#e4mExclusive:  'Chanakya' Ashwini Vaishnaw puts solution first as BARC ratings face industry rivalries

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s marathon consultations with stakeholders on the prolonged BARC ratings impasse signal a decisive shift in the government’s approach—putting a workable solution ahead of competing industry interests.

Rather than allowing differences between broadcaster groups to dictate the outcome, Vaishnaw is engaging directly with the core contentions surrounding BARC and its compliance with the new ratings framework. Industry executives see the approach as Chanakya-like policymaking—patient, strategic and focused on finding a resolution that strengthens the credibility of India’s television ratings ecosystem.

“The minister has understood that if this is left entirely to the industry, there will always be competing commercial interests. One broadcaster will want one outcome and another broadcaster will want something else. The ratings currency, however, has to be credible for the entire ecosystem. Vaishnaw is therefore looking at the underlying issue rather than allowing the industry to fight among itself,” said a senior television industry executive requesting anonymity.

Vaishnaw is taking a more direct approach to resolving the prolonged impasse over television ratings, choosing to engage with the core regulatory and technical issues surrounding BARC rather than allowing competing industry bodies to fight the battle among themselves, industry executives aware of the developments said.

The minister’s approach assumes significance at a time when the return of BARC ratings has become one of the most closely watched issues in India’s television industry. Broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies have been operating without the country’s principal television audience measurement currency, even as disagreements over the implementation of the Television Ratings Policy 2026, particularly the treatment of landing-page viewership, continue.

According to industry sources, Vaishnaw has been directly engaging with the issues raised around BARC and has indicated that he will take a call once he is satisfied that the outstanding contentions have been addressed.

The approach has been welcomed by sections of the industry because it potentially takes the dispute away from a situation where individual broadcasters and industry associations are effectively negotiating against each other.

Landing pages core dispute

The biggest unresolved issue continues to be the treatment of landing-page viewership under the new ratings framework.

Landing pages have become a contentious subject because of their potential impact on television audience measurement. The government's new ratings policy seeks to ensure that ratings reflect genuine television viewing rather than consumption patterns that could artificially inflate reported audiences.

The issue has divided the broadcasting industry.

Network18, which has been associated with significant use of landing pages, has been seen as allegedly opposing the move to exclude such viewership from the ratings currency. On the other hand, the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), whose membership includes major broadcasters such as JioStar, has supported the implementation of the revised framework.

The differences have made the BARC issue considerably more complicated than a conventional regulatory dispute.

“There are commercial interests on both sides. That is precisely why it is important that the ministry does not become dependent on one industry's representation versus another. The minister appears to be saying that the policy has been decided and BARC needs to demonstrate how it will comply with it,” said another senior media executive.

Vaishnaw’s message: resolve the contentions

Sources familiar with the discussions said Vaishnaw has not indicated an intention to indefinitely keep the ratings system suspended. Instead, the minister has sought clarity on the outstanding issues and wants BARC to demonstrate that the concerns raised by the ministry and the new ratings framework have been addressed.

“The minister’s position is fairly straightforward. He is not saying that ratings should not return. He is saying that the concerns need to be addressed first. Once he is satisfied that BARC has complied with the requirements, he has indicated that he will get back to the industry,” said a person familiar with the matter.

Another executive described the approach as strategic and deliberate.

“There is a Chanakya-like element to the policy-making here. He has not allowed himself to be pulled into one side of the industry versus another. He has kept the decision with the government and is asking BARC to solve the core problem first. Once the minister is convinced, the next move can happen,” the executive said.

According to industry sources, the message to BARC can essentially be summed up as: provide the solution, demonstrate compliance and the government will take the next call.

“The ball is now in BARC’s court. You answer the contentions correctly and give the government a workable solution, or you wait until you have the solution. The minister has given BARC a clear pathway rather than getting involved in an endless industry dispute,” said a senior broadcaster.

Industry bodies on different sides

The BARC impasse has also exposed sharp differences among industry stakeholders.

IBDF has been actively engaging with the ministry and has supported the government's push for a ratings framework that addresses concerns around landing pages and other measurement anomalies.

JioStar, one of the country's largest broadcasting groups and a key IBDF member, has been particularly supportive of restoring a robust and transparent ratings system under the revised framework.

Network18, meanwhile, allegedly has taken a different position on the landing-page issue, reflecting the fact that the commercial implications of the new methodology are not uniform across broadcasters.

Industry executives believe this divergence makes it difficult for a solution to emerge solely through consensus among broadcasters.

“You cannot expect broadcasters with different business models and different exposure to landing pages to arrive at a completely neutral position. Each player will naturally protect its interests. The government therefore has to act as the referee, and that is what Vaishnaw appears to be doing,” said an industry veteran.

Ratings are critical as festive season approaches

The urgency around the issue has increased as the industry heads into the second half of the year and the crucial festive advertising season.

Television broadcasters rely heavily on audience ratings to establish the value of their inventory, negotiate advertising rates and demonstrate return on investment to advertisers.

Without BARC data, advertisers and agencies lack the industry-standard benchmark required to make granular channel and programme-level investment decisions.

The absence of ratings has also affected the ability of broadcasters to assess programming performance and make informed content decisions.

“The industry can survive without ratings for some time, but it cannot operate efficiently without them indefinitely. Advertisers need a currency, broadcasters need a benchmark and agencies need data to make decisions. Everyone ultimately wants BARC back, but it has to come back in a manner that addresses the regulatory concerns,” said an industry source.

‘No point in industry fighting with itself’

The growing expectation within the industry is that the government will continue to keep the decision-making process separate from the competing positions of individual broadcasters.

Executives believe this could ultimately prove to be the most effective route towards resolving the deadlock.

“The important thing is that the minister is not allowing the issue to become a political or commercial contest between industry bodies. He is looking at the institution that has to deliver the ratings and asking whether the institution has met the requirements. That is a much cleaner way of resolving the matter,” said a senior industry leader.

Another executive said the industry now has little left to do except wait for BARC to address the ministry’s concerns.

“Everyone has made their representation. Everyone has stated their position. Now the responsibility is with BARC. If BARC gets the answers right and addresses the contentions, there is a pathway forward. If not, the wait continues. It is as simple as that,” the executive said.

For now, the television industry remains on tenterhooks.

With Vaishnaw choosing to engage directly with the substance of the BARC dispute rather than allow industry factions to determine the outcome, the next decisive move appears to rest with the ratings body itself.

The ball is in BARC’s court. The industry is waiting with bated breath for the ratings currency to return — but this time, on terms that the ministry is convinced are credible, compliant and sustainable.