DPOs, Big Tech and OTT platforms allowed to release viewership data under new TRP policy

In a significant shift for India’s audience measurement ecosystem, the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB) has opened the door for distribution platform operators (DPOs), Big Tech firms, and OTT platforms to publish their own viewership data without requiring registration as television rating agencies, under the TV Ratings Policy 2026.  

The move effectively widens the definition of who can participate in the ratings ecosystem, challenging the traditional dominance of entities such as the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), which has long served as the industry’s primary currency for television viewership.  

Under the new guidelines, television distribution platforms—including cable networks and DTH operators—as well as OTT platforms are permitted to publish periodic viewership data of channels available on their platforms on their own websites. Crucially, this can be done without obtaining registration or prior approval under the policy framework that governs formal rating agencies.  

This carve-out creates a parallel data ecosystem where platform-level analytics—generated directly from subscriber bases and digital consumption patterns—can coexist alongside traditional panel-based ratings. For Big Tech and OTT players, which already possess granular, real-time user data, the provision formalises their ability to publicly share audience insights that were previously restricted or selectively disclosed.

Industry executives say the change could have far-reaching implications for the advertising and media planning landscape. Unlike sample-based ratings derived from metered homes, platform-driven data is typically census-level within its ecosystem, offering more immediate and precise insights into viewer behaviour. This could make such data increasingly attractive to advertisers seeking targeted and performance-driven campaigns.

However, the policy stops short of equating this data with official ratings. Since DPOs and OTT platforms are not classified as registered rating agencies, their disclosures are likely to be treated as supplementary or proprietary datasets, rather than a standardised industry currency. This distinction could lead to the coexistence of multiple data streams, each with varying methodologies, definitions, and levels of transparency.

The development also introduces a competitive dimension into the ratings market. By allowing multiple players—including global technology platforms—to release viewership metrics, the MIB appears to be encouraging data plurality and decentralisation, potentially reducing reliance on a single measurement framework.

At the same time, the absence of mandatory standardisation for such disclosures raises questions around comparability and consistency. Advertisers and broadcasters may face challenges in reconciling data from different sources, particularly when methodologies and metrics differ significantly between panel-based ratings and platform analytics.

The policy thus signals a broader evolution in India’s media measurement landscape—one that acknowledges the growing influence of digital platforms and Big Tech in content distribution and consumption. While traditional rating agencies will continue to operate under strict regulatory oversight, the inclusion of DPOs and OTT platforms as data publishers could reshape how audience measurement is interpreted, traded, and monetised in the years ahead.