PDI keeps big lead in newspaper readership

FLYING HIGH  With Mount Arayat in the background, the Philippine Daily Inquirer’s balloon flies over Pampanga during the 18th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta in Clark Field in Angeles City. JOHN K. CHUA

The Philippine Daily Inquirer remains the country’s No. 1 newspaper, according to the latest readership survey by The Nielsen Co.

The Nielsen Consumer and Media View survey covering the fourth quarter of 2012 found that the Inquirer is the newspaper of choice of 46.54 percent of respondents nationwide who had read a newspaper the day before.

The survey put the Inquirer way ahead of Manila Bulletin (33.79-percent readership) and Philippine Star (30.34 percent).

“First, our deepest thanks to our readers all over the Philippines for making us their No. 1 choice,” said Inquirer president and CEO Alexandra Prieto-Romualdez.

“We in the Inquirer continue to do everything we can to continue to deserve the trust you’ve given us. In this latest Nielsen report, what is worth highlighting is the growth of our readers in Mindanao. Special thanks to our dealers and advertisers for their continued support and patronage,” she added.

The Inquirer led other broadsheets in Mindanao, capturing a 71.75-percent readership, followed by Bulletin (36.77 percent) and Manila Times (5.83 percent). Star had a 4.93-percent readership.

The Inquirer also topped the survey in the Visayas where it garnered a 56.76-percent readership, compared to 49.55 percent for Star and 12.61 percent for Bulletin.

In Luzon, Inquirer readership was at 38.66 percent, followed by Star (31.65 percent) and Bulletin (28.85 percent).

In Metro Manila, Inquirer readership was at 39.93 percent, with Bulletin a close second at 39.28 percent. Star’s readership was at 35.19 percent.

The Inquirer was also the broadsheet of choice among members of Classes ABC1 with a 49.72-percent readership, followed by Bulletin (36.87 percent) and Star (30.73 percent).

The Inquirer was likewise the newspaper of choice among members of Classes C2DE, with a readership of 45.23 percent, ahead of Bulletin (32.63 percent) and Star (30.08 percent).

The survey conducted in November 2012 covered 8,000 respondents in Metro Manila; the cities of Baguio, Dagupan, Olongapo, Angeles, Antipolo, Cavite, San Pablo, Legazpi, Tuguegarao, Puerto Princesa and Malolos in Luzon; the cities of Cebu, Iloilo, Bacolod, Dumaguete and Tacloban in the Visayas; and the cities of Davao, Iligan, Zamboanga, General Santos and Cagayan de Oro in Mindanao.

It had a margin of error of plus-minus 1.1 percentage points.

The Nielsen Co. has been providing various industries with advertising intelligence, media metrics and advanced analytical tools for more than 30 years.—Inquirer Research