GMA-7 to sue ABS CBN

GMA-7 declared court war against ABS CBN when network officials disclosed that they will press libel charges against ABS-CBN for an "erroneous report" accusing GMA of manipulation of TV ratings conducted by the AGB Nielsen Media in Bacolod.

Everything becomes a legal battle from here. With a vow to seek the truth via the P63-million suit filed against AGB Nielsen Media, ABS-CBN declared that the network is standing by a DZMM story alleging that GMA-7 was behind the manipulation of ratings.

In retaliation, the Kapuso station will file a libel case against ABS-CBN before Christmas, Atty. Dick Perez, VP Legal of GMA Network, Inc., disclosed to the media on December 20.

In a DZMM radio report, Junrie Hidalgo said to have broadcast that GMA-7 allegedly funded an operation to bribe metered homes in Bacolod City to watch GMA shows and influence the ratings.

The report’s angle was aired as: "AGB Nielsen umamin sa dayaan, GMA Network tahasang itinurong nasa likod ng dayaan."

Atty. Perez revealed that GMA’s lawyers (BEG Law group) is currently studying their options on who to sue particularly.

ABS-CBN’s Corporate Communications meanwhile declared that the Kapamilya station is standing by its report sending the rival network to a defense stance.

Baseless

What these issues all boil down to is still the war of the networks. Television has become a battleground for ratings’ advantage. Some of this year’s biggest issues were spawned by the two sides otherwise known as ABS-CBN and GMA-7.

The Kapuso network has already given its statement about the ABS-CBN vs. Nielsen case. Rikki Escudero, head of GMA Regional TV stated: "GMA Network strongly denies the baseless accusation that it is behind the ratings rigging alleged by an unnamed ABS-CBN informant. Apart from being improbable, the informant’s claim as bandied about by ABS-CBN is also not logical.''

''GMA Networks ratings in the provinces - particularly in the Visayas and Mindanao - have not had any significant improvement since July of 2007 when it started to subscribe to the ratings of AGB. If there were any involvement in the alleged tampering of panel homes in the area by GMA Network, then its ratings there should have experienced significant increases."

Escudero further defended, "GMA does not conduct manipulative promo efforts anywhere in the country. What it does is conduct legitimate field promo activities that are not deliberately directed at panel homes but at the general television population of a certain locality. While GMA Network promotes heavily in the Visayas and Mindanao, ABS-CBN does even more aggressive and wide scale promos in these areas. GMA has been spending considerable amounts of money to strengthen its signal, expand its reach and for legitimate promos to promote its programs in the Visayas and Mindanao.''

''GMA values integrity and hardwork as reflected by the credibility of its programs and its corporate core values. It is not GMA's style to play dirty. GMA programs are preferred and trusted by viewers in Luzon, Mega Manila and Metro Manila as proven by the ratings. A trial by publicity is not only unfair and damaging to GMA Network but also to its millions of loyal viewers."

GMA earlier issued a stand detailing that the network has also been complaining certain data of AGB Nielsen. When asked how come they did not file any case against Nielsen Media, Escudero answered, "We never want to be premature in our actions. It is only in the Philippines that the ratings of programs on non-cable or free TV households exhibit a very different behavior from the cable households. Coincidentally, the Philippines is also the only country in the world where a competing free-to-air TV station also operates or controls the dominant cable company. The owners of ABS-CBN directly or indirectly operate the country’s largest cable company. GMA Network has been sending letters to AGB long before ABS-CBN's complaint and these letters show how much the Network wants to find out if there are indeed irregularities in the ratings data gathering process. GMA cited that ABS-CBN - through the dominant cable operator - can gain undue advantage because cable personnel, in the course of their work, can come across which homes AGB Nielsen has placed its meters."

A sub-plot

Meanwhile, the "hit" YouTube video of "Wowowee’s" Wilyonaryo seen as "Kita Mo" is nothing but a rehearsal done way before the game peaked to a full-blown controversy months back. This, ABS-CBN clarified to the media in a phone interview with the network’s Corporate Communications head Bong Osorio.

"It was taped long before everything started. Even before Wilyonaryo became controversial because we rehearse portions sa lahat ng klase ng games para sa blocking at para maayos. We knew about this video since last week but I personally only checked it when you called our attention to it," Osorio said last Wednesday.

The Corporate Communications head also denied insinuations by the bloggers and the video that even the reactions of the contestants were planned.

"It’s not true. The issue about Wilyonaryo has taken a back seat long ago. It’s strange for it to come out these days."

Osorio disclosed that ABS-CBN is currently probing the video, particularly the source of the "Kita Mo." "We are doing our investigation about the matter and rest assured, we will get to the bottom of this issue."

Osorio described the timing by which the video came out to be "uncanny." "Because it was posted right after Willie (Revillame, host of "Wowowee") said his piece about the case ABS-CBN filed against AGB Nielsen Media Research alleging that there were "manipulations" involved in Nielsen’s system.

"I really felt at first that they were connected, Willie’s statement and the YouTube video. Like what I said, the timing is uncanny. Even the persons involved in the issue like Willie and even Joey de Leon have moved on."

According to ABS-CBN’s camp the network people are really busy these days with their hands full with the case they filed against Nielsen Media, which to ABS-CBN, is the "real issue."

In a clear paradox, both warring networks are pushing their sides in the name of the same cause: to protect their integrity.