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TV viewership remains consistent QoQ, each year: BARC
MUMBAI: The latest All India Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) report studied the seasonal nature of television audience with respect to the viewership data over the past two years. BARC made an attempt to uncover some trends and insights that may be of value to the stakeholders for anticipating and formulating annual plans.
According to the report, TV viewing pattern remains consistent quarter on quarter, each year. Q2 (April-June) of the calendar year is traditionally the least performing quarter, as the viewership is seen to dip during this period. As the holiday season ends, viewership starts picking up in Q3 (July-September). The quarter witnessed a growth of five per cent in overall TV viewership from 2016 to 2017.
Q4 (October-December) is the strongest quarter of the year with respect to TV viewership. However, this quarter witnessed the least growth of 1 per cent in 2017 over the same quarter in 2016. A lot of special, festive programming occurs in this quarter in lieu of Diwali, Christmas, New Year, and hence viewership may be maxed out in this season.
The report also said that on a weekday, more viewership is garnered during a festival or a public holiday. Republic Day and Independence Day witness significantly high TV viewership, as viewers tune in to watch the live parade, President’s address, and other special programming such as patriotic movies that are aired to commemorate the occasion.
Students and the working population get an extra day off in the middle of their hectic week prefer to stay at home and relax, while on long weekends they step out and enjoy the extended holiday. Hence, mid-week holidays typically witness better TV viewership than those on a long weekend.
On the genre trends, the report mentioned that the GEC did not observe major fluctuations across the year. Award shows and finale episodes of popular reality shows are the reason for the hike in the GEC genre. The programming strategy or airing blockbuster movies and premiers or world premiers led to the growth of movie genre.
Also, a rise in viewership on movie channels is observed during Independence Day and T20 cricket tournaments. In addition to the movies genre, the kids genre too exhibits regular viewership spikes due to increased consumption of such channels on a weekend as opposed to a weekday.
The music genre’s viewership share is similar to that of the kids genre among the 15+ audience. The genre seems to be growing with an upward linear trend. In the infotainment and youth genre, the latter is stable and consistent while the former exhibits a slightly downward trend line.
During telecast of big-ticket properties such as the T20 World Cup and the ICC Champions Trophy, the average viewership of the sports genre surpassed the highest average viewership for GEC genre on a given day during the two-year period.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
