The viewing public was glued to their screens on the day the presidential aspirants were featured on GMA-7’s special, The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews.
This is according to Nielsen Philippines TV Audience Measurement’s overnight Urban Philippines data.
On January 22, 2022, The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews was the most watched program among the shows on television in the same time slot and registered a TV rating of 16.2%.
The opening salvo of GMA News and Public Affairs’ election coverage, ran for two hours and forty-five minutes, from 6:15 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Meanwhile, Sing Galing Sing-Lebrity Edition, Rated Korina, and Kagat ng Dilim—the three shows occupying the same time slot on TV5—had a combined TV rating of 2.1%.
TV Patrol Weekend, Pinoy Big Brother Kumunity, and Maalaala Mo Kaya on A2Z tallied a total TV rating of 1.3%.
Based on the comments of some of those who watched Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews, multi-awarded journalist did a good job in asking the leading presidential aspirants tough questions, including their stand on pressing issues, concrete plans for the country, and the controversies thrown at them.
The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews invited the five leading presidential aspirants based on the latest surveys, with four accepting the invitation: Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso, Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson, Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao, and Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo.
Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. declined the invitation, stating in his statement that Jessica is “biased against Marcoses.”
GMA-7 released a statement defending Jessica and the program, and promised to ask "questions that need to be asked."
The Jessica Soho Interviews also performed well in terms of YouTube views. Its livestream on GMA News and Public Affairs’ channel reached over 230,000 peak concurrent videos.
As of January 25, the video has already earned over 5.3 million views.
The Jessica Soho Presidential Interviews is the maiden offering of GMA Network’s Eleksyon 2022 series of election specials, It is also part of the Network’s Dapat Totoo advocacy campaign.
Viewers who missed the January 22 airing can catch the replay this Sunday, January 30, at 9:45 p.m. on Gtv.