Arnab Goswami’s recently launched Republic TV got the nation hooked in its debut week and became the most-watched news channel with 2.11 million impressions, 84.4% higher than that of Goswami’s former employer Times Now, for the week ended 12 May.
According to data released by Barc (Broadcast Audience Research Council) India on Thursday, Republic toppled Times Now (in week 19 of 2017), which had ruled the television charts for the first 18 weeks of 2017. Impressions, also known as television viewership in thousands (TVT), refer to the number of individuals in thousands of a target audience who viewed an event, averaged across minutes.
“I feel blessed with the love, support and the massive viewership that Republic TV has received. It reaffirms my faith that people watch what they find credible. I am deeply grateful to the people of this country for making Republic TV, the number one news channel in India,” said Goswami in a statement.
In addition, Republic, on Twitter, claimed that this is the first time in Indian television history that a new channel became number one in its debut week.
Times Now, run by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (BCCL), had garnered 1.14 million impressions between 6 May and 12 May, followed by New Delhi Television Ltd-owned NDTV 24x7 which recorded 0.35 million impressions.
Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV topples Times Now in debut week: Barc data - Livemint
