Some 63 of Star Plus' shows figure in The Top 100 TAM ratings chart for the week ended 8 September 2001 for samples taken from the the two main metros Mumbai and Delhi. Twenty-seven shows of Sony Entertainment, nine Zee shows and one show (Haqeeqat) from the Sahara stable make up the rest of the chart for Hindi entertainment channels.

For Star Plus, the Balaji soaps Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi and Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki following close behind make up the top eight.

For Sony Entertainment, Kkusum has now firmly established itself as the top show though weekly action thriller serial CID came in higher at 17 on the ratings chart. However, if the Mumbai territory and Delhi territory are examined individually, Kkusum was the top notcher.

Zee TV's old war horses Close Up Antakshari, Mehndi Tere Naam Ki, Koshish Ek Aasha and Amanat continue to lead the Zee challenge. Of Zee's new shows, only Kohi Apna Sa (60) and Justujoo (95) figure in the combined list. However, in the Delhi sample, Chotti Maa (58) - the Hindi remake of the Tamil superhit serial Chiththi - comes in ahead of Kohi Apna Sa (59). Other new shows on the Delhi list are Shree 420 (75) and Baazi Kiski (83). If Delhi were to be taken as generally representative of the north then the number of Zee shows in the Top 100 (20) in the Delhi list appears to indicate that Zee has a much higher viewership in the north.

Another point to note is that the show Zee broadcasting CEO Sandeep Goyal had hoped would be the channel's driver - Aap Jo Bolein Haan to Haan, Aap JO Bolein Naa to Naa - is yet to open its account on the ratings chart.

Meanwhile, as a result of the fallout of the leak of the people meters lists in Mumbai and Chennai two weeks ago, both TAM Media, which releases the TAM ratings lists, and ORG Marg (INTAM lists) are in the process of completely revamping their panels.

While INTAM's Gautam Mitra calculates that the process will take five weeks or so TAM Media president LV Krishnan refused to set a time frame for the clean-up process other than to say it was being carried out in all urgency.