TV channels oppose govt role in ratings

NEW DELHI: Anil Ambani-led Big TV, which runs the media and entertainment business of the Reliance group, stands alone on the issue of government intervention in regulating the television rating points (TRP) system. Contrary to the wishes of most others in the industry, it has sought government intervention on the issue.

In its reply to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), which has been asked by the government to look at the pros and cons of the TRP system, Big TV has said that “since there is a need for a major revamp of the measurement system, during the initial stages there is a need for the government to intervene.” The government can get out of direct intervention after about 18 to 24 months, it said.

The company has recommended setting up of a body comprising big advertisers, broadcasters and other media houses to implement an error-free and well-represented measurement system, which should report to Trai for regulatory matters.

On its part, Zee TV has said, “While agreeing with the authority on the need for a review of the ratings system, we would also like to add a word of caution on any state regulation of ratings systems on the lines of credit ratings agencies in the financial sector.”

Zee has said that the ownership of the TRP regulating agency could be with the state, a joint venture, private, or foreign and all will need to co-exist. But, such agencies need to be regulated only by users (read industry bodies) and have minimum state control, it has stressed.

Star India, meanwhile, said “there’s no call for any regulatory intervention in what, in the end, is a commercially driven market research.”

The Indian Broadcasting Foundation, which represents TV channels across the country, has admitted that current TV viewership rating systems are not transparent, reliable or consistent. However, it has opposed government intervention.

Broadcaster Audience Research System (BARC), which is being set up jointly by broadcasters and advertisers for a comprehensive TV rating system, has pointed out that “there’s no need for any government intervention in the area of TV rating point measurement.” It has said that the industry is best suited to represent stakeholders’ interest, and that BARC could carry out this job.

TAM India, which is the biggest TV rating agency in India, has given an emphatic “no” as its answer to whether the government should intervene in the matter.

Of late, questions were raised over limited coverage of TV households by the current rating agencies. TRPs are crucial for broadcasters as ultimately they translate into ad revenues for the media firms.

m_nivedita@dnaindia.net