STAR remains steady, but MAX is down

MAX climbed up the ratings chart in the February 9-15 week owing to the telecast of the Cricket World Cup; but into the second week of the once-in-four-years extravaganza, the story seems to be different. From a heady score of 21 entries in the opening week, the events and movies channel is down to 11 spots in the week of February 16-22, according to the TAM C&S Top 100. The leader of the pack is the India-Zimbabwe one dayer telecast on February 19, attracting a TVR of 10.0 and a ranking of No 4. The same match comes in at No 6 with a score of 9.8. However, the former was during the period when Zimbabwe was at the crease and the latter when India was batting.

The South Africa-New Zealand and Pakistan-England league matches telecast on February 16 and 22 were the other top grossers for the channel attracting TVR scores of 6.4 (South Africa-New Zealand, when the latter was batting), 5.8 (Pakistan-England, when the former was batting), 4.9 (Pakistan-England, when the latter was batting) and 4.4 (South Africa-New Zealand, when the latter was at the crease) while the February 19 telecast of Extraa Innings was ranked No 37 with a score of 3.9.

STAR Plus retained its dominating position with a total of 52 spots in the Top 100. The run of K continued with the February 17 episode of Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki at No 1 with a score of 10.7, followed by the February 17 and 19 episodes of Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi at 10.6 and 10.0 respectively.

The Top 10 incidentally is replete with STAR shows except for positions 4 and 6 when MAX breaks in. At No 5 is the February 18 episode of Kyunki with 9.8 followed by the February 17 episode of Des Mein Nikla Hoga Chand with 9.2, the February 19 and 18 episodes of Kahaani with 9.1 and 8.8 and the February 20 episode of Kyunki with 8.6.

Interestingly MAX's gain is SET's loss. The general entertainment channel from Sony Entertainment Television seems to have been hit hard due to cricket with merely two entries in the Top 100. Balaji soap Kkusum is the top TVR grosser for Sony with the February 20 and 18 attracting scores of 3.1 (No 65) and 2.6 (No 79) respectively.

ZEE has a lone entry in Thursday Premiere 16th December (telecast on February 20) standing at No 91 with a score of 2.3, while sister channels SUN and Gemini continue to lock horns down south (though the disparity is huge) with a total of 26 and 8 shows respectively.

The TVR grosser for SUN is the February 21 episode of Tamil serial Annamalai (telecast at 9.30 pm) with 3.9 (No.38) followed by the February 18 episode of daily serial Metty Oli (telecast at 7.30 pm) with 3.7 (No 43) and the February 21 episode of soap Alaigal (telecast at 9.00 pm) at 3.7 (No. 44). In fact, the first 14 positions for SUN are occupied by these three serials (Annamalai, Metty Oli and Alaigal) reminiscent of K-trio, Kyunki, Kahaani and Kasauti Zindagi Kay on STAR Plus.

Gemini has the bankable Telugu serial Ninne Pilladata (telecast at 8.00 pm) in the lead with 2.5 (episode as on February 20) and ranked at No 82 while Kkalavaari Kkodalu (also a soap, telecast at 10.00 pm) stands at No 84 with 2.5 (episode as on February 20). © 2003 agencyfaqs!