19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Operation Sindoor boosts TV news viewership to 507 million in week 18
Television news viewership in India rose sharply during the week of 3 to 9 May, coinciding with 'Operation Sindoor', a military operation conducted by the Indian armed forces against terrorist hideouts in Pakistan.
According to
Broadcast Audience Research Council
(BARC) India, a total of 507 million viewers tuned in to news content during this period—the highest weekly total since 2022, when data tracking resumed.
From 7 to 9 May, news accounted for 16% of all television viewing, a notable increase from its usual 6% share. The data suggests that during major national events, television continues to serve as a primary source of information for a large section of the population.
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Hindi news channels
recorded 254 Gross Rating Points (GRPs) during the week, surpassing viewership figures recorded during previous significant events such as the 2024 Lok Sabha election results and various state election outcomes among Hindi Speaking Market (HSM) audiences aged 2 and above.
Viewer engagement also rose considerably. The average time spent watching Hindi news increased to 60 minutes—a 67% rise compared to the weeks prior to the
Pahalgam terror attack
.
Live Events
The genre's share of total TV content rose from 3% to 13% over the three key days of
Operation Sindoor
. Among viewers aged 15 and above, the share rose from 4% to 15%, surpassing levels seen during the 2016 surgical strikes.
Marked spikes in viewership were noted during official briefings by the
Ministry of External Affairs
. The first briefing on Wednesday morning led to a 509% increase in viewership compared to earlier weeks. The briefings on Thursday and Friday saw rises of 125% and 242%, respectively.
The week also brought in 65 million new viewers to Hindi news channels—individuals who had not watched news content in the preceding month. Daily tune-ins nearly doubled during the peak days of the operation, rising from 73 million to 142 million.
BARC India, the industry body responsible for television audience measurement, stated that the data highlights television's enduring role as a trusted medium for information during national developments. The organisation runs the world's largest TV measurement system, covering over 57,000 households across the country.
