Particle.news

Download on the App Store

Operation Sindoor Drives Record Hindi TV News Viewership, Surpassing 2016 Milestones

New BARC data confirms unprecedented audience engagement during the military operation, with Hindi news channels achieving their highest ratings since 2022.

Image
Image
Operation Sindoor

Overview

  • Hindi news channels logged 254 GRPs during Week 18, the highest weekly performance since 2022, surpassing the 2016 surgical strikes and 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
  • Television news accounted for 16% of total TV viewership during May 7–9, up from its usual 6%, as 507 million viewers tuned in during the week.
  • Daily tune-ins on Hindi news channels nearly doubled to 142 million during the operation's critical days, with 65 million new viewers sampling the genre.
  • The Ministry of External Affairs' briefings saw dramatic viewership spikes, including a 509% increase for the first update on May 7.
  • Average time spent on Hindi news rose to 60 minutes, a 67% jump over pre-Pahalgam weeks, reflecting heightened interest in real-time updates.