Ever since Narendra Modi became Prime Minister, his popularity seems to be on the rise. At least the latest BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council of India) data suggests the same. One can love him, one can hate him but one cannot ignore him. The latest BARC data suggests that whenever Prime Minister Modi speaks, the nation listens. Television viewership goes up whenever Prime Minister Modi makes an appearance on television. The nation loves to listen Prime Minister Modi, for whatever reason.
According to this Business Standard report, the broadcast of events such as the Smart India Hackathon and PM Modi Krishi Unnati Mela, between April and May 2018 aired on DD News, saw a rise in viewership by 1.4 times and 2.3 times respectively.
The viewership of regional news channels in Karnataka rose by 418 percent during the broadcast of Prime Minister Modi’s Parivartan Rally ahead of Karnataka state elections. The broadcast of Prime Minister Modi’s address during the launch of the Goods and Services Tax, the viewership of Hindi and English news channels registered an increase of 47 percent and 2.7 times respectively.
According to BARC data, during the GST launch event, female viewership increased by 123 per cent on English news channels and 239 per cent in Hindi news channels. Male viewership registered an increase of 101 per cent and 240 per cent for English and Hindi news channels respectively.
The broadcast of Prime Minister Modi’s address to the nation saw a growth of female viewership by 22 percent in English and 53 percent in Hindi, and the male viewership registered a growth of 17 percent in English and and 44 percent in Hindi respectively.
This is probably happening because of one of the three reasons:
First, unlike how the media portrays a negative image of the Prime Minister, he enjoys a positive image among the masses of the country. There is a great dissonance between what the media reports and ground reality. People love him and his popularity is only increasing. People wait for his appearance on television, to hear what new he has to say.
Second, maybe he isn’t loved by everyone, but he has been able to capture the minds and hearts of the people. They like his oratory skills, his style, the way he takes his opponents by horns, the way he presents facts, and the way he recounts stories. These make him an interesting person to listen to.
Or third, after the surprise announcement of demonetization, people are always alert and curious about what he is going to say next.
Most likely, it is the first option. At least, the ground realities indicate as much. The BJP, ever since it came to power in 2014, has conquered state after state. It has made inroads into places which were alien to it previously, and continues to strengthen itself at various levels. These are all signs of prime minister Modi’s popularity. He has moved from strength to strength, and if there is a sudden spike in television viewership whenever he speaks, one can safely assume that it is because people want to hear what the Prime Minister has to say. Unlike what news channels peddle throughout the day, people particularly enjoy these moments of truth every once in a while.