GECs
Tam increases number of peoplemeters to 6917
MUMBAI: Ratings measurement service Tam is in expansion mode. Earlier this month it came out with an Elite Panel for Mumbai and Delhi. The aim is to measure what the creme de la creme consume.
Now it has increased the number of peoplemeters in the country. The number of meters have been increased from 4800 to 6917, a 44 per cent rise. The aim is to deepen the coverage to more towns.
This Peoplemeter Update marks the second stage of the TAM expansion project. The first stage was executed to broaden the coverage from 5 states to 12 states but within the existing reporting stratum (0.1 Mn+ population stratum). The second stage is to deepen the coverage to more towns within the less than 0.1Mn+ stratum for all markets covered in stage 1.
This expansion marks the conclusion of the second step of the entire expansion plan.
In addition, improvements have been made in the design to take into account the changing demographic and media landscape that results in a higher precision of the viewership estimates.
The number of cities Tam covers has grown from 73 to 151. In terms of expansion in the Metros are as follows: while earlier there were 450 homes measured in Mumbai now there are 495; in Kolkata the number has risen to 330 from 265. In Delhi it has risen from 425 to 470; in Chennai, Bangalore and Hyderabad it has grown from 255 homes in each of them to 280.
In terms of how the sample sizes across markets were determined, Tam India CEO LV Krishnan says, “A range of factors influence the sample size allocation of the overall sample across markets. These include the desired depth of analysis, availability of sufficient sample sizes for commonly analysed target groups and a desired level of statistical precision.
“While markets are analysed by two strata (1 million+ and 0.1 – 1 million) for sampling purposes the 0.1-1 million is broken into 0.1-0.5 mn and 0.5 mn – 1 mn. For the expansion, the 0.1-0.5 mn was broken up further into 0.1-0.2 mn and 0.2-0.5 mn.”
In terms of the SEC distribution, 33 per cent of the sample homes measured in Delhi are SEC A. In Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai it is 25 per cent. The representation of SEC D and E is highest in Mumbai and Kolkata at 32 per cent. At an all India level it is 28 per cent for SEC D and E. SEC A and B have a 25 per cent representation each. SEC C has a 21 per cent representation.
The presence of children was included as a new control parameter for the expansion. This paramater, Tam says, ensures that the proportion of homes in the sample with kids 4-9 years and 10-14 years matches that of the universe. In terms of new markets being introduced in the new Tam panel data, two changes have been seen at a market level.
Firstly West Bengal 1mn+ is a new market strata that has emerged due to towns moving up to the 1mn+ population bracket. Then Rajasthan, which was earlier reported as Rajasthan 0.1mn+, has now split into a two market strata i.e. Rajasthan 1mn+ and Rajasthan 0.1-1 mn.
GECs
Asianet Television Awards 2026 celebrates women power in Malayalam TV
“She is the Colour” theme honours icons as ceremony airs on March 14 and 15 at 7 PM.
MUMBAI: If television lights up living rooms, this year Asianet decided to let women provide the colour. The Asianet Television Awards 2026 turned the spotlight firmly on women empowerment with the theme “She is the Colour”, celebrating the strength, resilience and achievements of women who continue to shape society and the Malayalam entertainment industry.
The ceremony honoured several distinguished personalities whose journeys have left a lasting cultural imprint. Among them was legendary playback singer Vimala Varma, widely recognised as the first Malayalam playback singer. The evening also paid tribute to Padma Shri awardees Devaki Amma and Vimala Menon for their exceptional contributions in their respective fields.
Leading women from the Malayalam film industry were also recognised during the event, including actor Shweta Menon, who currently serves as president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists, and National Award winning actor Surabhi Lakshmi.
The awards ceremony brought together a glittering lineup of actors and industry figures, including Jayasurya, Vijay Babu, Asha Sarath, Lena, Esther Anil, Anumol, Akhila Bhargavan, Sarayu Mohan, Prajod Kalabhavan, Gayathri Suresh, Sabumon Abdusamad, Swasika, Tini Tom, Sijoy Varghese, Kailash, Veena Nandakumar, Sabareesh Varma, Ansiba Hassan and Dinesh Prabhakar. Kishan Kumar, executive vice president Malayalam at JioStar, was also present at the event.
Beyond individual recognitions, the awards celebrated excellence across Malayalam television, acknowledging artists and technicians whose work continues to drive the industry forward.
The evening also offered plenty of spectacle, with elaborate dance performances, stunt acts and comedy skits performed by popular television and film personalities, turning the ceremony into a full fledged entertainment showcase.
Viewers will get to watch the celebrations when the Asianet Television Awards 2026 air on Asianet on March 14 and 15, Saturday and Sunday, from 7 pm onwards, bringing the star studded tribute to homes across Kerala and beyond.
