 "BARC ratings to roll-out in April")
The new ratings system under the Broadcaster Audience Research Council (BARC), is set to be launched in April if all goes to plan. The new ratings system, which is touted to replace the existing ratings provider TAM (a joint venture between Nielsen and Kantar), was initially posed for launch in October 2014.
Partho Dasgupta, CEO, BARC says, “We should be ready for roll-out in the next few weeks. I would not like to put a date to it, but am confident that the system will be launched in the coming weeks.”
Ashish Bhasin, Chairman & CEO, South Asia Dentsu Aegis Network confirms and adds, “From what I know, I believe the new ratings system should be rolled out some time in April.”
The team at BARC is currently organising road-shows with broadcasters and media agencies to explain the working of the new ratings system. Sources reveal that some broadcasters have already started trying out the new ratings system as part of BARC’s pilot.
This, quite naturally puts a doubt over the existence of TAM. BARC has broadcasters, advertisers and agencies as its equity stakeholders and thus, would get preference over TAM. Also, TAM has been under the glare of controversy for quite some time. It has earned flak for having too few people-meters to measure television viewing in the country (close to 10,000).
The agency under BARC on the other hand aims to start its operations with a minimum of 20,000 people-meters which will provide deeper measurement of television viewing habits in the country. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has in 2013 issued directions that required ratings agencies to have a minimum of 20,000 meters on ground.
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“What happens to TAM is not something I can answer. But one thing is there, it would not be in the interest of the industry as such that two ratings system operate at the same time,” says Bhasin.
Another top executive from a media agency says, “Considering it’s less than 10 days to the World Cup which will then be followed by the Indian Premier League, I think advertisers will want to hold on to the current ratings system we have.”
TAM is yet to clarify its stand on the matter and officials refrained from commenting when approached on the issue.