MAM
Hindi GECs play in tough World Cup turf
MUMBAI: The cricket World Cup is eating into the share of the other popular genres including the Hindi general entertainment channels, reinforcing the mass reach that the sport enjoys in India.
For the three weeks since the World Cup started, the sports genre has seen a boost across the country as Indians have watched Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh bat to glory.
While it may be good news for advertisers who have put big monies on the event, it is the executives of the Hindi GECs who have had to face the World Cup googly.
GECs in the Hindi speaking market (HSM), which prior to the World Cup had a genre share of over 40 per cent, have seen a major flight of viewers to the cricket telecast.
The Hindi GEC genre shrinks from 41.22 per cent in week 6 (30 January-5 February) and 40.53 per cent in week 7 (6-12 February) to 35.58 per cent by the end of week 10 (27 February-5 March), according to Tam data. And the fall is consistent. In week 8, Hindi GEC genre had a genre share of 38.46 which fell to 36.65 per cent in week 9.
The sports genre, which was at 1.6 per cent in week 6 and 7, grew from 6.15 per cent (week 8) to 7.45 per cent (week 9) and finally to 9.45 per cent for the week ended 5 March.
In the All India market also, the sports genre has seen a massive jump. It was a mere 1.61 per cent of the whole TV viewing universe in week 6 and 1.59 per cent in week 7. However, it grew consistently to 5.72 per cent in week 8, 6.82 per cent in week 9 and reached a whopping 8.84 per cent by the end of week 10 (27 February-5 March).
Viewers are particularly hooked on to the India matches and the genre has gone up by over 7 per cent.
In the All India market also, the Hindi GEC genre has fallen to 25.91 per cent (week 10) from 29.91 per cent in week 6.
Clearly, when it comes to the pinnacle of cricket when the country‘s glory is at stake, there is no beating it.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
