Back, but no TRP bang
10 Dec 2008, 0000 hrs IST, TNN
During the prolonged TV workers' strike, the TRP ratings of general entertainment channels (GECs) had been hit badly.
At that point, viewers were left with no other choice but to watch reruns. With this, channels witnessed an average drop by 35-55 per cent in primetime TRPs. After the strike was called off, the ratings increased gradually, but this time the launch of new shows has contributed more to the TRPs than new episodes of existing shows.
The launch of the new show, Uttaran, on Colors on December 1 garnered a TRP of 2.7 on the very day. This show was followed by another new programme, Jaane Kya Baat Hui, which scored 1.44 on that day. On the other hand, popular shows like Balika Vadhu and Bidaai, which were ruling the charts for a long time, failed to score as much.
"I'd lost track of what was going on and it was tough to recall the plot from the point it was taken off air. I felt that I could get back to Balika... anytime and it would therefore be better to tune into new shows, such as Uttaran and Jaane Kya Baat Hui, from episode one," says Lata B, a regular viewer of Balika Vadhu. Just like Lata, Manisha Jain says that she's happy to have lost track of present shows, but has no plans to get hooked on any new ones. "It was high time viewers got a break from these daily soaps and thanks to the strike, it was possible. I was addicted to them, but now that I've lost track I prefer not watching them," says Manisha.
And some, like Madhu and Geetika, say that they are finding it difficult to divide time between these shows. "I was missing the daily soaps badly when the strike had just begun. But over the weeks, I got used to a routine without them. Now, I'm finding it hard to make time for them. But, I still somehow manage to tune into Balika... because I've been a regular viewer since it started," says Madhu.
Another keenly-watched new show on December 1 was Aap Ki Kachehri on Star Plus. Hosted by Kiran Bedi, it had a TRP of 2.35. And it seems like it's really impressed the audience. "Rather than daily soaps, I think channels should focus on reality shows and shows like Aap Ki Kachehri — no actors, no scripts and no dialogues; it's live," says Rajani Tonk.
The TRPs of GECs have also suffered due to the updates of terror attacks on news channels. An analysis conducted between November 26 and December 3 revealed that the top GECs were almost at the same level. The graph showed that Star Plus was at 11.5, Colors at 16.3 and Zee TV at 10.3, whereas Sony had just 6.7. "Daily soaps and reality shows will be aired every day. But when something big like this has happened in our country, what would you watch?" asks Naresh B. Adds Shubha GP, "I watch daily soaps regularly and was eagerly waiting for them to return. But after the terror attacks, I am more interested in knowing the political turmoil and other aftermaths."
SHILPA BANSAL
shilpa.bansal@timesgroup.com
Bollywood
Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai
Current Affairs
Cricket
Udne Ki Aasha
Veer Hanuman
