And the winner is... KBC 2

With Kaun Banega Crorepati-2 (KBC) promising to command high viewer loyalty, Star TV seems to have a winner on its hand. The new version of the popular KBC screening began on Friday.

Star TV gathered a high viewership of over 95 per cent, according to a study conducted by the Hyderabad-based Market Research Company (MARCH) in association with ICFAI National College (INC).

The study had 479 participants spread over seven cities (Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad Delhi and Lucknow)

According to the study, two- thirds of the viewers found the programme an improvement over the last series. For the programme's one-hour duration, only 65 per cent of the viewers had surfed the channel more than five times and 91 per cent viewers said they would like to view further episodes of KBC.

The survey covered a cross-section of viewers from different income strata and age groups. Amitabh Bachchan was found to be the main draw with his presence, voice, and body language scoring over the need to improve one's general knowledge. In terms of advertisement recall, sponsor Pepsi came a close second to telecom major AirTel.