BENGALURU: The Arnab Goswami led Republic TV continued its supremacy over the English News genre in week 39 of 2017 (Saturday, 23 September 2017 to Friday, 29 September 2017). The channel has been topping Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly lists of top 10 English News channels All India (U+R) : NCCS AB : Males 22+ Individuals right from the very first week of its launch on 6 May 2017 (week 19 of 2017). The Times Group flagship English News channel Times Now, which had what seemed an unassailable first rank in the genre, was replaced by Republic TV. The combined ratings of the top 5 English News channels in week 39 of 2017 increased to 2.888 million weekly impressions as compared to the 2.716 million weekly ratings in week 38. All the top five channels in week 39 retained their week 38 ranks and places, with four of the five scoring higher ratings as compared to the previous week. Only NDTV 24 x 7 had slightly lower ratings in week 39 as compared to week 38.

In week 39 of 2017, Republic TV viewership increased to 0.982 million weekly impressions from 0.902 million weekly impressions in week 38. Times Now saw its weekly impressions in week 39 increase to 0.857 million as compared to 0.791 million in the previous week and was ranked second in the list. CNN News 18 was ranked third in week 39 with 0.368 million weekly impressions, higher as compared the 0.347 million weekly impressions in week 38.

India Today Television also retained rank four with 0.353 million weekly impressions in week 39 of 2017 as compared to 0.343 million weekly impressions in week 38. NDTV 24 x 7 completed the quintet with 0.328 million weekly impressions in week 39 as compared to 0.331 million weekly impressions in week 38. In week 38, NDTV 24 x 7 had re-entered at fifth place in the top 5 English News genre list replacing BBC World News.

In the meantime, both the genre toppers - Republic TV and Times Now continued their on-air muscle flexing on their respective channels just after BARC ratings were released today after 1100 hours. Each once again showed different interpretations of BARC data to its genre leadership in terms of viewership, while accusing the other of mis-practice and unfairness. Detailed BARC data is generally released to paid subscribers at 1100 hours on Thursday and limited data that has been used to make this report to the public at 1300 hours. Since Thursday 5 October 2017 was a public holiday, the data was released one day later on 6 October 2017.