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Ten Sports zaps male eyeballs with wrestling
MUMBAI: Its coverage of the cricket world cup may be zilch but for the urban yuppie male on the go who craves a quick fix in the form of action fare Ten Sports is the channel to log on to.
TAM figures for males over the age of 15 for SEC ABC who reside in the metros and cities with a population of over one million tell a story. It shows that despite the absence of high profile events on the channel the constant doses of wrestling have proved more than adequate in putting the competition on the mat in a manner of speaking.
For the week starting 23 February for its top ten shows the channel had an average TVR of 0.76. Its highest rated show was Smackdown with a TVR of 1.22. Raw followed with 1.01. None of the shows on the other English entertainment channels in the survey could touch 1. Count among them HBO, Star Movies, AXN, MTV and of course ESS whose attempts at Follow Through for the World Cup garnered TVRs of 0.39 and 0.36. In this context it is perhaps advisable for ESS to concentrate on building further cachet on the properties it does have rather than trying to divert peoples attention from Max with dull and poorly cobbled up fare.
Star Movies with an overall TVR tally of 0.48 took second place. The dinosaurs inhabiting Jurassic Park are still proving to be a winner with a TVR of 0.86. Arch rival HBO is some distance behind with an overall TVR of 0.34. Star Sports and ESPN are at the bottom of the food chain with TVRs of 0.25 and 0.23 respectively.
Though Ten Sports is the leader following it can backfire as Star World found out. Its wrestling programme TNA which airs over the weekend failed to shore up ratings. The show garnered ratings of 0.21, 0.15 and 0.14. Its high profile music awards show The Grammy Awards which aired live along with a primetime telecast generated a mere 0.18 TVR. That Tarun Katial and the gang have some serious thinking to do about the quality of shows aired can be gauged from the fact that the top three spots are taken up by news and filler items.
Coming back to Ten Sports the channel had its best result in the Punjab, Hariyana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh belt with an overall TVR of 3.53 followed by Gujarat with 2.19. On the flip side it is lagging in Bangalore with a TVR of 0.77. For the week starting 16 Feb it shows no reach in Andhra Pradesh. It also fares poorly in Calcutta reaching just 7.95 per cent of the males. Obviously there are some distribution hassles that have to still be resolved. Its total reach in the metros and cities with a population of over one million is 23.66 per cent. Max has the maximum reach with 80.43 per cent.
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.
