast-phased than ABS-CBN’s teleseryes which take weeks before a particular conflict ends. Reality shows are merely created to bring pleasure to the viewers with the undeniable realities of life. But GMA’s Extra Challenge brought reality shows to a higher level. With the challenges that thrills and educates not only the guests but the audience, Extra Challenge proved itself to be more exhilarating and worth-watching contrast to ABS-CBN’s Victim which format was obviously patterned after MTV’s Funk’d. Talent searches are now the most “clicked” reality show in the local TV. GMA’s ultimate artista search Starstruck is the most successful among talent searches. It has brought showbiz industry the most sought-after teen stars today. But the real talent of its products remains a big question when weigh against ABS-CBN’s Star Circle Quest’s products for the show goes for talent and not just the face. Kapamilya has already brought the country’s top-caliber young singers today due to its exciting format that trained its aspiring contestants to develop versatility which GMA’s Pinoy Pop Superstar failed to have done. ABS-CBN’s Pinoy Dream Academy and Pinoy Big Brother, two reality shows housing different people with different personalities became a huge hit than Kapuso’s 30 Days. Laughter is the best medicine, this is a proverb GMA’s gagshows and sitcoms keep conveying after reigning supreme at its primetime block. Comic shows aired during primetime weekdays by ABS have been defunked after losing in TV ratings. However, Kapamilya comedy programs today don’t just bring laughter to its viewers but also offer moral lessons regarding family and friends while GMA often don’t. Kapamilya came up with three new youth-oriented shows, each tackling different aspects of being youth while GMA doesn’t come up with any at this time. But it’s Love to Love is more romantic than today’s Kapamilya’s Love Spell and Your Song. Filipinos are well-known from being “chismosa” , that’s why showbiz-oriented chismis shows remain number one at its timeslot. Kapuso’s showbiz talkshow Startalk is a fun-to-watch program for it has various segments each delivers showbiz scoops in a manner people would want to. But ABS-CBN’s The Buzz is much better in discussing different showbiz issues because of their courageous hosts. GMA’s S-Files however, is the least among the three not only because of the hosts but with their format patterned after their rival’s. Kapuso’s drama anthology Magpakailanman is very much fast-phased making the whole story incomprehensible and disappointing the audience with the poor performances of the characters. This is very much less than ABS-CBN’s longest running drama show Maalaala Mo Kaya which showcase award-winning performances from the country’s most-admired artists and mesmerizing the audience with unusual but genuine stories. Teaching children right manners while entertaining them is what ABS-CBN’s children shows did, stories of such were appealing to children compared to the unbelievable legends played in GMA’s Mahiwagang Baul which format was apparently imitated the former’s. Educational shows of ABS-CBN were concerned in helping grade school viewers in their subjects GMA’s concern is to encourage children develop their creativity and resourcefulness. Television cannot be the most influential form of media without its news and public affairs programs. ABS-CBN’s TV Patrol features different segments, each offers informative news that suits any viewers of different age while GMA7’s 24 Oras, though award-winning, just reports and entertains viewers with their faults esp. the coughing and funny remarks of the male news anchor. Saksi of GMA, eventhough internationally-acclaimed, is less compared to Kapamilya’s Bandila which often gets an exclusive news which is an important factor in news programs. Although ABS won over GMA in a certain trust rating survey conducted by a particular agency, trust of the people belongs to the latter and that is the biggest ace of GMA news over ABS-CBN. Documentary programs of GMA is far more eye-opening than of ABS-CBN’s, this is because GMA7 documentarists are very particular to the current issues of the country. However, Kapamilya documentarists are braver for covering different hazardous stories that a media-man could do. Investigative programs are created to serve the public through airing societal problems the government only ignores. Kapuso’s top-rating investigative program Imbestigador is more courageous in condemning the government’s neglections to its people when compared to ABS-CBN’s XXX which just covers petty conflicts that occur within the country. ABS’ magazine show Rated K features different stories that delights its viewers but it’s nothing compared to GMA’s Lovely Day and Kay Susan Tayo for it helps and teaches viewers different matters of life. GMA’s 100% Pinoy whose goal is to discover different aspects of being a Filipino which can also be compared to ABS-CBN’s Noypi: Ikaw Ba’to format-wise. Kapamilya has a sports program which is a minus factor for GMA7. Kapuso’s travel show Pinoy Meets World is far more excellent not only with the jaw-dropping scenic spots of different countries but with the manner the hosts introduce the Filipinos to it when compared to Kapamilya’s Trip Kita, though it promotes patriotism, is not so enjoyable to watch because of the male hosts who have no knowledge of their job.




Station ID’s what identifies the station to the viewers. Kapamilya is very fantastic with this. ABS uses a theme that will fascinate the audience and features all its stars with a certain song that fits the theme. This is one big weakness of GMA on the other hand. Kapuso’s very poor in creating station IDs but they use their ultimate singer, Regine Velasquez just to give power to the music so it’ll overcome the poorness of the production. Each year, Christmas and Anniversary presentations of both station are much-awaited by their advocates. ABS-CBN’s stage sets are not that superb contrast to GMA’s which is definitely well-budgeted. But when it comes to the numbers, performances and stars, ABS tops over GMA because of its being well-rehearsed compared to GMA, whose performers are not consistently satisfying the audience.

Out of the camera, station-related projects are being done by both station to give back gratitudes and to reach out to its supporters. Foundations have been established to hel people in need and both station’s assistance are incomparable. GMA, however, is more vocal with the helps they give. ABS is so determined in their advocacy to prevent the housing project at La Mesa watershed for it will cause the public a catastrophe while GMA has none at this point in time.

Television is a business that’s why business strategies is a big concern. When it comes to establishing stars, ABS often guests their newbies in different shows which have large number of viewers, they also come up with projects that will showcase their newbies’ prowesses. ABS is also fond of mallshows as a resort in letting their stars reach and acquire supporters. After enlarging the fan-base of their stars, ABS gives them big breaks and when it produced a positive outcome, they will pursue giving them larger projects and discover newer ones. ABS search for future stars through their reality shows that were proven to be effective in initially establishing and enlarging the fan-base of their newbies. GMA, however, aside from their ultimate artista search, discover their stars through joining them to big projects mostly soap operas, and when the characters of their newbies became remarkable , they will start giving them larger projects that will surely make them popular. But the downside of their strategy is that, newbies never had the chance to show their real talents for GMA puts them on wrong shows. Upcoming shows of both station are usually precedent by trailers encouraging audience to watch out. However, tabloids and broadsheets already told their readers about upcoming shows of GMA and ABS.

Timeslot of every TV program is very essential. Both stations air shows according to their target viewers. GMA is very good in placing their fantaseryes
at the time their target viewers would be capable to watch. They were also good in giving the late-nite block to the news and public affairs programs to catch the attention of the adult viewers. Placing sitcoms at the time when viewers usually get fed up watching is also a good strategy, furthermore, the airtime of their talent search was perfectly placed at Saturday evening when teeners at home would love to watch. However, putting a sitcom during Sunday evening is a huge mistake for that is the time when people would seek for something entertaining as a consolation to the morrow’s work or school and consecutive air-time of soaps would be a bore to the audience no matter how beautiful the productions and stories are. ABS, on the other hand, is very excellent of airing different shows of different genres during weekday evenings, this does not bore the viewers even if the programs were not so appealing to some. Putting a gameshow after a talkshow can be good but not in the case of GKNB when people fond of intelligence are out for work or school. Placing KDOND after a newsprogram is proven to be good strategy. Airing slow-phased teen programs featuring newbies is a bore not only for some audience but also for their target teen viewers. GMA is better in show-time-slotting than ABS that’s why most of their shows garnered higher ratings than the latter’s

When it comes to the station’s talents, ABS is undoubtedly greater than GMA7. Kapamilya stars are very much talented compared to the Kapusos who only depend on their looks and popularity. However, GMA is more idealistic in creating their shows while ABS is braver in airing shows which they are not sure if it’d be a hit. Imitations of business strategies have been committed by GMA by establishing their rival’s counterparts: GMA Pinoy TV (The Filipino Channel), SBN21 (ANC), QTV11 (Studio23), GMA Films (Star Cinema) and GMA Records (Star Records) and the only thing GMA failed to imitate is the ABS-CBN’s music channel – MYX.

Comparisons have been made but the number one slot for the country’s best station is in the viewers’ hands and no matter how long this network rivalry goes, one thing’s for sure, Filipino viewers will benefit from it.