EXCLUSIVE: TAM to maintain BARC JV Role, sets sights on Big Tech and DPO alliances
While BARC India will remain focused on linear television, TAM is charting a new course with its emphasis on digital and cross-platform measurement.
ADVERTISEMENT
TAM Media Research, the media data intelligence firm and joint venture between Nielsen (USA) and Kantar (UK), is gearing up for a fresh innings in India’s ratings ecosystem. The company is in talks of securing partnerships with Big tech firms and Distribution Platform Operators (DPOs) to launch a multi-screen Digital audience measurement service.
This renewed push comes as the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) liberalizes key norms governing television and media ratings in India. TAM, which has operated in the Indian market for over two decades, had already applied for a license to function as an audience measurement body under the revised policy framework. The license if which is pending with MIB.
TAM CEO LV Krishnan told Storyboard18 that the government's move to encourage multiple rating agencies is a progressive step that will catalyze the evolution of multi-screen measurement — a shift that will better serve platforms and advertisers in the digital age.
“We are closely working with DPOs and Big Tech platforms to bring them onboard for measuring audiences across screens,” Krishnan said. He confirmed that TAM will continue to provide backend services to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, especially through their joint venture Meterology Data Pvt Ltd (MDL), where BARC holds a 51% stake and TAM 49%.
While BARC India will remain focused on linear television, TAM is charting a new course with its emphasis on digital and cross-platform measurement. "Our primary focus is to enhance digital and multi-screen measurement. BARC mainly focuses on linear TV while we aim to expand beyond that,” Krishnan explained.
The move comes in the wake of the MIB’s draft policy amendments released on July 2, which have significantly relaxed ownership and governance restrictions. Clause 1.5, which prohibited board members of ratings agencies from having roles in broadcasting or advertising firms, has been scrapped. So has clause 1.7, which restricted cross-holdings between rating agencies and media or advertising companies, as well as among multiple ratings bodies.
Storyboard18 had first reported that the removal of key restrictions governing the television and digital audience measurement industry will now open the floodgates for new entrants such as OTT players, DPOs and Big Tech firms to launch their own ratings agencies. The move is set to intensify competition and disrupt the monopoly long held by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
With these constraints now lifted, OTT platforms, DPOs, and large advertiser consortiums can now independently set up or invest in audience measurement agencies. The Ministry has invited public comments on the draft guidelines for a 30-day period from the date of issuance.
Industry experts warn that a proliferation of rating agencies, while promoting competition, may also create confusion and diminish credibility. “Many cooks spoil the soup,” one observer noted, cautioning that with so many stakeholders launching their own agencies, the industry could face fragmented data, inconsistent methodologies, and disputes over reliability.
Still, experts agree that credibility will become the single most important differentiator. “Trust will matter more than ever,” said a senior executive from a leading media buying agency. “Brands will only rely on ratings that are transparent, independent, and technically robust.”
TAM’s re-entry into the fray could reshape India’s media measurement landscape at a time when digital consumption is outpacing traditional television, and advertisers are seeking sharper insights into viewer behavior across devices.
