GECs
Star Plus leads GEC urban in BARC week 47
MUMBAI: Star Plus climbed to the third position from sixth position as compared to the previous week in the Hindi (U+R) genre in Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data for week 47 of 2018. Star Utsav and Sony Pal interchanged their second and third positions as compared to the previous week in the rural market. Star Plus emerged as the leader this week by pushing down Sony Entertainment Television to second position in the urban market.
Hindi GEC (U+R)
Zee Anmol and Star Bharat retained their first and second positions with 839585 impressions ‘000s and 759104 impressions ‘000s respectively. Star Plus climbed to the third position from sixth position as compared to the previous week with 707398 impressions ‘000s. Star Utsav jumped to fourth position from third position with 706312 impressions ‘000s. Zee TV retained its fifth position with 686850 impressions ‘000s.
Sony Pal, Colors, Sony Entertainment Television, Dangal TV and Sony Sab stood at sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively with 600897 impressions ‘000s, 600118 impressions ‘000s, 594133 impressions ‘000s, 445579 impressions ‘000s and 431762 impressions ‘000s respectively.
Hindi Rural GEC
Zee Anmol retained its first position with 684717 impressions ‘000s. Star Utsav and Sony Pal interchanged their second and third positions as compared to the previous week with 491473 impressions ‘000s and 428004 impressions ‘000s respectively.
Star Bharat, Dangal TV, Rishtey, Zee TV, Big Magic, Star Plus and Colors continued to be on fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively with 386806 impressions ‘000s, 349965 impressions ‘000s, 274430 impressions ‘000s, 267118 impressions ‘000s, 246805 impressions ‘000s, 211446 impressions ‘000s and 188088 impressions ‘000s.
Hindi Urban GEC
Star Plus emerged as the leader this week by pushing down Sony Entertainment Television to second position with 495952 impressions ‘000s and 446561 impressions ‘000s respectively. Zee TV and Colors stood at third and fourth positions respectively with 419733 impressions ‘000s and 412030 impressions ‘000s.
Star Bharat, Sony Sab, Star Utsav, Sony Pal, Zee Anmol and &TV retained their fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth positions respectively with 372298 impressions ‘000s, 315458 impressions ‘000s, 214839 impressions ‘000s, 172893 impressions ‘000s, 154868 impressions ‘000s and 114770 impressions ‘000s.
GECs
Pocket FM partners with Indian Open Pickleball 2026
Audio platform joins forces with major tournament to engage young fans.
MUMBAI: Pocket FM just served up a perfect partnership because when audio storytelling meets pickleball’s fast-paced rallies, even the sidelines start listening. Pocket FM, the world’s largest audio series platform, has announced a strategic partnership with Indian Open 2026, one of India’s biggest pickleball tournaments organised by Global Sports in Hyderabad in association with Pickl’Out and Crosscourts Sports Club.
The collaboration brings Pocket FM’s immersive storytelling to one of the fastest-growing emerging sports in India. Pickleball, known for its accessibility, energy and strong community appeal, is rapidly attracting younger, digitally savvy audiences making it an ideal platform for Pocket FM to deepen its cultural relevance.
Under the partnership, Pocket FM will enjoy extensive on-ground and digital visibility throughout the tournament, which begins on 1 April 2026. This includes centre court branding, venue-wide presence, presenting rights for select matches, player lounge branding, team jersey integration, and strong integration across live streaming and social media.
Pocket FM, SVP and global head for brand marketing and partnerships Vineet Singh said, “Pickleball is building a strong connection with young and engaged audiences in India. This partnership allows us to connect with people in a meaningful way through strong on-ground presence and digital visibility.”
Global Sports and Indian Open 2026, founder Hemal Jain added, “Partnering with Pocket FM adds an exciting new dimension to the experience. As a brand that has built deep resonance with young audiences, Pocket FM is a strong fit for the energy and ambition of this tournament.”
The move reflects Pocket FM’s continued strategy of aligning with emerging passion points and building deeper engagement with communities driven by competition and shared experiences.
In a country where sports and stories often collide, Pocket FM isn’t just sponsoring a tournament, it’s turning every rally into a narrative, proving that the best audio moments sometimes happen when the paddle meets the ball.
