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BOL claims smashing viewership records

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 20 October 2016

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BOL claims smashing viewership records
BOL News has claimed to have achieved unprecedented viewership levels shortly after its launch. The channel's viewership supposedly surpassed previous records by 300%, although this claim remains unverified.

ISLAMABAD – BOL News claimed Thursday it had shattered all previous records of television viewership within the opening hours of its launch.

The channel began its test transmission Tuesday (October 18) and named it as Media Azadi Transmission – heaving a sigh of relief after more than a year of distress.

The channel’s claim of smashing viewership records, however, could not be independently verified.

“BOLMediaAzadi’s Viewership has been proven to be 300% higher than the previous all-time high record & currently the difference between BOL News and the channel with second highest rating is more than 500%!,” said a sponsored post by BOL on Facebook.

The post thanked viewers for “watching BOL News & making it the #1 News Channel of Pakistan!”

BOL plans to launch the channel formally before the year closes.

BOL CEO Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh and several of his senior managers were jailed for 15 months after a New York Times story in May 2015 claimed Axact, the parent organization of BOL News, was involved in selling fake degrees.

Key Points

  • BOL News launched its test transmission on October 18.
  • Claimed viewership higher than previous records by 300%.
  • Difference between BOL News and second-ranked channel exceeds 500%.
  • Channel plans formal launch by year-end.
  • CEO and senior managers previously faced legal issues.

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