New Witnesses: Totoong May Dayaan sa Ratings sa Bacolod

January 3, 2008

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New witnesses came forward and told ABS-CBN News that television ratings done by AGB-Nielsen Media Research Philippines in Bacolod City were indeed manipulated, as told by an informant who first revealed the information last month.

A TV Patrol World report Thursday said the new witnesses, identified only by the pseudonyms “Rico” and “Jonel” affirmed the statement made by “Gary” who said in December that metered ratings conducted by AGB-Nielsen in Bacolod were tainted.

Rico and Jonel told ABS-CBN correspondent Julius Babao that in 2006, an official of a television network approached them for their services to survey viewers’ preference with regard to TV programs.

They said that after two months, the same official ordered them to do something different. They said that the network official ordered them to find out which homes in Bacolod were being monitored by AGB-Nielsen.

“May ipinakita sa amin si [name of network official] na picture ng device kung saan inilalagay ‘yung maliit sa ibabaw ng TV saka may box na ganito kalaki. Tapos direkta na ‘yan sa telepono,” Gary said.

(The network official showed us a picture of a device. You put the smaller one on top of the TV with a box. Then the device is directly connected to a telephone.)

Asked what the purpose of the device was, the network official said that it the gadget is used to monitor TV ratings to gauge which station is on top in terms of viewership.

Jonel said he asked the network official why they were being ordered to seek out homes with AGB-Nielsen TV meters.

“Para daw magtaas ang ratings ng [name of network] sabi ni [name of official] (So that the network’s ratings will go up),” Jonel said.

Rico said that from that point on, he and the others visited Bacolod’s villages to locate homes with AGB-Nielsen panel meters. He said that they searched for months before finding the subjects.

Upon locating the homes, Rico said he and the others talked to the owners.

“Sabi namin sa may-ari ng bahay, sa hirap ng buhay ngayon dapat maging praktikal na lang tayo. Makakatulong din naman ito sa inyo. ‘Yung 500 sa allowance n’yo o sa kuryente na ninyo, pambayad ‘yung 300. Ang sabi nila papayag na ako.”

(We told the homeowner that with the hard times they are facing, they should be practical. We said that with the P500-allowance, P300 would help them pay for electricity. They agreed.)

Jonel said their job was made easier by AGB-Nielsen technicians whom they tailed from the firm’s Bacolod office.

He said they staked out the AGB-Nielsen office every day and followed the technician by motorcycle to homes where they installed the panel meter.

“Tapos magkabit ng AGB device kakausapin namin ‘yung bahay. Manang, may pumunta sa inyo tao dito, kung gusto n’yo bigyan namin kayo ng 500 manood lang ng [name of network],” Jonel said.

(After the technician finishes installing the AGB device, we’ll talk to the homeowner. We’ll tell them that we’ll give them P500 just to watch this network’s programs.)

Rico, for his part, said that aside from homes with newly-installed panel meters, they were able to convince other AGB households to switch channels.

He added that some AGB technicians also collaborated with them.

” ‘Pag nagpunta na ‘yung technician ng AGB i-ano nga ‘yung listahan ng ibang mga nakabitan ng device at ituro niya sa amin. Kapag naituro niya may 200 siya sa amin.”

(After the AGB technician finishes installing the device, he’ll give us the list of homes. If he gives us the list, we give him P200.)

Among the homes visited belong to a woman named “Letty.”

Letty confirmed what Rico and Jonel revealed first revealed to Babao.

“Manood daw kami ng [name of network] bigyan namin kayo ng grocery at monthly na 500. Hindi kami pumayag (We were told to watch this network, then they will give us grocery and P500 monthly. We didn’t bite).”

Letty said that while she did not agree with the request of Rico and Jonel, other homeowners in the area switched channels after being offered goods and cash.

According to Rico and Jonel, 11 of the 13 AGB subjects they visited in Bacolod agreed to switch channels after their offer.

Posted in NUTAM, Ratings