Digital Ratings – The Atiq Ahmed Shoot out

The seductive concurrence of Law, Crime and TV NEWS: As the time ran out on the famed mafia raj from the local boroughs of Prayagraj, the NEWS broadcasting industry once again reigned tall by cashing on the exclusive tidings of this sensational story!

The hell froze over!!

Such were the events that unfolded before our screens on 15th April i.e., Saturday at 10.30 pm during week-16. We witnessed a grizzly shootout, a live execution, and a post murder surrender – all within a span of first 24 hours! It had all the ingredients required to create a captivating stream of audience that can come as rare as hen’s teeth. Media frenzy was the most expected outcome, and TV News swiftly turned its attention to churning as many segments as possible from these sensational tidings.

Ever since the assassination of Atiq Ahmed and his brother that was broadcast live on 15th April, the News has constantly aired back-to-back segments featuring this very contentious event. In fact, the footage – showing the walk of two convicts from the police van till the moment when they were shot dead at point blank range – has probably become the highest viewed sensation ever on Indian news screens.

One key driving force emerges from the changes enacted back in 90s post the liberalization of Indian economy. The resulting economic reforms gave way to the privatization of News channels’, thereby allowing more players to enter the free-market reign unburdened by any centralized power or authority over its content format. The second driving force is the content itself that showed double- murders of two famed gangsters against the backdrop of a highly contested political landscape.

As per Chrome Digital Track, the news genre saw a substantial rise in their viewership between 10:30 pm to 11:30 pm. The hike was witnessed around 10:40 pm mark post which it saw a gradual increase in its concurrent views till the end of the segment. Aaj Tak was the top gainer by reaching 4,77,982 concurrent viewers at peak viewing times. Zee News and Republic Bharat followed in second and third ranks with both channels reaching their peak towards the end at 1,44,062 and 89,052 concurrent views respectively.

The TV news, as many are aware, is yet another hungry beast that feed on any stories exuding action, crime or horror. And when a story finally comes around that bends all elements, as rare as they may be, the audience will explicitly savor it with equal passion as any new-age thrillers. In this case too, TV News was generously rewarded with renewed viewers’ interest and blinding ratings score!!

(We got this information in a press release).