News Broadcasting
Southern channels continue Pay-TV viewership dominance across genres
BENGALURU: In the recent past, channels in two South Indian languages, Tamil and Telugu, have been the most watched pay-TV channels across genres, according to Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly data. There have been exceptions to this. The weeks when the annual cricketing bonanza Indian Premier League had been played had sports channels dominating viewership of pay-TV channels. Further, though Viacom18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors became the second most watched pay-TV channel in the country in the start of 2020, the Sun TV Network’s Tamil GEC Sun TV led pay-TV viewership at rank one.
Media reports from around the world stated that the World Health Organisation or WHO had declared the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on 11 March 2020. BARC data for week 10 of 2019 (Saturday, 7 March 2020 to Friday, 13 March 2020, week or period under review) of the top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres shows that Sun TV and Star India’s Star Maa were the first and the second most watched channels across genres. The duo had led pay-TV across genres weekly ratings for pervious week also.
Most watched pay channels across genres in week 10 of 2020
Five Hindi GECs, two Tamil and one channel each from the Hindi Movies, Kannada and Telugu genres comprised BARC’s weekly list of the Top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres for week 10 of 2020. There were three channels each from Sony Pictures Network India (SPN), Star India and Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (Zeel) and one channel from the Sun TV Network. Nine of the channels were GECs, while one was from the Hindi movies genre during the week under review.
The list of top 10 pay channels across genres during the period was the same up to rank 7 as compared to the previous week. Star India’s flagship Tamil GEC Star Vijay climbed up to eighth place in week 10 of 2020 from tenth place in week 9. ZEEL’s flagship Kannada GEC dropped a place to ninth rank in week 10 of 2020 from eighth rank in the previous week. SPN’s Hindi Movies reentered the top 10 pay channels across genres list in week 10 of 2020, while the Sun Tv Network’s flagship Telugu GEC Gemini TV exited the list.
Please refer to the figure below for ratings of the Top 10 Pay Channels Across Genres for weeks 9 and 10.
Most watched free channels across genres in week 10 of 2020
Enterr 10 Television’s Hindi GEC Dangal led BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Free Channels Across Genres in week 10 of 2020, as it had in the previous weeks. Dangal has been the most watched channel across genres ever since BARC recommenced publication of data in week 13 of 2019 after the implementation of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India or TRAI’s New Tariff Order or NTO.
During the period under review, three channels each from the Bhojpuri, Hindi GEC and Hindi Movies genres and one channel from the Hindi Music genre comprised BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Free Channels in week 10 of 2020. Four of the channels were from Zeel and there were three channels each from B4U and Enterr 10 Television.
Nine of the channels in BARC’s weekly list of Top 10 Free Channels in week 10 of 2020 were the same as in the previous week with changes in ranks. Enterr 10 Television’s Marathi GEC Fakt Marathi exited the list in week 10 of 2020, while B4U’s Bhojpuri Movies channel B4U Bhojpuri reentered the list.
Please refer to the figure below for ratings of the Top 10 Free Channels Across Genres for weeks 9 and 10
Most watched channels on all platforms across genres in week 10 of 2020
Dangal continued its domination of BARC’s weekly lists of Top 10 Channels on All Platforms Across Genres in week 10 of 2020 at rank 1 as it has in the recent past. The first eight channels in BARC’s across genres on all platforms weekly list during week 10 were the same as in week 9 of 2020 with a some shuffling of ranks. Two channels reentered the list -Zeel’s Hindi GEC Big Magic and Star Vijay, while two channels – Zeel’s Zee Kannada and Sun Tv Network’s Gemini TV exited it.
All the 10 channels in BARC’s weekly lists of Top 10 Channels on All Platforms Across Genres in week 10 of 2020 were GECs’. Seven of the channels were Hindi GECs’, while there were two Tamil and one Telugu channel in the list. From the networks’ perspective, there were three channels from Star India, two channels each from SPN and Zeel and one channel each from Enterr 10 Television, Sun Tv Network and Viacom18.
Please refer to the figure below for ratings of the Top 10 Channels on All Platforms Across Genres for weeks 9 and 10
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
