When asked to mention the “most credible” news reader team on television, 45.6 percent of respondents cited ABS-CBN TV Patrol as against the 41.2 percent that cited the team of 24 Oras of GMA Network Inc.

Ten percent of respondents chose ABC Development Corp.’s Aksyon TV as having the third most credible news reader team on television. The fourth is Studio 23’s, also of ABS-CBN.

Other teams cited were Iba-Balita (1.6 percent) and NBN 4’s News on Four and QTV 11’s GMA News TV (0.8 percent apiece). Both RPN 9’s Newswatch and IBC 13’s IBC Express Balita posted “nil,” based on the data that were gathered, the survey said.

“The credibility of television news programs and news readers was put to a test in this latest randomized and stratified survey by StratPolls where the country’s top two network giants—ABS-CBN and GMA 7—came out as the top contenders with ABC TV 5 coming as poor third,” StratPolls said.

The StratPolls’s survey covered the period April 25 to 29, 2011, using a randomized and stratified sample base of 250 respondents in the National Capital Region, according to executive director Alfredo S. Sureta Jr.

StratPolls estimate that four out of 10 (or 42 percent of respondents) television viewers in the NCR said they get their news on television three to five times a week. Thirty-six percent of the respondents said they watch early-evening television news more frequently at five times a week even as 21 percent mentioned a frequency of viewing of once to three times a week.

Out of the five cities in NCR covered by the “recall-type” poll, TV Patrol posted strongly in Quezon City with 54 percent (versus 32 percent for 24 Oras) and in Pasay City with 48 percent (versus 40 percent for 24 Oras).

“Interviews with the samples were done by phone, the standard norm in the US and EU,” Sureta added.

He explained that the recall-type method “differs from coincidental and metered viewership surveys.”

“Recall method relies on ‘top-of-the-mind’ answers from the respondents,” he said.

The poll has a margin of error of 5 percent, more or less, Sureta added.

ABS-CBN’s team for TV Patrol, which is aired an hour daily Monday to Friday beginning 6:30 p.m., includes former Vice President Noli de Castro, Ted Failon, Korina Sanchez and Gretchen Fulido (Star Patrol). Weekend anchors are Alex Santos and Bernadette Sembrano.

GMA 7’s 24 Oras, which is also aired on the same time and frequency, features Mel Tiangco, Mike Enriquez, Pia Guanio; Pia Archangel, Jiggy Manicad, Luanne Dy and Grace Lee.

Nearly 90 percent (86.8 percent) of the respondents chose de Castro as top TV news anchor. He is followed by Enriquez and Tiangco, garnering 84.2 percent each of the total respondents.

Of the top ten choices, ABS-CBN and GMA had four news readers cited, while two came from ABC 5.

Anthony Taberna of ABS-CBN’s Radyo Patrol occupied the 10th place above Sembrano and Raffy Tima at 11th and 12th, respectively.

Angelique Lazo brings up the rear at 22nd place of the most credible news readers on television chosen by respondents.

More than half of the respondents (or 54 percent) in Quezon City chose ABS-CBN when asked the question, “Which television station do you trust the most for news Monday to Friday?” About half of the respondents in Makati City said it’s GMA 7 for them.

ABC TV 5’s Aksyon TV seems to have a fan base in Manila, with 14 percent of respondents there choosing the news program more than those in the other four survey areas in the NCR, namely, Las Piñas, Makati, Parañaque and Quezon City.

StratPolls’ survey reveals more women respondents chose TV Patrol, while more men opt for 24 Oras.

About 21 percent of respondents who said they are unemployed chose TV Patrol, while 20 percent said it was 24 Oras. About 38 percent who said they are married also cited ABS-CBN’s news program.

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In Photo: ABS-CBN’s TV Patrolteam includes former Vice President Noli de Castro, Ted Failon, Korina Sanchez. ABS-CBN Corporate Communications Division. (Ryan Ramos)

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