MUMBAI: As the alleged rape case involving Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal and a female journalist working with the magazine unfolded last week, the focus of Indian television viewers seem to have shifted from the general entertainment channels to the news channels.
Otherwise there’s no reason for almost all the general entertainment channels (GECs) to witness a drop in its ratings in the week 48 of TAM TV ratings. It was just Zee TV that has gained with 448,553 GVTs (433,447), though it maintains its third position in the chart. Star Plus continues to lead with 548,331 GVTs (560,497) followed by Colors that has registered 478,534 GVTs (513,415).
Life OK continues to be at number four with 334,327 GVTs (335,013), Sab TV with 269,269 GVTs (308,133) is at number five. Sony continues to be at number six with 238,987 GVTs (269,332). Sahara One is still lagging behind and is at the bottom of the ratings list with 33,691 GVTs (30,429).
Coming back to the chart topper, Star Plus, its most popular and loved show in the prime-time slot seems to be losing out on viewers. This time Diya Aur Baati Hum has registered only 11,449 TVTs (12,298). Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, another popular offering from the channel too registered 7,329 TVTs (7,863). Even the viewership of Pyar Ka Dard Hai went down as it scored 6,661 TVTs (7,351). However, Sath Nibhana Saathiya managed enough to balance it out. The show registered 8,683 TVTs (8,290). The epic series Mahabharat too notched up and scored 7,170 TVTs (6,835). And surprisingly, the ratings of Saraswati Chandra too went up. It registered 5,367 TVTs (5,071). The ratings of popular celebrity dance reality show, Nach Baliye, however didn’t witness much change and registered 4,267 TVTs (4,736).
Colors longest running and the most popular fiction series, Balika Vadhu generated 6,513 TVTs (6,684), while Madhubala - Ek Ishq Ek Junoon scored 4,329 TVTs (4,749). Uttaran that has been on-air on the channel since quite some time now also witnessed a significant rise and rated 4,031 TVTs (3,645). However, Comedy Nights with Kapil that has been tickling the funny bones of the audience and has been really popular seems to have lost its charm this week and has witnessed a drop with 7,851 TVTs (8,464). The international series 24 starring Anil Kapoor has also failed to click with the audience and has registered 2,797 TVTs (3,058 TVTs). The unfolding romance and drama in the celebrity-reality show Bigg Boss too hasn’t worked too well for the channel as even that has lost out on viewers. Bigg Boss registered 5,102 TVTs (5,491).
For Zee TV, its period drama Jodha Akbar seems to have worked well. The ratings of the show notched up taking its tally to 10,182 TVTs (9,801). Its sitcom Bh se Bhade too managed enough viewers and scored 2,079 TVTs (1,650). Even the ratings of Qubool Hai registered 5,862 TVTs (5,830). The ratings of Pavitra Rishta and Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se escalated as well with 5,468 TVTs (5,043) and 5,369 TVTs (5,019) respectively. Its popular dance reality show, Dance India Dance 4, however witnessed a drop and scored 4,323 TVTs (4,666) during the weekend.
Fourth placed, Life OK witnessed a slight rise in its popular mythological series Mahadev and managed 3,312 TVTs (3,212). Even its new horror series Khauff Begins fared well in the first week with 2,539 TVTs. The ratings of Ek Boond Ishq and Do Dil Ek Jaan remained stable with 2,833 TVTs (2,834) and 1,491 TVTs (1,494) respectively. Crime-based show Shapath witnessed a huge drop and generated 3,055 TVTs (4,057). Crime-based show Savdhaan India scored 3,024 TVTs (3,035). Tumhari Paakhi managed to grab enough eye balls to take its TVT to 2,183 TVTs (1,877).
Sab’s fiction show, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah that has been keeping viewers in splits since last few years, has lost viewership it seems as it registered just 7,647 TVTs (8,856). Even Chidiya Ghar saw a significant drop and generated 2,935 TVTs (3,479). Lapataganj saw a slight dip as well and generated 1,769 TVTs (1,921). Baalveer registered 2,643 TVTs (3,293).
Almost all the shows on Sony witnessed a drop in its ratings. Even its longest running crime series CID that has been really popular with the viewers witnessed a drop with 4,600 TVTs (5,254). Even Crime Patrol managed just 2,964 TVTs (3,255). The channel’s historical show Maharana Pratap recorded 2,733 TVTs (3,054), while quiz show KBC witnessed a drop and registered 3,248 TVTs (3,738). Other fiction shows either maintained a stable position or dipped marginally during the week. Its horror flick, Bhoot Aaya doesn’t seem to entice viewers as it registered only 1,423 TVTs (1,662).
In the movie channel genre, Zee Cinema reported 253,575 GVTs (197,512); Star Gold registered 181,167 GVTs (178,122) and Movies OK scored 133,805 GVTs (127,470). On the other hand, &pictures witnessed a huge drop and scored 81,291 GVTs (112,609), Zee Anmol registered 55,524 GVTs (46,088) and Max scored 129,948 GVTs (200,508).
While all the GECs have maintained a stable position this week with only Zee TV gaining few extra points, let’s see what’s in store for the channels in the coming weeks.
