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Women contribute significantly to Hindi news viewership: BARC
MUMBAI: The ongoing FICCI Frames 2018 saw a session titled ‘The Future of TV’ wherein Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta laid down numbers and research to indicate that the future of television is bright. Contrary to general perception, BARC research shows that women made a significant contribution to the Hindi news genre in 2017.
During the time of demonetisation in 2016 and during week 45, the viewership ratings grew by 56 per cent with the overall 52 per cent male viewership and 62 per cent female viewership. Meanwhile, on 31 December when the news Rastra Ke Naam Sandesh was being aired, the viewership grew by 3.5 times.
The viewership also grew by 3.2 times during the UP elections, whereas the Gujarat/Himachal Pradesh elections garnered fewer eyeballs. Dasgupta states that Hindi content rules television. Hindi general entertainment channels (GEC) had reached 499 million in a week in 2017. Hindi movies, music, news and kids among others garnered positions reaching up to 471 million, 319 million, 309 million and 255 million viewers each week respectively in 2017.
The catch as to why Hindi content is highly watched is because viewers are dazzled by the lavish and ‘feel good’ settings. Mahasangams grab more eyeballs than marriages and jail tracks in GECs. Such topics boost viewership by 20 per cent over the previous one. Marriage and jail tracks lead to 13 per cent and 15 per cent hike in the ratings respectively.
An interesting aspect was that total viewership during festival holidays saw higher spike in the Southern market while the Hindi market maintains stability. On public holidays, viewership shoots up in both regions.
He also drove out misconceptions about who is responsible for the low depths low depths to which news TV in India has sunk. Journalists drive ratings with 25 per cent contribution, business heads or owners with 33 per cent and the viewers with 42 per cent. It clearly indicates that the viewers are the driving force for the decrease in viewership.
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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.
