BENGALURU:  In week 14 of 2019, (Saturday, 30 March 2019 to Friday, 5 April 2019, week under review), ABP Group’s Hindi news channel ABP News climbed up a couple of places to second rank from fourth rank in week 13 of 2019 in Broadcast Audience Research Council India’s (BARC) weekly list of top 5 Hindi news channels in the rural Hindi speaking market or HSM (R).

The combined weekly ratings of the top 5 Hindi news channels in the rural and urban Hindi speaking markets - HSM (U+R) fell 8.1 percent to 626.488 million weekly impressions from 677.187 million weekly impressions in the previous week (week 13 of 2019). The fall in B ARC’s combined ratings of top 5 Hindi news channels in the respective market/s was slightly higher in the urban HSM or HSM (U). BARC’s weekly viewership ratings in HSM (U) fell 9.8 percent to 341.403 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared to 375.020 million weekly impressions in the previous week. In the case of HSM (R), the combined ratings of the top 5 Hindi news channels fell 7.4 percent to 286.988 million weekly impressions from 308.163 million weekly impressions in the previous week.

The top five Hindi news channels in BARC’s weekly list for week 14 of 2019 were same as in the previous week, except for a slight reshuffling of ranks in the individual urban and rural HSMs. The Indian cricket bonanza – IPL 12 was in its second week in week 14 of 2019. Star Sports 1 Hindi was the most watched channel across genres as per BRAC data for week 14 of 2019. However, it must be noted that the combined ratings of the top 5 sports channels in week 14 of 2019 were lower than the combined ratings in week 13.

In BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi news channels in HSM (U+R) NCCS All : 15+ Individuals for week 14 of 2019, Aaj Tak retained its pole position with 145.855 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared to 168.968 million weekly impressions in week 13. India TV was second with 131.472 million weekly impressions as compared to 141.885 million weekly impressions, in the previous week. India TV was followed by the Arnab Goswami-led Republic Bharat at third place with 120.071 million weekly impressions as compared to 131.570 million weekly impressions in week 13. At fourth rank was ABP News with 115.350 million weekly impressions in week 14 as compared to 117.753 million weekly impressions in the previous week. Like week 13, APB news was closely followed by Zee News at fifth place with 113.740 weekly impressions as compared to 117.011 million weekly impressions in the previous week.

In HSM (R): NCCS All : 15+ Individuals, Aaj Tak once again led the list of top 5 Hindi news channels with 68.718 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared with 82.703 million weekly impressions followed by ABP News with 57.631 million weekly impressions during the week under review. ABP News had 56.242 million weekly impressions and fourth rank in the previous week. Republic Bharat dropped a place to third rank with 55.828 million weekly impressions in week 14 as compared with 59.979 million weekly impressions in week 13 of 2019. Also dropping a place to fourth rank in the HSM - R list was India TV with 55.516 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared with 59.269 million weekly impressions in week 13. Retaining fifth place was Zee News with 49.305 million weekly impressions during the week under review as compared to 49.970 million weekly impressions in week 13 of 2019.

Viewership ratings in week 14 of 2019, HSM (U):  NCCS All : 15+ Individuals was also led by Aaj Tak with 77.137 million weekly impressions as compared to 86.265 million weekly impressions in week 13. Aaj Tak was followed by India TV with 75.956 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared to 82.615 million weekly impressions in the previous week. Climbing up two places in week 14 of 2019 to third rank Zee News with 64.435 million weekly impressions in week 14 of 2019 as compared 67.041 million weekly impressions and fifth rank in week 13.

Republic Bharat dropped a rank in the list of HSM (U) to fourth place with 64.243 million weekly impressions as compared with 71.590 million weekly impressions in week 13. Republic Bharat was followed by News18 India which also dropped a place to fifth rank in week 14 of 2019 with 59.632 million weekly impressions as compared with 67.509 million weekly impressions and fourth rank in week 13.