The flagship Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) from the STAR India network continues to top the Hindi-speaking market (among viewers above four years), according to the first set of ratings under the new system.

The new system under the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) gave the channel 495 gross rating points (GRPs).

Viacom18’s Colors also held on to its second slot, with 441 GRPs. However, STAR India’s second GEC brand, Life OK, climbed to the third slot with 366 GRPs. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited Zee TV slipped to fourth, with 311 GRPs. Multi Screen Media’s Sab TV came fifth (262 GRPs) and sister channel Sony Entertainment Television seventh (234 GRPs).

The new ratings were rolled out on April 29 and represent household-level data. It cannot be compared to data released by TAM, which provides individual-level data. Also, the time frame for the data has been changed under the BARC system. The data will now be released every Wednesday and will include viewership ratings for the week ended the previous Friday. The data released on April 29 was for the week April 18 to April 24 (week 16 of calendar 2015 according to BARC system).

Hindi GEC Chart 1. Star Plus - 495 GRP 2. Colors - 441 GRP 3. Life OK - 366 GRP 4. Zee TV - 311 GRP 5. Sab TV - 262 GRP 6. SET - 234 GRP Source: BARC ratings sourced from a Hindi GEC broadcaster

In case of English news channels, Times Now and ET Now continued to dominate the charts in terms of relative market share. While Times Now commanded 49 per cent share at an all-India level, ET Now commanded a relative market share of 44 per cent (only in the six metros).