In a non-stop season of scams, you would expect television watchers to switch on private TV stations to get the plain, unvarnished truth?
Well, think again.
Hindustan Times once again reports that the most-watched news shows between 8 pm and 10 pm are those on the state-owned Doordarshan News.
The paper reports that the 8 pm Hindi show on the free-to-air channel had a gross rating point of 1.22 for the week ending April 27—and the 9 pm English show Newsnight had a GRP of 1.14, ahead of Times Now, CNN-IBN, NDTV 24×7 and Headlines Today.
The HT report also quotes the information and broadcasting minister Manish Tiwari, who says:
“What these ratings indicate is the rapidly changing perception of viewers about the kind of television they like to watch and is perhaps an occasion to introspect for those who have made sensationalism their staple.”
Interesting if true.
And, if true, the numbers below, which also use TAM ratings, become interesting.
Images: courtesy Hindustan Times, Mail Today
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Also read: The most-watched TV news show at 9 pm is…
Lots of people watch Lok Sabha TV. Surprised?
IJR 
I can believe the HT story.
Over a year ago in sheer disgust I stopped watching the news channels’ nightly celebrations of rapes and death and misery. But just a few weeks back upon casually flipping the channels I came by the DD show moderated by Ajai Shukla and found a refreshing change in the tenor of the newscast and the discussions that follow.
Alas, Shukla has left but the show continues with much the same standard.
So the HT report does not surprise me at all.
PS. I wish someone tells the very gracious lady anchor of the show that the way she positions the laptop gives the impression that it is being used as a sort of sartorial adjunct.