GEC Watch: Star Plus' numbers soar after award show

Star Plus, the leading Hindi general entertainment channel, has had a great start to 2014. The channel's annual awards property with Reliance Broadcast Network - Big Star Entertainment Awards - garnered 12400 TVTs on New Year's Eve.

Meanwhile, Colors had also aired an awards function in the first week of TAM. Aired on Sunday December 29, Colors' Golden Petal Awards fetched a viewership of 10000 million. The channel lost 5068 GVTs in the week and the loss can be attributed to the absence of a big property - Bigg Boss - that concluded on December 27.

The Salman Khan-hosted show was replaced by two fiction shows. While Beintehaan opened with 3200 TVTs (weekly average 3000 TVTs) at the 9 pm slot, Rang Rasiya debuted with 3600 TVTs (weekly average 3100 TVTs). Colors had also run the television premiere of Sunny Deol-starrer Singh Saab The Great that recorded 7700 TVTs. Two of Colors' properties found their place in the list of top shows.

At No. 3 is Zee TV that added numbers to close the week with 449211 GVTs (last week: 430836 GVTs). The channel could push two of its shows in the top 10 list.

SAB TV continues to be the fourth most watched Hindi GEC with 360843 GVTs (last week: 330358 GVTs). Its Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma is one of the top shows. Life OK, in the meanwhile, registered 323456 GVTs (last week: 323589 GVTs).

Sony, at No.6, clocked 266161 GVTs (last week: 271852 GVTs).

STAR Utsav followed with 83069 GVTs and Zee Anmol with 71855 GVTs. Sahara One stood last with 36162 GVTs.

Star Plus' Diya Aur Baati Hum retains its position of being the most watched show on Indian television with an average rating of 12800 TVTs in Week 1 of TAM. It was followed by Big Star Entertainment Awards that rated 12400 TVTS. Zee TV's historical show, Jodha Akbar gathered 10900 TVTs in the week ended January 4.

At No. 4 is SAB TV's flagship property, Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma that garnered 10300 TVTs, while Star Plus' Saathiya Saath Nibhana was the fifth most watched show in the week with 10200 TVTs.

Colors' Golden Petal Awards was next with 10000 TVTs and Comedy Nights with Kapil followed with 9000 TVTs.

At No. 8 is Star Plus' Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai with 8000 TVTs as Singh Saab The Great's premiere clocked 7700 TVTs.

Zee TV's Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke stood at No.10 with 6900 TVTs.

The figures mentioned above are approximate.

For the record, TVT is television viewership in 1000s (TVR in 1000). It is the average number of individuals in '000s that are available at any given minute of a programme/day part that is under consideration. It captures growth in TV audiences in the country in absolute numbers. The TVR system, in contrast, works on percentages.