MUMBAI: Music channel etc, which ventured into religious and alternative healing territory recently, has claimed a whopping 56 per cent channel share in the Hindi belt during the otherwise lean morning hours viewership.

The channel that begins the day with dedication to sacred activities and spiritualism through the Religious Hour devoted to the sermons, songs and preaching of different religions claims to have cornered 15 of the top 25 programmes on music channels in the week ended 10 August. 

etc claims that rival MTV has nine of the top 25, while B4U has two and Channel [V] has one (source TAM, age group C & S 4+). Quoting TAM figures, etc says that after achieving a lead in all day parts reach in all India cable and satellite homes, the channel is also getting impressive leads in specific time frames by creating special time bands for its viewers. Between 7 am to 9 am - in its band of Religious Hour, etc holds a channel share of 56 per cent in the Hindi speaking markets (period 4 August to 10 August), the channel claims. While the share of other channels in the similar genre for the same period is - MTV nine per cent, B4U 18 per cent and Channel [V] 17 per cent.

etc's secular morning hours include Islam Ka Paigam - preaching and practice of Islam, Aatma - discourses from Sri Aatmaram Ji, Mahavir Ke Pravachan - dissertation from Jainism, Gyan Jyoti - Shrimad Bhagwat Katha by Shastree Mridul Krisna, and Prarthna Ka Samay, Life In The Word and It Is Written which are sermons and discourses from Christianity. Bhakti Sangeet is a mixture of religious songs and Bhajans and Kahani Kismat Ki is the popular and favoured show on astrology and daily forecast.

etc claims that shows like Bhakti Sangeet derive better TVRs than MTV's Non Stop Hits, Channel [V]'s Sunday Stack and B4U's Kadak in all day part reach, maintaining that its programmes attract more viewers due to their "desi" content, in contrast to content dished out on rival music channels.