As television viewership data was released for Week 12 of 2020, which was also the first week of the nationwide lockdown, Aaj Tak — which became synonymous with television news ever since the channel wore the tagline ‘Khabar matlab Aaj Tak’ many year years ago — proved once again what does strong brand recall means.
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The channel achieved an unprecedented milestone in racing past top general entertainment channels such as Colors, Star Plus and Zee TV. Among news channels, the channel recorded 56% more viewership than the nearest competitor ABP News (TG NCCS2+ HSM Impressions 000s). ABP News jumped to No. 2 in Week 12 from No. 6 in Week 9, a pre-Covid period.
Also read: Commentary: Does it take more than a pandemic for Indian TV news to behave sanely?
The channel was the only news channel among the top-10 channels across genres.
|
Avg Weekly Imp (MN)
|
|
NCCS 2+ | HSM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Channel
|
2020W 9
|
2020W10
|
2020W11
|
2020W12
|
Growth in WK 12 Over Wk 09
|
|
Dangal
|
1193
|
1178
|
1231
|
1149
|
-4%
|
|
Sony SAB
|
689
|
715
|
731
|
800
|
16%
|
|
Sony Max(v)
|
412
|
431
|
464
|
675
|
64%
|
|
Star Gold
|
313
|
368
|
366
|
666
|
113%
|
|
Aaj Tak
|
142
|
180
|
257
|
654
|
361%
|
|
Zee Cinema
|
350
|
367
|
383
|
573
|
63%
|
|
Colors
|
588
|
600
|
600
|
526
|
-11%
|
|
Sony Entertainment Television
|
481
|
502
|
484
|
501
|
4%
|
|
Star Plus
|
645
|
633
|
653
|
472
|
-27%
|
|
B4U Kadak
|
326
|
360
|
357
|
448
|
37%
|
|
ABP News
|
96
|
108
|
156
|
419
|
336%
|
|
Zee News
|
116
|
135
|
170
|
405
|
249%
|
|
Star Gold 2
|
233
|
257
|
272
|
377
|
62%
|
|
News18 India
|
116
|
130
|
155
|
374
|
222%
|
|
Zee TV
|
582
|
605
|
530
|
372
|
-36%
|
|
India TV
|
119
|
126
|
160
|
354
|
198%
|
|
Republic Bharat
|
98
|
116
|
138
|
340
|
246%
|
Also read: Will the ad rates on TV see a downward spiral despite surge in viewership during Covid-19 crisis?
In the TG of NCCS 15+ HSM, Aaj Tak garnered 56% more viewership than ABP News.
|
|
|
| Channel |
WK12'20 |
| Aaj Tak |
532102 |
| ABP News |
340659 |
| Zee News |
337359 |
| News18 India |
305732 |
| India TV |
296305 |
| Republic Bharat |
280257 |
| News Nation |
171658 |
| News 24 |
104397 |
| Tez |
101741 |
| India News |
79536 |
| NDTV India |
48600 |
| DD News |
19840 |
The most-watched televised event ever was Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second address to the nation to announce a countrywide lockdown, which was watched by 197mn people.
During the address, the channel surpassed its own record, which was the highest recorded viewership of the live visuals of the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman.
HSM/15+/2000-2030 Hrs
|
Date
|
Day
|
Time From
|
Time To
|
Aaj Tak
|
Event
|
|
24-03-2020
|
Tue
|
20:00
|
20:30
|
12565
|
PM Address to Nation
|
|
01-03-2019
|
Fri
|
21:00
|
21:30
|
11287
|
Visuals from Attari Wagah Border showing the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman
|
Among its peers, Aaj Tak was leading by about 50% margin over the second most-watched channel, ABP News.
|
Day
|
Tue (8to 8:30pm) HSM, 15+
|
|
Aaj Tak
|
12565
|
|
ABP News
|
8053
|
|
India TV
|
7416
|
|
Zee News
|
6600
|
|
R Bharat
|
4945
|
|
News18 India
|
2819
|
In the journey of this milestone, Aaj Tak beat its own records on several occasions.
|
India /2+,Weekly Impressions Aaj Tak
|
|
Event
|
Weekly cum reach in Cr.
|
Weekly Gross Imp in Cr.
|
|
Janta Curfew/Corona/lockdown
|
24.2
|
66.3
|
|
Surgical Strike/Abhinandan Return
|
21
|
55.5
|
|
General Elections Counting day
|
18.8
|
39.9
|
|
Ayodhya Verdict
|
13.5
|
21.2
|
|
Delhi Elections Counting/Polling day
|
10.9
|
17.4
|
|
Demonetisation
|
9.3
|
11.2
|
Among the age group of NCCS 15+ also, the channel had similar lead margin.
|
HSM /15+,Weekly Impressions - Aaj Tak
|
|
Event
|
Weekly cum reach in Cr.
|
Weekly Gross Imp in Cr.
|
|
Janta Curfew/Corona/lockdown
|
18.8
|
53.2
|
|
Surgical Strike/Abhinandan Return
|
16.4
|
46.3
|
|
General Elections Counting day
|
14.9
|
33.6
|
|
Ayodhya Verdict
|
10.8
|
17.8
|
|
Delhi Elections Counting/Polling day
|
8.7
|
14.6
|
|
Demonetisation
|
7.6
|
9.4
|
BestMediaInfo.com had reported yesterday how the top three positions in terms of reach were held by news channels for the first time. Aaj Tak topped the chart with a reach of 23.8 crore followed by ABP News at 21.2 crore and Republic Bharat at 19.9 crore.
|
Avg Weekly Reach (MN)
|
|
NCCS 2+ | HSM
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Channel
|
2020W 9
|
2020W10
|
2020W11
|
2020W12
|
Growth in WK 12 Over Wk 09
|
|
Aaj Tak
|
111
|
120
|
154
|
238
|
115%
|
|
ABP News
|
96
|
104
|
132
|
212
|
121%
|
|
Republic Bharat
|
90
|
99
|
124
|
199
|
121%
|
|
B4U Movies
|
146
|
152
|
156
|
190
|
31%
|
|
Star Gold
|
157
|
161
|
166
|
189
|
21%
|
|
News18 India
|
89
|
96
|
120
|
189
|
111%
|
|
B4U Kadak
|
153
|
159
|
158
|
188
|
23%
|
|
Zee News
|
85
|
94
|
117
|
184
|
116%
|
|
India TV
|
90
|
94
|
116
|
183
|
104%
|
|
Star Gold 2
|
147
|
151
|
153
|
178
|
21%
|
|
Dangal
|
161
|
167
|
171
|
177
|
10%
|
|
Zee Cinema
|
144
|
145
|
150
|
170
|
18%
|
|
Sony MAX(v)
|
144
|
145
|
151
|
169
|
17%
|
|
News Nation
|
73
|
77
|
95
|
162
|
123%
|
|
&pictures
|
122
|
128
|
132
|
150
|
23%
|
|
TV9 Bharatvarsh
|
57
|
61
|
81
|
142
|
149%
|
|
Star Plus
|
132
|
131
|
133
|
137
|
4%
|
Info@BestMediaInfo.com
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