#e4mExclusive:  BARC ratings: Broadcasters set Nov deadline for resumption, to seek shutdown if no MIB nod

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India could face a shutdown by November if television audience ratings do not resume, with broadcasters deciding to make a last-ditch attempt to convince the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to give the ratings body a green signal.

At a board-level deliberation on Monday, IBDF board members discussed the prolonged suspension of television ratings and the uncertainty surrounding BARC's ability to restart measurement. The industry is now considering formally approaching the government with a clear November deadline, after which more drastic measures, including shutting down BARC, could be considered if there is no resolution.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had given BARC time until November to implement the changes required under the new TV Ratings Policy and comply with the ministry’s requirements for resumption of ratings.

People familiar with the discussions said broadcasters are also increasingly questioning why BARC continues to face resistance from the MIB and why the ratings body has not yet received the necessary clearance to resume publication, particularly given the progress it has made towards meeting the requirements of the Television Rating Policy 2026.

“Broadcasters are still not clear what exactly is holding up BARC. There has been a prolonged regulatory process, but the industry needs to understand what specific issue is preventing the ratings from resuming. If the requirements are clear, BARC should either be told what remains to be done or be allowed to restart with conditions,” said a senior industry executive.

The uncertainty has become a growing concern for broadcasters because ratings are the common currency used by television channels, advertisers and media agencies to plan campaigns, negotiate advertising rates and evaluate programming performance.

The MIB had directed BARC to suspend television ratings across news and non-news genres in July until the ratings body obtained registration under the new Television Ratings Policy 2026. The new framework requires, among other things, an expanded panel of 80,000 metered homes, independent directors, annual audits, technology-neutral measurement and exclusion of landing-page viewership from official ratings.

While the ministry has begin examining BARC's compliance with the new framework, broadcasters have argued that the prolonged absence of ratings is causing increasing disruption to the television advertising market.

The issue has become particularly urgent with the entire ecosystem to be seen collapsing. Without current audience data, broadcasters have less visibility on channel performance and inventory pricing, while advertisers and agencies face difficulties in evaluating television campaigns and allocating budgets.

In July, the MIB's BP&L wing recommended provisional registration for BARC, potentially allowing the ratings body to restart measurement while completing outstanding requirements. BARC had told the ministry that its panel had expanded to 70,876 homes and that it expected to reach the 80,000-home requirement by December. 

However, the continued uncertainty has now prompted broadcasters to consider escalating the matter directly with the government.

“The television industry cannot operate indefinitely without a common measurement currency. Advertisers need visibility, broadcasters need visibility and agencies need a reliable basis for planning. The longer this continues, the greater the commercial disruption,” said another senior media executive.

The broadcasters are understood to be considering a formal notice or representation to the government stating that ratings should resume by November. If the deadline is not met, the industry could consider whether BARC should continue to remain operational in its present form.

The possibility of shutting down BARC would represent a significant escalation because the organisation has been the principal television audience measurement body for the Indian market. A shutdown would also force the industry to consider the future structure of television audience measurement and whether an alternative ratings mechanism can be established.

Broadcasters are, however, understood to be viewing the shutdown option as a last resort rather than an immediate course of action. Their immediate priority is to seek clarity from the MIB and establish a pathway for ratings to resume.

The uncertainty is also being discussed against the backdrop of the government's stated objective of creating a more transparent and independent television ratings system. The Television Rating Policy 2026 introduced several structural changes, including reducing the minimum net worth requirement for ratings agencies from ₹20 crore to ₹5 crore, expanding the measurement panel from 50,000 to 80,000 homes, introducing annual independent audits and requiring at least 33% independent directors on the board of a ratings agency.

The government has maintained that the new framework is intended to strengthen transparency, independence and accountability in television audience measurement. As of the government's July 24 communication, no ratings agency had been registered under the new policy.

The landing-page methodology has been one of the contentious issues in the implementation of the new framework. The policy excludes landing-page viewership from the computation of official ratings, while broadcasters have held differing positions on its treatment. Recent discussions between the government and industry have focused on how BARC can comply with the new methodology while restarting measurement.

Industry bodies have repeatedly highlighted the economic importance of television and the need for a stable measurement system. At the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation's annual general meeting on Monday, IBDF president Kevin Vaz said, “Television remains deeply embedded in India’s social, cultural and economic fabric,” while IBDF secretary general and CEO Avinash Pandey said, “There may be differences of opinion, but there should be no differences amongst us when it comes to the greater good of the broadcasting ecosystem.” 

Broadcasters' latest deliberations suggest that the industry is now seeking to translate that collective position into a more direct intervention with the government.

For broadcasters, the November deadline is therefore emerging as a critical point. The immediate objective remains to persuade the MIB to allow BARC to resume ratings, potentially with the outstanding compliance requirements being completed within a defined timeframe.

If that effort fails, broadcasters are preparing to consider the possibility of an industry-level decision on BARC's shutdown.