Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s televised March 24 speech, wherein he announced a 21-day nationwide lockdown to combat the spread of the coronavirus disease, was watched by 19.7 crore people, more than those who watched Indian Premier League finals.
“According to data shared by @BARCIndia the speech by PM @narendramodi on Total Lockdown on 24th March had highest TV viewership (unique viewers greater than IPL Finals) with more than 201 channels carrying it,” Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati said in a tweet.
It said that the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) had a viewership of 13.3 crore people, while 19.7 crore people watched
Modi's address on television. “According to the data shared by BARC India the speech by PM Narendra Modi on total lockdown on March 24 had the highest TV viewership [unique viewers greater than IPL finals] with over 201 channels carrying it,” Vempati said on Twitter. Over 200 news channels, including Prasar Bharti-run Doodarshan, had broadcast the telecast. The PM’s televised address on Tuesday garnered significant hits on the social media as well. The number of hits on Doordarshan’s and Rajya Sabha’s YouTube channels were half a million and 0.1 million, respectively.
Television rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council’s (BARC) India’s ratings indicate that the telecast was watched by more viewers, compared to Modi’s previous speeches announcing demonetisation or the “Janata Curfew”.
The Prime Minister's address to the nation on March 19, announcing a 14-hour "janata curfew", garnered a viewership of 8.30 crore people across 191 television channels, according to the BARC ratings.
Modi's address on abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution on August 8 last year had a viewership of 6.5 crore people across 163 channels, while his address on November 8, 2016 announcing demonetisation was viewed by 5.7 crore people on 114 channels.
Technically called the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 or SARS-CoV-2, this novel coronavirus causes the COVID-19 disease. A novel virus is one that has not been previously identified in humans.
