ABS-CBN ordered to comment on AGB's plea

(Updated 1 p.m.) A Quezon City court on Friday ordered ABS-CBN Network to comment on the plea of AGB Nielsen for the continued gathering and dissemination of television ratings data. Radio dzBB reported that Judge Charito Gonzales of the regional trial court-Branch 80 gave the broadcast company five days to comment on AGB Nielsen's motion to dismiss. However, the report said the court-specified deadline falls on Christmas Day, so ABS-CBN's reply will likely come the day after the holiday or on December 26. The ratings firm will then have until January 2 to respond to ABS-CBN's comment, the report added. Last December 18, AGB Nielsen asked the court to dismiss the 20-day temporary restraining order (TRO) gained by ABS-CBN stopping the ratings firm from collecting viewership data. ABS-CBN has sued AGB Nielsen for continuing to release its ratings data despite earlier questions on their reliability, and failing to keep the identities of representative households confidential. In her ruling favoring the TRO, Gonzales said she can only issue a resolution on AGB Nielsen's request only after she has received the parties's respective comments. "Let the injunctive aspect of this case be set for hearing on January 7, 2008 at 1:30 in the afternoon," Gonzales also said in her order, adding that, "During which, the defendant (AGB) is hereby ordered to show cause why a writ of preliminary injunction should not be issued." ABS-CBN's suit is hinged on the statement of an unnamed informant who said he was hired by a third party to influence the viewing preferences of representative households in Bacolod. GMA Network Inc. on Thursday said it will file a libel suit against industry rival ABS-CBN, its radio station dzMM, and one of the radio station's reporter over what it said were false allegations of ratings manipulation. GMANews.TV is the official website of GMA News and Public Affairs, a unit of GMA Network Inc. - GMANews.TV