MANILA - ABS-CBN, the country's largest media and entertainment company, said Wednesday it topped television ratings in March, once again beating rival GMA Network, based on Kantar Media research.

The Lopez-led network had an average audience share of 47 percent in March, 17 points higher than GMA, according to Kantar's poll of 2,610 urban and rural homes that represent 100 percent of the country's total TV viewing population.

ABS-CBN secured larger audiences in the urban and rural areas compared to GMA, keeping an average audience share of 44 percent versus GMA’s 24 percent in Metro Manila; and 38 percent in Mega Manila compared to GMA’s 30 percent.

In Total Luzon, ABS-CBN was the choice of more viewers with 41 percent over GMA’s 33 percent. It dominated Total Visayas, with 57 percent, sustaining a margin more than twice GMA’s share of 23 percent; as well as in Total Mindanao, where it got 56 percent of audiences versus GMA’s 25 percent.

ABS-CBN won primetime, earning 50 percent audience share, versus GMA’s 30 percent. It also led the morning block (6 a.m. to 12 p.m.) with an average audience share of 38 percent, compared to GMA’s 28 percent; the noontime block (12 p.m. to 3 p.m.) with 48 percent, versus GMA’s 29 percent; and the afternoon block (3 p.m. to 6 p.m. with 49 percent, versus GMA’s 30 percent.

Since January, ABS-CBN took 9 of the 10 highest rated TV programs. In March, "FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano" continued to be the country’s number one show, ruling primetime with 42.4 percent.

Following its lead are "The General’s Daughter," with 32.3 percent; "World of Dance Philippines" with 31.5 percent; TV Patrol, with 30.9 percent; "Maalaala Mo Kaya," with 28.7 percent; "Halik," with 24.5 percent; "Rated K," with 22.2 percent; "Wansapanataym," with 21.9 percent; and "Home Sweetie Home," with 21.6 percent.

As of February, ABS-CBN TVplus sold 7 million boxes since its launch in 2015. It recently added 5 new channels to its current line-up, namely the Asianovela Channel, Movie Central, MYX, Jeepney TV, and O Shopping in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Metro Cebu.

ABS-CBN also leads all media networks in bringing its content online to address the change in the Filipinos' viewing habits. It launched its new streaming service, iWant, which became the most in-demand app for Filipino iOS and Android with more than 1 million app downloads on the first day of its official release in November last year.

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