I&B Ministry Proposes Major Overhaul of TV Rating Policy: Multiple Agencies, Modern Tech, and More Transparency
In a significant move to reform and revamp the television audience measurement system in India, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) has released a draft of proposed amendments to the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies originally notified in 2014. These proposed changes mark a paradigm shift in how television viewership is tracked and analyzed in the country.
The policy, which until now authorized only a single player Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India for providing Television Rating Points (TRPs), is set to become more inclusive, competitive, and technology-forward.
With the media landscape evolving rapidly especially with the rise of connected TVs, OTT platforms, and digital convergence the Ministry aims to democratize TV audience measurement, introduce new age technologies, and promote healthy competition in this critical segment of the media industry.
Why TV Ratings Matter
Television ratings play a pivotal role in shaping the media and entertainment economy. TRPs determine:
- Advertisement revenue distribution
- Programming strategies for broadcasters
- Content creation investment
- Public policy and regulatory decisions
Inaccurate or monopolized ratings not only distort advertising markets but can also misrepresent public opinion and viewership trends, which can have ripple effects on editorial independence, market competitiveness, and consumer choice.
What Are the Key Proposed Changes?
1. Removal of Restrictive Provisions
The 2014 guidelines imposed several restrictive conditions, such as requiring joint industry bodies and rigid structural norms that effectively led to BARC India becoming the sole TRP agency.
The draft amendment removes such exclusivity, allowing multiple players to apply for and receive accreditation, provided they meet eligibility norms. This move is expected to:
- Open up the market for independent and specialized agencies
- Enhance technological experimentation
- Introduce diversity in methodologies
2. Entry of Multiple Rating Agencies
The Ministry has emphasized that a multiagency ecosystem is essential for improving the accuracy, transparency, and reliability of audience data. The draft guidelines:
- Allow multiple agencies to operate simultaneously
- Encourage healthy competition, which may reduce biases
- Ensure cross verification of data across agencies
- Foster consumer centric innovations
This shift echoes the government’s broader push for decentralization and democratization in the media and tech space.
Technological Modernization
The I&B Ministry is pushing for agencies to adopt cutting edge technologies such as:
- Big Data Analytics
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Machine Learning (ML)
- Audio Watermarking & Fingerprinting
- Return Path Data (RPD) from set top boxes
- Smart/Connected TV metrics
With the proliferation of Smart TVs and OTT content consumption through TV screens, traditional sample based household meters have become increasingly inadequate. The new policy explicitly encourages integration with digital measurement systems, making the ecosystem future ready.
4. More Representative and Inclusive Data
A longstanding criticism of BARC’s ratings system has been that it undersamples rural and regional audiences, thereby skewing viewership representation.
The new policy guidelines aim to:
- Mandate geographically balanced sampling
- Include linguistic and socio-economic diversity
- Promote measurement of regional and niche content
- Factor in multilingual broadcast feeds
- This inclusivity will improve granular targeting for advertisers and enable better policy feedback loops.
5. Regulatory Oversight and Accreditation Process
While promoting liberalization, the Ministry retains regulatory safeguards to ensure integrity and consumer interest. Under the revised draft:
Agencies must register with the Ministry of I&B
Accreditation and periodic review will be handled by an Independent Rating Oversight Committee
A code of conduct, quality benchmarks, and audit frameworks will be instituted
Consumer complaint redressal mechanisms will be mandatory
Context: The BARC India Monopoly and Its Challenges
Since 2015, BARC India a joint industry body of broadcasters, advertisers, and advertising agencies has been the sole provider of TV ratings in India. While it has built a robust infrastructure with over 90,000 sample households, it has also faced several controversies:
a. Data Manipulation Allegations
In 2020, the Mumbai Police unearthed a TRP scam, alleging that certain channels had manipulated BARC data by bribing households to keep their TV tuned to specific channels.
b. TRP System Suspension
Following the controversy, BARC suspended ratings for news channels for over 18 months. This deeply affected advertisers, news broadcasters, and media strategists.
c. Opaque Methodologies
Several media watchdogs and academic researchers have criticized BARC’s lack of transparency in sampling methods, technical audits, and conflict of interest in governance.
This context explains why the I&B Ministry has been exploring reforms since 2021 and has now formalized them through this proposed amendment draft.
Industry Reactions
Broadcasters
Reactions from television broadcasters have been mixed. Large networks that benefit from BARC’s system might resist the change, citing concerns over fragmentation and inconsistency. However, smaller and regional players have welcomed the move.
This is a welcome step. For too long, the ecosystem has been skewed toward big urban-centric channels. We need fresh metrics that include the heartland and vernacular viewership,” said a regional TV network executive.
Advertisers
Major advertisers have been pushing for multi-source data verification for a long time. The ability to cross check viewership patterns across independent rating bodies will:
- Improve ad targeting
- Enhance ROI assessments
- Create fairer ad pricing models
Tech and Analytics Firms
With new doors opening, data analytics companies, ad tech startups, and OTT measurement firms see this as a major opportunity. Many are expected to apply for accreditation, particularly those already operating in digital ad measurement or smart TV analytics.
Alignment with Global Best Practices
Globally, countries like the USA (Nielsen, Comscore), UK (BARB, Ipsos), and Australia (OzTAM, Nielsen) operate with multiple rating agencies or consortium based hybrid models. These countries use:
- Panel based + Return Path Data hybrid models
- Incorporation of streaming/connected TV viewership
- Cross platform and cross device measurement
India’s proposed reforms are in sync with these global trends, and if implemented efficiently, could position it as a global leader in media measurement innovation.
Potential Challenges Ahead
While the proposal has been hailed as progressive, it’s not without concerns:
1. Fragmentation of Ratings
Multiple agencies may create inconsistent metrics across the industry. Advertisers and broadcasters will need to align on standardized KPIs or risk market confusion.
2. Cost and Investment Barriers
Setting up rating infrastructure, maintaining panels, and deploying technology require substantial investments. Smaller players may find it difficult without incentives or public-private partnerships.
3. Regulatory Complexity
The Ministry must ensure that oversight mechanisms are not only robust but also independent and free from industry capture.
4. Data Privacy
With the integration of set top box data and smart TV insights, data protection and consent frameworks must be clearly defined to avoid future legal or ethical pitfalls.
What Happens Next?
The Ministry has invited public comments and stakeholder suggestions on the draft guidelines. The final notification will be issued after due consultation, and the implementation roadmap will be laid out in phases.
Interested parties including rating agencies, broadcasters, digital platforms, and civil society organizations have until the notified deadline to submit their feedback.
Conclusion
The I&B Ministry’s move to amend the 2014 guidelines for television rating agencies is a much needed step toward building a more transparent, competitive, and technologically updated ecosystem. By allowing multiple players, promoting cutting edge methods, and ensuring inclusive data, the government aims to restore faith in the TV ratings system and foster a media industry that reflects India’s diverse and dynamic audience landscape.
If implemented with clarity and fairness, this reform can transform the very foundations of how India measures its stories and its storytellers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What are the proposed amendments to the TV rating policy in India?
The I&B Ministry has proposed removing restrictive provisions from the 2014 policy, allowing multiple TV rating agencies instead of just one. It also encourages the use of modern technologies like AI, machine learning, and return path data (RPD) to measure TV viewership across traditional and connected TV platforms.
Why is the Indian government reforming the TRP system?
The government aims to democratize TV audience measurement by introducing competition, reducing monopolies, addressing past controversies, and making the ecosystem more accurate, transparent, and technology driven especially for modern platforms like Smart TVs and OTTs.
What impact will this have on BARC India?
BARC India will lose its monopoly as the sole rating provider. With multiple agencies permitted under the new policy, BARC will face competition, potentially leading to improved transparency, better sampling, and technological innovation in its processes.
When will the new TV rating policy be implemented?
The proposed draft is currently open for public and stakeholder feedback. After a consultation period, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting will finalize and notify the new policy, which will then be implemented in phased steps.
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