Are we fixing ratings or fuelling a deeper trust crisis?

There’s a quiet storm brewing in India’s media industry. A recent draft amendment notification released by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting proposes sweeping changes to the TRP policy that if implemented could completely reshape how India measures viewership. On the surface, the move seems progressive ,simplifying structures, reducing friction, and encouraging competition but beneath that intent lies a far more dangerous possibility: the unraveling of what little trust still exists in the system.

At the centre of the debate is the proposed deletion of Clauses 1.5 and 1.7 long-standing safeguards that prevented overlaps between rating agencies and industry stakeholders. Clause 1.5 restricted board-level participation by those with interests in broadcasting or advertising, while Clause 1.7 disallowed cross-holdings of more than 10% between rating bodies and players with a commercial stake in the outcome. With these now gone, the possibility of broadcasters, advertisers, or even distribution platforms owning or influencing TRP agencies is no longer hypothetical but it’s real.

This lands at a moment when trust in media metrics is already on shaky ground. Global digital giants like Google and Meta operate as closed systems by reporting impressions, reach, and video views without independent verification. Advertisers spend crores on campaigns, relying on dashboards operated entirely by these platforms. Worse, there is no standard definition of what constitutes a “view” or “impression,” and methods aren’t audited consistently.

In fact, this shift is already underway. JioHotstar’s recent partnership with Nielsen for IPL 2025 introduced third-party ad measurement on OTT, setting a new precedent. If extended across content formats, this model could quietly become the default,one that advertisers may have no choice but to buy into.

Imagine a scenario where a media buying group that already controls Rs.20,000 crore in annual ad spends also owns the rating agency that validates those spends. Who questions the data? Who ensures neutrality? This isn’t a theoretical risk anymore. With no legal firewall, the line between measurement and manipulation could disappear overnight.

For over a decade, BARC has served as the industry’s common measurement currency. With a panel of over 55,000 households across urban and rural India, it has helped create a shared language between advertisers, agencies, and broadcasters. It hasn’t been perfect but it has been central. Dismantling its structural independence doesn’t just impact the body itself; it threatens to fracture the very system of accountability that holds India’s Rs.30,000 crore TV ad market together.

Globally, markets have dealt with similar dilemmas and learned quickly why separation of powers matters. When Martin Sorrell’s WPP explored acquiring TNS, one of the world’s leading research firms, it sparked concern across the advertising world. If the largest buyer of media could also influence its measurement, the idea of unbiased reporting would collapse. That acquisition never happened, but it left behind a cautionary tale. In the U.S., the Media Rating Council exists solely to accredit and audit measurement firms. In the UK, BARB is governed by a consortium but outsources operations to neutral data partners. Independence is not just preferred ,it’s protected.

Some believe deregulating the space will encourage new entrants and fuel innovation. That may well happen but without meaningful checks and balances, disruption can quickly turn into disorder. Multiple rating agencies with overlapping interests will not lead to clarity they will muddy the waters and dilute whatever collective credibility the system has left.

Clause 1.4, which still advises agencies to avoid conflicts of interest, now feels more symbolic than binding. Without accompanying restrictions on who can govern or own these bodies, the rule stands on shaky ground. Enforcement is unclear. Intent, without structure, risks becoming a platitude.

This moment could have been a catalyst to reimagine BARC as a cross-platform measurement authority, encompassing both television and digital. Consumption habits have evolved, and measurement must evolve with them but through integration and transparency not fragmentation.Ideally Government should strengthen BARC and create a truly independent,autonoumus ,third party ratings system. One that is insulated from industry pressure and private ownership

Linear television is already under pressure. With advertisers shifting to digital and younger audiences migrating to OTT, this sector needs measurement systems that are stronger and not weaker. If brands come to distrust TV numbers, much like they already do with digital metrics, budgets will follow the trust and away from television and it won’t be a reflection of weak content but of weak currency.

Reforms must be rooted in clarity, accountability, and neutrality. Transparency should not be a compromise. If we dismantle the few safeguards we still have without building stronger ones, we risk inviting the very chaos we’ve long tried to avoid.

We don’t need more data. We need data we can believe in.

( The views expressed are personal)