TV Ratings EXPOSED: Government Act to End Viewer Number Manipulation!

Author

Satyam Jha | Whalesbook News Team

Detailed Coverage:

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is looking to direct the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to implement distinct audio watermarking for television "landing pages." Currently, BARC measures viewership using inaudible audio codes embedded in broadcast feeds. However, the existing system cannot differentiate between a channel deliberately selected by a viewer and one that plays automatically as a landing page upon turning on a set-top box or television. This loophole has been exploited by certain broadcasters, particularly in news and infotainment genres, to artificially boost their ratings and thus attract more advertising revenue. The proposed change would mean landing pages would carry a different, distinguishable watermark. This would allow BARC to identify and exclude such "forced viewership" from official ratings, leading to more accurate audience data. Industry experts suggest this move will effectively end the practice of using landing pages as a viewership booster, as channels would be exposed to advertisers for what is essentially forced exposure rather than genuine audience engagement. This practice, prevalent on cable platforms and costing over Rs 100 crore annually in broadcaster spends, has long concerned advertisers who allocate over Rs 30,000 crore in TV advertising based on audience measurement data. The Ministry is also proposing to expand BARC's panel size to 120,000 households. **Impact**: This regulatory intervention directly impacts the Indian media and advertising industry by aiming to bring greater transparency and accuracy to audience measurement. It could lead to a reallocation of advertising budgets based on true viewership, affecting the revenue streams of channels that relied on inflated numbers. Broadcasters may see reduced ad rates if their inflated numbers are corrected, while advertisers could benefit from more efficient ad spending. The move also pushes for wider adoption of modern measurement techniques on connected TV platforms. The regulation is expected to foster fairer competition and increase advertiser trust in the system. **Rating**: 8/10 **Difficult Terms**: * **Audio Watermarking**: A technology that embeds a unique, often inaudible, digital code into an audio signal. This code can be used to identify the source, track content, or verify authenticity. In this context, it's used to tag broadcast content for viewership measurement. * **Landing Pages**: In television broadcasting, these are channels that automatically appear when a set-top box or TV is switched on, before the viewer selects a channel. Channels pay to be placed on these slots for automatic, short exposure. * **Viewership Numbers/Ratings**: Data representing how many people are watching a particular TV channel or program. These numbers are crucial for determining advertising rates. * **Peoplemeters**: Devices installed in sample households that record which TV channels are being watched. * **Set Top Box (STB)**: A device used to receive and decode digital television signals. * **DTH Operators**: Direct-to-Home satellite television service providers. * **Linear Television**: Traditional broadcast television, where viewers watch programs at a scheduled time. * **Connected TV Platforms**: Smart TVs or devices that allow streaming and internet-based content.