MANILA, Philippines?Soap operas continued to top local TV prime time favorites in 2007.

A study released by AGB Nielsen Media Research, a global TV ratings company, showed that more women aged 20 to 34 were drawn to romantic dramas last year.

Viewing levels in this age group increased from 13.9 percent from January to March to 15.5 percent from October to December when more soaps were aired. The group joined the sector of females aged 35 and above, which had the highest viewing levels among women last year.

An average of 5.07 million Filipinos watched TV daily.

Urban Mindanao showed the highest viewing percentage, with 550,000 average daily viewers or 16.2 percent of 3.4 million. Urban Luzon and Urban Visayas showed the same percentage levels at 14.5 percent or 3.8 million and 725,000 viewers, respectively.

The survey showed that a twist on romantic viewing took place when GMA 7 launched the local version of the Mexican hit ?Marimar.? It became the network?s first prime time soap to become a daily top-rater in AGB Nielsen?s Nutam (National Urban Television Audience Measurement) late last year. ?Marimar? peaked from October to November.

Top three

But ABS-CBN still had the top three prime time shows: ?Kokey,? ?Princess Sarah? and ?Sana Maulit Muli.?

ABS-CBN is the country?s top Nutam channel, with an 8 percent lead over GMA 7?s viewing level, 46 to 38.

Homes in Urban Visayas gave ABS-CBN a 60 percent level; GMA 7 got 26 percent. Urban Mindanao gave ABS-CBN a 66 percent share to GMA 7?s 23. GMA 7 had a slight edge in Urban Luzon, 42 percent to ABS-CBN?s 40.

?Marimar?s? ratings feat strengthened GMA?s overall lead in audience share in Mega Manila. Last year, AGB Nielsen?s Megatam or Mega Manila Television Audience Measurement posted for GMA a 47 percent audience share, from 45 percent in 2006. Audience share for ABS-CBN was pegged at 34 percent, from 31 percent in 2006.

AGB Nielsen said both channels? audience share grew at the expense of cable channels and other free channels. Audience share of cable channels decreased from 10 percent in 2006 to 8 percent in 2007.

In Nutam, ABS-CBN?s ?Wowowee? peaked March-May, with a rating of 11.8 percent. ?Eat Bulaga?s? ratings were steady at 7.8 percent on the national average.

Ad support

Advertisements of shampoos and conditioners posted the biggest number of commercial minutes. Five of the top 10 most advertised brands were in this category. Fabric care products followed in terms of commercial time.

Others in the top 10 are powdered milk, skin care, cellular phone services, fastfood, oral care, proprietary drugs, cough and cold remedies and vitamins.