Coronavirus lockdown pushes up television viewership to record levels

37 per cent jump in weekly viewing minutes; Ramayana top-rated weekend show

Viewers in India spent more time in front of their television sets during the first full week of the lockdown between March 20 and 27, data from the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), released on Thursday shows, pointing to the seminal trend of the idiot box being a key source of entertainment and news to many in the country.

This comes despite time spent on smartphones growing 12 per cent in the week under review versus the period prior to the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) outbreak. Smartphone users spent almost 3.8 hours daily on their devices during the lockdown, but this number