193 mn viewers tuned in to watch PM Modi’s speech on stimulus package

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s address to the nation earlier this week on the ₹20 trillion stimulus package and the extension of the lockdown drew 193 million viewers across 197 television channels, according to data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).

To put that in context, the 2019 Indian Premier League final had notched up 133 million viewers.

On Tuesday, Modi announced a stimulus package equalling about 10% of India’s GDP, aimed at softening the devastating impact of the lockdown that has rendered millions jobless and pushed thousands of businesses to the brink of bankruptcy.

In terms of viewership, Modi’s 14 April address when he had announced lockdown 2.0 remains unmatched, having notched up 203 million viewers across 199 TV channels. In comparison, his video message on 3 April for a nine-minute blackout in honour of frontline workers drew 119 million viewers across 199 TV channels, the announcement of the first phase of the lockdown in March had notched up a viewership of 197 million across 201 channels, and his announcement of a janata curfew in March was viewed by 83 million across 192 channels.

In terms of viewing minutes, however, Modi’s address this week beat all others, 4.2 million minutes compared to 3.9 million minutes on 14 April and 3.8 million minutes in March when the 21-day lockdown was first announced.

In contrast, Modi’s address on Article 370 last August had drawn 65 million viewers across 163 channels and the demonetization announcement in November 2016 had grabbed 57 million viewers across 114 channels.