Comscore maps digital news consumption on polling & exit poll days in West Bengal, Assam

In a first for the Indian market, Comscore has rolled out day-specific measurement of digital news consumption during polling and exit poll days in West Bengal and Assam—marking a shift from its traditional monthly reporting framework to more granular, real-time audience insights.

The move is designed to help advertisers and publishers decode traffic spikes and consumption behaviour on high-intensity news days, enabling sharper media planning and ad spend allocation. While such days typically see a surge in digital news consumption, the absence of credible third-party measurement has so far limited precise, data-led decision-making, the company said.

“A mix of national and regional media houses and broadcasters have come on board for this exercise,” said Vivek Jaiswal, Country Head, Comscore, confirming strong early interest in what is being positioned as a pilot initiative. While he did not disclose specific participants, he noted that both Hindi and English platforms are being measured across polling, exit polls and counting days.

Currently limited to West Bengal and Assam, the pilot could be extended to other markets, including Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, subject to publishers’ interest.

The initiative comes amid a packed election calendar. Assam went to polls on April 9, while voting in West Bengal is scheduled between April 23 and 29. Exit polls for both states are expected on April 30, following the Election Commission of India embargo, with final results to be announced on May 4 alongside Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

Methodology

The day-level measurement combines Comscore’s existing panel-based approach with direct publisher integrations. Participating publishers can tag their digital properties, enabling real-time capture of traffic across desktop and mobile, and significantly enhancing the depth and accuracy of the dataset.

Comscore’s hybrid model—blending panel insights with website tagging—is expected to deliver more granular and actionable intelligence on peak news consumption days. Industry observers view this as an important step in the evolution of India’s digital measurement ecosystem, particularly for news publishing, where consumption is highly event-driven and volatile.

For advertisers, the timing is significant. As real-time optimisation and contextual targeting become central to media strategies, day-level measurement has the potential to reshape how brands engage with high-impact news cycles—moving from broad monthly trends to precise, moment-driven investments.

The development comes at a time when political advertising is witnessing a broader uptick, as reported by e4m last week. Industry estimates indicate that the ongoing Assembly elections could generate incremental ad spends of ₹1,200–1,400 crore, providing a counter-cyclical boost to the media sector amid prevailing macroeconomic headwinds. Digital platforms are expected to capture a significant share of this surge.