BENGALURU: Four channels from the Star India network, three channels from Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) and one channel each from Sony Pictures Network India (SPN), the Sun TV Network, and Viacom 18 comprised the list of the top 10 channels across genres for week 49 of 2018 (Saturday, 1 December to Friday, 7 December 2018, week under review). From the genres perspective, Broadcast Audience Research Council of India (BARC) weekly list of top 10 channels across genres (across genres list) had seven Hindi GECs two Telugu GECs and one Tamil GEC.

At its normal first rank in week 49 of 2018 was Sun TV with 1,027.961 million weekly impressions as compared to 995.022 weekly impressions in week 48 of 2018. Sun TV also led BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Tamil channels in the Tamil Nadu and Puducherry market and four programmes in BARC’s list of top 5 Tamil programmes during primetime in these markets based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week under review were aired on Sun TV.

Continuing on at its previous week’s second rank in week 49 of 2018 was Zeel’s free to air (FTA) Hindi GEC Zee Anmol with 849.099 million weekly impressions as compared to 874.788 million weekly impressions in week 48. Zee Anmol was also ranked first in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in the combined urban and rural Hindi speaking markets or HSM (U+R) and HSM (R) and was ranked eighth in HSM (U). The Balaji Telefilms produced soap Kumkum Bhagya was ranked first in BARC’s list of top 5 Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and HSM (R). Another two programmes aired on the channel - Mahek and Ek Main aur Ek Tu were ranked second and fourth respectively in HSM (R).

Moving up a place to third rank in week 49 of 2018 was Star India’s flagship Hindi GEC Star Plus with 785.322 million impressions in week 48 of 2018 as compared to 772.967 million weekly impressions in week 48. Star Plus was ranked second in BARC’s weekly lists of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and was ranked first in HSM (U) and eighth in HSM (R). The 4 Lion Films soap Kulfi Kumar Bajewala aired on Star Plus was present in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi GEC programmes in HSM (U) at third rank during primetime  based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat).

Zeel’s flagship Hindi GEC Zee TV moved down a place to fourth rank in week 49 of 2018. Zee TV garnered 780.033 million weekly impressions during the week under review as compared to 804.282 million weekly impressions in week 48. Zee TV was ranked fourth in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and second in HSM (U), and was ranked sixth in HSM (R). Two programmes that were aired on Zee TV- Kumkum Bhagya, and its spinoff Kundali Bhagya were at fifth and second ranks respectively in BARC’s list of top 5 Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and fourth and first respectively in HSM (U).

Star India’s second pay-TV Hindi GEC Star Bharat retained its previous week’s rank of 5 with million 750.394 weekly impressions in week 49 of 2018 as compared to 742.567 million weekly impressions in week 48. Star Bharat was ranked third in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R), fourth in HSM (R) and was ranked fifth in HSM (U). The Hindi mythology Radhakrishn on the channel was ranked fourth and fifth in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi GECs programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U) respectively.

Star India’s flagship Telugu GEC Star Maa also retained sixth rank in week 49 of 2018 with 702.918 million weekly impressions as compared with 677.237 million weekly impressions in week 48. Star Maa was ranked first in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Telugu channels in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market. Five programmes that were aired on Star Maa were present in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Telugu programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in the same market.

Star India’s FTA Hindi GEC Star Utsav also maintained the previous week’s  seventh place in week 49 of 2018 with 641.354 million weekly impressions as compared to 627.637 weekly impressions in week 47. Star Utsav was ranked fifth in BARC’s list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U) and was ranked fourth in HSM (R).

Viacom18’s flagship Hindi GEC Colors re-entered BARC’s across genres list in week 49 of 2018 with 575.390 million weekly impressions at eighth rank. Colors was ranked sixth in in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U) and was ranked tenth in HSM (R). The third season of the Balaji Telefilms produced supernatural drama Naagin 3 was ranked third and second in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi GECs programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (U+R) and HSM (U) respectively.

Zeel’s flagship Telugu GEC Zee Telugu also retained its previous week’s ninth rank in week 49 of 2018 with 545.402 million weekly impressions as compared to 599.109 million weekly impressions in week 48. The channel was ranked second in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Telugu channels in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana market.

Dropping two places to tenth place in week 49 of 2018 was SPN’s women focused Hindi GEC Sony Pal with 545.020 million weekly impressions as compared to 626.473 million weekly impressions in week 48. Sony Pal was ranked seventh in BARC’s weekly list of top 10 Hindi GECs’ in HSM (U+R), third in HSM (R) and was ranked ninth in HSM (U). The sitcom Tarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah on Sony Pal was ranked fifth in BARC’s weekly list of top 5 Hindi GEC programmes during primetime based on average rating across all airings (original and repeat) in the week in HSM (R).