NDTV India: Ready for The Big Fight

The build-up over the last few weeks seems to have paid off for Hindi news channel NDTV India. The news channel is ranked third in Hindi-speaking markets with an overall channel share of 15 per cent, pushing ZEE News to fourth place, which has garnered a channel share of 14.6 per cent. (Source: TAM Media, August 31-September 6; base population: C&S, four-plus years.)

This is the first week that NDTV India has moved into the No 3 slot after a persistent run of 13.6 per cent over the last three weeks. In week 32 (August 3-9), NDTV India had a channel share of 12.6 per cent.

Aaj Tak is the clear leader though in week 36 (August 31-September 6) with an overall channel share of 40.1 per cent, followed by STAR News, which is a distant second with 19.1 per cent. The gulf between Nos 1 and 2 is clearly pronounced as opposed to the gaps between Nos 2, 3 and 4.

For NDTV, the metros of Mumbai and Delhi as well as the states of Punjab and Maharashtra have been primary contributors with channel shares of 16.4 per cent, 19 per cent, 16.8 per cent and 16.1 per cent respectively.

Aaj Tak has an even distribution across markets with the exception of Uttar Pradesh, which is the highest contributor with a channel share of 51.7 per cent. Delhi has a channel share of 36.4 per cent, Mumbai, 37 per cent, Gujarat, 38.3 per cent, Maharashtra, 41.8 per cent, Madhya Pradesh, 43.7 per cent and Punjab, 33.1 per cent.

STAR News has peaks in Delhi, Mumbai and Maharashtra with channel shares of 22.4 per cent, 24.6 per cent and 18 per cent respectively while Madhya Pradesh adds numbers as well with a channel share of 16.7 per cent.

On the weekend, channel shares of both Aaj Tak and NDTV go up while STAR News sees a slide. The respective figures are: 16.1 per cent for NDTV, 40.2 per cent for Aaj Tak and 17.7 per cent for STAR News.

"Aaj Tak," says CR Mallikarjunadas, media director, Starcom MediaVest Group, "has established itself over the last three years. Which is why it is difficult for the newer crop to break the habit of viewing the channel. NDTV, I would hypothesise, has adopted the newsprint model, where, like weekend leisure reading, feature-led shows are pushed into the weekend and weekdays have the regular (‘newsy') fare."

In recent months, NDTV India has launched a series of half-hour shows over the weekend including the Tavleen Singh-hosted Indianama, Kamra Deke Dekho, Kashmakash and Rasoi Ke Raaz. Though feature-led, the shows do not miss out on providing information, point out executives from the media house.

Additionally, Hindi editions of the World This Week (Duniya Iss Hafte), The Big Fight (Muqabla) and We The People (Hum Log) are telecast on Saturdays and Sundays while the Hindi edition of Doctor NDTV, an interactive health show and Safari India will premiere this weekend. © 2003 agencyfaqs!