Is BARC adequate, or does India need multiple rating agencies?

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has proposed reviewing the structure of audience measurement and rating handled under the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).

BARC was founded by stakeholder bodies that represent broadcasters, advertisers, and advertising and media agencies. 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.

Given the prevalence of streaming firms, TRAI said that BARC’s audience measurement needs to incorporate non-linear sources as well. “In the dynamic realm of modern media consumption, integrating data from non-linear sources is essential for a comprehensive television audience measurement system. Viewers are also turning to on-demand content via OTT services and streaming platforms, in addition to traditional linear TV metrics. However, BARC’s present audience measurement mechanism incorporates data from linear television only. Cross-platform content consumption, enabled by seamless transitions between linear TV and OTT, adds complexity, necessitating a system that aptly captures cross-device viewing habits,” TRAI observed.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India had recently held an Open House Discussion, and this issue was discussed by the stakeholders present at the meeting.

The industry is divided on whether India needs multiple audience measurement agencies.

So far, BARC India has been relied upon to collect data from households. They normally do audio watermarking before broadcast and install a BAR-O meter to record the viewing details in the households. Upon analyzing the collected data, the company rates the shows.

While one side says that creating multiple agencies may lead to conflict in data and create ambiguity and confusion, the others say multiple agencies will provide the much-needed competition.

IBDF is a strong proponent that maintains that for TV, the existing mechanism as recognised and registered under the MIB’s guidelines and led by the industry through the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has been reviewed and works well, and there is no need for any policy or regulatory changes.

“There are two different metrics of measurement on TV and digital. Starting with linear, BARC was formed with the instruction of a parliamentary committee, and the three stakeholders involved are– advertisers, agencies, and broadcasters. There are two ways to get ratings – one is a census-based method, and the other is a sample-based method. Most countries use sample-based methods because a census-based method is expensive and difficult to obtain,” said Siddharth Jain, Secretary General, IBDF.

“On its own, the BARC is making huge efforts to increase the number of boxes to increase the sample size and get more data on the linear side. I re-emphasize that any new company that comes in will create a bigger problem. The problem is that the industry must have one common currency. If there are more rating agencies, the currency gets diluted and divided, and then the industry is grappling with the issue of which one is the actual currency,” he added.

Gururaja Rao, Principal Legal Counsel (Senior Vice President) at Culver Max Entertainment Pvt Ltd (Sony Pictures), is in agreement. He asserted that BARC’s ratings are reliable, “BARC provides an accurate and unbiased audience measurement and rating system. The transparent data collection and analysis methodology is maintained due to the separation of the data collection as an independent function performed by BARC.”

Others do not agree.

“55000 households are a very small sample representing the total population of 182 million Indian TV households,” said Ajay Singh, Director, Hathway Digital Ltd. Moreover, by 2026, the anticipated growth of TV households is expected to peak at 202 million, making the existing  panel size even more inadequate. “Therefore, there’s a need to establish a roadmap to incrementally expand the sample size to meet the evolving landscape of television viewership,” said TRAI.

And Raj Varier, Independent Counsel at ABP Networks Pvt Ltd., is specific that BARC is not accurate where measuring news is concerned. News as a genre deserves more attention.

TRAI shall be submitting its recommendations to the I&B ministry soon.
BCS Bureau