Sony drops to 6th on ratings list

Star India's Star Plus continues its leadership position in pecking order of GEC ratings

After just two weeks at the fourth position on the ratings chart, Multi Screen Media (MSM)’s flagship general entertainment channel (GEC) Sony Entertainment Television has slipped two slots to number six. While STAR India’s second GEC brand, Life OK, reclaimed the fourth spot on the charts, MSM’s SAB TV was fifth.

Star Plus continued its leadership position in the GEC rankings, while Zee TV and Colors stood second and third, respectively, for the week ended September 6.

Two weeks earlier, Sony Entertainment had climbed to the fourth position, riding on the launch episode of Kaun Banega Crorepati and sustained viewership through the week. At that time, analysts had cautioned the show had a history of good launches and a fall in viewership in ensuing weeks.

The show, anchored by Amitabh Bachchan, lost 549 TVT (television viewership in thousands) during the week ended September 6.

Adding to the channel’s woes, four other shows in the primetime band also recorded a fall in viewership, with Adaalat being the only exception (it gained 2,618 TVT to stand at 3,766 TVT during the week). The channel also launched a new show, Hum Hai Na, which premiered with average weeknight rating of 3,181 TVT.

During the week, SET and Zee TV were the only GECs among the top six to lose viewership.

Star Plus, which lost viewers for some of its top shows through the past two weeks, managed to regain some. The channel is seeing a gradual content revamp, which started with the introduction of Airlines (replacing the mythology serial Mahabharat) and the launch of India’s Raw Star, aired on Sundays. Viewership for the show, anchored by singer and composer Yo Yo Honey Singh, marginally fell to 4,316 TVT.

Zee TV’s Kumkum Bhagya was the top rated show on TV during the week (8,593 TVT), followed by Jodha Akbar on the same channel (8,131 TVT). Saathiya Saath Nibahana on Star Plus (8,016 TVT) was at the third spot.