MUMBAI: Broadcasters always witness growth in the viewership during festive season which leads to growth of advertising volume and revenue on the channel. Hindi GECs have the lion’s share with regards to viewership but the contribution from regional channel is also growing these days. One of the regional genre -Malayalam witnessed highest World Television Premiere (WTP) on the channels while the channels also saw 65 per cent increase in the commercial time in the Onam week compared to 2016’s Onam week.

According to BARC data, the commercial time on Malayalam channels has increased from 1273 (in 000 sec) in week 37 2016 to 2108 (in 000 sec) in week 37 2019. In 2018 Malayalam channels witnessed 933 (in 000 sec) duration commercial time. In comparison with the Onam celebrations in the past years, 2019 had the highest FCT for the genre.

This year Onam was celebrated from 1 to 13 September 2019, with the 10th day of Thiruvonam falling on 11 September, Wednesday.

The week 37 2019 also witnessed the highest number of World Television Premieres (WTPs) for a single week in the Malayalam Genre with 22 WTPs which is 47 per cent increase over Onam week in 2017 and 4 events aired across 7 days this year. The Thiruvonam day on Wednesday alone accounted for 12 WTPs across channels.

In 2016, the Onam week witnessed only five world television premiere and zero event. In 2017 the channels aired 15 world television premiere and one event. With regards to 2018 data, BARC India mentioned that 2018 hasn’t been considered as the Onam celebrations had been suspended due to Kerala Floods.

The total TV viewership in week 37 increased by 17 per cent to 1.31 billion Impressions. 9.3 out of 10 people in Kerala watched any channel on TV while 73 per cent of total TV viewing population watched on Wednesday (Thiruvonam day) alone.  Thiruvonam day also clocked the highest viewership numbers in Kerala for a single day with 233 million impressions, registering a record time spent of 5 hrs 5 mins for a single day in the market.

The Malayalam genre viewership increased by 19 per cent to 1.18 billion Impressions, led by Malayalam GECs which grew by 31 per cent. Malayalam Movies had also seen a growth of 10 per cent this week.

In Malayalam genre week 37 has seen highest growth in Youth and Kids segment which is 33 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. A double-digit growth has been witnessed in viewership across all age groups.

NCCS A continued to remain the highest contributor to viewership with 17 per cent share, while NCCS A saw the highest growth of 22 per cent. NCCS CDE saw 19 per cent increase in the viewership this year.