Television enjoys huge popularity and trust in the Philippines: 81 percent of Filipinos watch TV, 71.6 percent watch at least once a week, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). TV is also the most used (99 percent) and most trusted (58 percent) source of political information and thus is likely to have an impact on public opinion. While free-to-air channels are most popular in the country itself, satellite and cable technologies have virtually made universal access to broadcast media possible and can reach the big Filipino community worldwide. Only 12 percent in urban Philippines actually have a cable/satellite subscription while such a subscription is geared towards the upper-class.

High concentration

There is a comparatively large number of TV stations throughout the country -- 437 stations nationwide, with 23 in Metro Manila. Still, the TV market is highly concentrated, as the four major owners ABS-CBN Corporation, GMA Network Incorporated, TV5 Network Incorporated, and Nine Media Corporation reach 88.77 percent of television audience. The result is even more striking as even the two biggest companies – ABS-CBN Corporation and GMA Network Incorporated – form a duopoly, firmly grasping an audience share of 80.72 percent. In relation, the fourth biggest player is a midget (Nine Media Corporation), reaching only 0.45 percent of the audience.