The should be just one agency for TV Ratings: IBDF opposes multiple measurement bodies

The Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) opposes the idea of any new TV audience measurement firms and advocates for the current BARC(Broadcast Audience Research Council) system to suffice. IBDF raised concerns during a TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) open house meeting on the National Broadcast Policy, warning of potential issues with additional companies.

According to IBDF secret general Siddharth Jain (IBDF), TRAI's involvement in content regulation and then content measurement oversteps its boundaries.

“Measuring viewership for linear TV and OTT platforms requires completely different metrics,” he said.

“BARC was formed by the instruction of a parliamentary committee. And the three stakeholders involved, which are advertisers, advertising agencies and the broadcasters,” he added.

Jain explained how measurement works for BARC.

TV viewership measurement relies on two main methods, the first being sensor-based and the sample-based. Most countries use the sample-based method because sensor technology, while possible, is expensive and complex to implement. Some argue for collecting data directly from set-top boxes (STBs) using a return path. However, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) instructed BARC to conduct trials with DPOs (Distribution Platform Operators) for this method. This raised concerns about data manipulation. DPOs might skew data to favour specific metrics, potentially favoring certain cable or DTH providers or distorting language preferences.

“BARC is actively increasing the number of sample boxes to improve data accuracy on the linear TV side.Introducing multiple measurement agencies would create complications.There should be only one agency not multiple agencies,” he added.

Even in their earlier submission, the body had written to TRAI advocating how for TV, the existing mechanism as recognised and registered under the MIB’s guidelines and led by the industry through the BARC has been reviewed and works well.

“There is no need for any policy or regulatory changes,” the submission had said.