GECs
Chrome Data: Week 1 meant business
MUMBAI: Money isn’t thought to be the biggest cause of worry for no reason. At least it seems so in this case. As the New Year ushered in, it was the news about money and the ups and downs that it saw in the last year that kept the TV viewers glued to their TV sets in the first week of the year. As various channels presented the yearly round-up, the business channels took away the largest share of audiences. The business channels topped the chart in the Week 1 of opportunity to see (OTS) as per Chrome Data Analytics & Media.
The business channels across eight metros saw an increase of 1.4 per cent with the Hindi business channel, CNBC Awaaz, leading with 83.0 per cent OTS.
And considering it was the holiday season, the second on the list were the English movie channels that fared really well in the eight metros. The genre saw a rise of 1.1 per cent. Pix reclaimed its first position, pushing behind Star Movies that had climbed to the first position in Week 52. The channel got 89.4 per cent OTS.
Infotainment channels across India too saw an increase of 1 per cent with Discovery gaining 91.6 per cent. Sports channel claimed the fourth place in the OTS list with 0.9 per cent grow across India. Looks like the Ashes kept cricket fans occupied as Star Sports 1 was ahead of others in the genre with 77.9 per cent OTS.
As for the bottom four, Hindi news channel in the Hindi speaking market (HSM) saw a fall of 1.4 per cent. Aaj Tak continued to be the popular one in the genre and garnered 94 per cent. English entertainment too didn’t get many viewers and fell by 0.9 per cent in the eight metros. Star World, however, toppled AXN which premiered the much-awaited season three of Sherlock. The channel from the Star bouquet scored 82.5 per cent OTS.
In the HSM, music channels saw a slight dip of 0.1 per cent, whereas the religious channels didn’t see any change. Sony Mix with 89.2 per cent and Aastha channel with 98.3 per cent topped their respective genres.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
