There is no way of verifying a graphic circulating on Facebook claiming that the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas presidential forum recorded only under 600,000 views in 24 hours compared to the SMNI presidential debate’s more than 5.5 million views in 12 hours.
Facebook page Kinigtot TV, which posted the claim on March 1, failed to cite the sources of the figures it provided for the KBP forum held Feb. 4.
The page said:
This is the 12 hours total views of SMNI News Presidential Debate when the four VP Leni Robredo Isko Moreno Domagoso Manny Pacquiao Ping Lacson were absent. Versus KBP 1 day total views wherein the four were present and BBM was also absent.
The infographic clearly identified Facebook and YouTube as the sources of the views, comments and likes for the livestreams of SMNI’s Feb. 15 presidential debate.
For example, it recorded the livestream views for SMNI News on YouTube at 1,312,010, SMNI News on Facebook at 1,608,765, DZAR on Facebook at 1,606,185, and The Manila Times on Facebook at one million, or a total of 5,526,960 views.
DZAR and The Manila Times were partners of the SMNI debate.
But Kinigtot TV omitted to indicate from which platforms it derived the figures for the KBP forum. It simply listed the views for TV5 at 37,425, News5 at 63,729, ABS-CBN at 403,003, Rappler at 26,978, One News at 14,100, One PH at 6,856, and Net25 at 16,638 for a total of 568,729.
A check by FactRakers showed, for example, ABS-CBN’s livestream on YouTube had more than 1.5 million views.
The post also incorrectly included Rappler in its list. The news website did not livestream the event; it ran a panel discussion after the broadcast.
As well, the KBP forum was aired by over 300 KBP stations nationwide via radio, TV broadcast or livestreams on Facebook and YouTube, which the Facebook page failed to mention. These include The Philippine Star, CNN Philippines, Bombo Radyo Philippines and Radyo Pilipinas.
FactRakers asked Kinigtot TV for the sources of its figures but did not get a response as of writing.
Five presidential aspirants attended the KBP forum: Vice President Leni Robredo, senators Panfilo Lacson and Manny Pacquiao, Manila Mayor Isko Moreno and labor leader Leody De Guzman.
Ferdinand Marcos Jr. skipped the KBP forum but attended the SMNI debate hosted by the Apollo Quiboloy-owned network along with De Guzman, former Palace spokesman Ernesto Abella and former Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales. Quiboloy has endorsed Marcos’ candidacy.
As of March 8, the post has generated 777 reactions, 81 comments and 77 shares on Facebook. (JV)