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Breaking: Parliament to question MIB on TRP system overhaul on August 20
The MPs are also seeking updates on any initiatives to integrate advanced technologies into the ratings ecosystem to enhance transparency, accuracy, and robustness in audience measurement.
Industry experts say the upcoming parliamentary exchange could mark a pivotal moment for the Indian broadcasting sector.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is set to face pointed questions in Parliament on August 20 over the country’s television ratings framework, as several Members of Parliament (MPs) seek clarity on reforms aimed at modernising the Television Rating Points (TRP) system.
The discussion comes against the backdrop of the MIB’s recent move to open up the television ratings market, allowing greater participation from multiple agencies. However, MPs have flagged concerns that the current TRP-centric model incentivises sensationalism over substantive journalism, potentially eroding public trust in the media.
MPs including Yogender Chandolia, Dr. Hemang Joshi, Manoj Tiwari, Aparajita Sarangi, Ashish Dubey, Anil Firojiya, and Kangna Ranaut have demanded specifics on the Government’s roadmap for modernising the television rating system. Their concerns span multiple dimensions — from the need for accurate measurement of viewership across both traditional television and digital platforms, to fostering competition by lowering entry barriers for new rating agencies.
The MPs are also seeking updates on any initiatives to integrate advanced technologies into the ratings ecosystem to enhance transparency, accuracy, and robustness in audience measurement.
In a separate but related set of questions, Bajrang Manohar Sonwane, MP from Maharashtra, has formally questioned whether the Government acknowledges that the race for higher TRPs has led news channels to prioritise stories with mass appeal over those of critical national importance. Sonwane also sought the Government’s position on whether such practices are causing unhealthy competition and diminishing the credibility of the news ecosystem. His query further presses for details on any planned reforms to ensure a more balanced evaluation framework for news content.
Industry experts say the upcoming parliamentary exchange could mark a pivotal moment for the Indian broadcasting sector. While the TRP system has been a benchmark for advertisers and broadcasters for decades, its methodology has often been criticised for being narrow in scope, prone to manipulation, and ill-suited for the era of multi-platform media consumption.
The Ministry’s responses on August 20 are expected to shed light on whether the Government will push for deeper structural reforms, potentially reshaping how television and digital news audiences are quantified in India.
On July 2, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had called for major reforms to India’s television audience measurement system, the Ministry had cited critical gaps in how the current framework captures viewership in a digital-first era.
In its assessment, the Ministry stated: “India currently has approximately 230 million television households. However, only about 58,000 people meters are presently used to capture viewership data, representing just 0.025% of the total TV homes.”
This minuscule sample, according to the Ministry, undermines the reliability of the Television Rating Points (TRP) system, especially in a country as demographically diverse as India. The current system, managed solely by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), also fails to include data from smart TVs, OTT platforms, and mobile apps—areas where audience attention is rapidly shifting.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has further extended the deadline for public and industry feedback on proposed amendments to its “Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India”, by another 30 days.
"With a view to have wider participation from the industry bodies and other stakeholders, it has been decided to extend this period by a further thirty days and the feedback/ comments may now be submitted till 01.09.2025, preferably in electronic form," the Ministry of I&B said.
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Read MoreBreaking: Parliament to question MIB on TRP system overhaul on August 20
The MPs are also seeking updates on any initiatives to integrate advanced technologies into the ratings ecosystem to enhance transparency, accuracy, and robustness in audience measurement.