According to a source, outside the scheduled agenda of the meeting, Dasmunsi brought up the matter of TV ratings, or TRP.
NEW DELHI: Surrogate advertising, as the government likes to call it, was the topmost agenda for TV broadcasters, who met information and broadcasting (I&B) minister P R Dasmunsi here on Wednesday to seek solutions on several key issues. Dasmunsi is believed to have given them a patient hearing on the issues of concern.
According to a source, outside the scheduled agenda of the meeting, Dasmunsi brought up the matter of TV ratings, or TRP. The minister reiterated that the sample size of TV households being monitored for TRPs must be expanded significantly.
While currently, Tam India is the main TV rating agency in India, an alternative body - BARC - is being set up as a non-profit organisation. According to sources, the sample size of the proposed rating system would be many times more than Tam’s 7,000.
However, it would take more than a year for the new agency to start rating TV channels and programmes.
TV broadcasters from across channels raised their concern over the recent government notification to ban all forms of surrogate advertising of liquor and tobacco products. Channel representatives told Dasmunsi that in most cases, it is ‘brand extension’ and not ‘surrogate advertising’. “When genuine products are being sold in the market, why can’t we advertise them,” asked a channel head. The minister assured the broadcasters that he would look into the matter.
The I&B notification had followed a letter from health minister A Ramadoss. In his letter to the Centre, Ramadoss had named brands like Bagpiper, McDowells, Johnny Walker, Haywards, Royal Challenge and Kingfisher, which he said had been advertising for liquor in the guise of ads of sodas, CDs and mineral water.
Broadcasters sought government intervention in lifting the tariff freeze across cable TV platforms. Hefty carriage fee was also discussed.
m_nivedita@dnaindia.net
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}