#e4mExclusive:  Govt holds high-level meeting on BARC ratings; landing page row takes centre stage

The government is likely to clear the way for the resumption of television audience measurement by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) in the coming days, following a high-level meeting on the prolonged ratings impasse, people familiar with the development said.

The meeting, attended by the Information and Broadcasting Secretary and senior government officials, including top officials from the BJP-led government, discussed at length the outstanding issues surrounding BARC's compliance with the Television Rating Policy 2026 and the need to restore television ratings at the earliest, sources said.

The issue of landing-page viewership was discussed in depth during the meeting, with the government also examining the competing positions of news media networks and the continuing tug-of-war over how this viewership should be treated under the new ratings framework, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The landing-page issue has emerged as one of the most contentious aspects of the government's revised television ratings policy, with broadcasters taking sharply different positions depending on the impact of the methodology on their businesses.

While the government is understood to be moving towards allowing BARC to resume measurement, it remains unclear whether the ratings body will be permitted to restart measurement this week and publish the first set of ratings on August 27.

An alternative possibility under discussion is that BARC could receive permission over the next 10 days to restart measurement, which would push the publication of the ratings by another week, according to people aware of the discussions.

Landing pages at centre of government deliberations

Sources said the government spent considerable time examining the landing-page issue, which has become a flashpoint between news broadcasters and industry bodies.

Landing pages refer to instances where a television channel's feed is kept running on a television set without necessarily representing conventional active viewing. The government's new ratings framework seeks to ensure that the official ratings currency reflects genuine television viewing and does not include viewing patterns that could artificially inflate reported audiences.

The issue has, however, acquired a significant commercial dimension because the exclusion of landing-page viewership can affect the reported audience numbers of individual networks differently.

According to industry sources, this has resulted in an ongoing tug-of-war among news media networks, with broadcasters making representations to the government based on their respective commercial interests.

The differences have made the BARC issue considerably more complicated than a conventional regulatory dispute. The government is now attempting to determine how the methodology should be implemented without allowing competing commercial interests within the broadcasting industry to dictate the outcome.

Industry sources said the government's position is that BARC must demonstrate compliance with the policy rather than seek a methodology that accommodates the competing preferences of individual broadcasters.

“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 I&B minister appears to be saying that the policy has been decided and BARC needs to demonstrate how it will comply with it,” said a senior media executive.

The government has also been told that BARC has completed testing of an algorithm designed to exclude landing-page viewership from official television ratings. The ratings body has operationalised a secure digital portal through which broadcasters can submit mandatory landing-page declarations.

Government weighs early restart

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had earlier directed BARC to suspend publication of television audience data while its registration application under the Television Rating Policy 2026 was being examined. BARC had submitted its application on April 29 after the revised ratings framework was notified.

The latest discussions indicate that the government is looking for a workable route to restore ratings while allowing BARC additional time to complete some of the remaining compliance requirements.

Sources said the government is conscious of the disruption caused by the absence of television ratings, particularly as broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies enter a critical festive period for advertising and media planning.

The lack of a common television currency has affected campaign planning, evaluation of channel and programme performance, advertising negotiations and allocation of television budgets. Industry stakeholders have also warned that an extended ratings blackout could accelerate the movement of advertising spends towards digital platforms.

CTV measurement remains a key issue

Another issue being worked through is the measurement of Connected TV (CTV), sources said.

BARC is still ascertaining the appropriate methodology to measure viewing on connected televisions. The industry had earlier urged the ministry to allow ratings to resume while giving BARC time to implement CTV measurement by December 2026.

BARC has already commenced integrating CTV households into its measurement panel, with CTV data expected to become part of published television ratings from December, although efforts are underway to bring forward the rollout.

BARC makes progress on compliance

BARC has told the ministry that it has made substantial progress towards meeting the requirements of the Television Rating Policy 2026.

Its television measurement panel has grown to 70,876 homes, against the mandatory threshold of 80,000 metered households. BARC expects to reach the 80,000-home threshold by December 2026. Under the new policy, the panel is eventually required to expand by 10,000 homes annually until it reaches 1.2 lakh households.

The ratings body has also initiated governance changes prescribed under the new framework. It has amended its Articles of Association and is awaiting approval from the Registrar of Companies, while the search for an additional independent board member is underway.

BARC has further informed the ministry that it has met other eligibility requirements relating to licence fees, bank guarantees and appointment of nodal officers.

Industry awaits ratings ahead of festive season

The timing of the possible restart has added urgency to the government's deliberations.

Television broadcasters depend on ratings to establish the value of advertising inventory, negotiate rates and demonstrate return on investment to advertisers. Agencies and advertisers, meanwhile, require audience data to make channel- and programme-level investment decisions.

With the festive advertising season approaching, industry executives believe a prolonged suspension could have a deeper impact on television revenues and media planning.

The government is consequently examining whether BARC can be allowed to resume ratings while completing the remaining requirements under the new framework.

For now, the key question is the timing of the restart. If BARC is permitted to begin measurement immediately, the industry could potentially see the ratings return on August 27. If the government grants approval only over the next 10 days, the publication of ratings could be pushed back by another week.

The high-level meeting, however, has raised expectations that the month-long ratings impasse could finally be nearing an end. The government's detailed examination of the landing-page dispute suggests that while it wants the ratings currency back, it is equally focused on ensuring that its return does not compromise the principles underpinning the new measurement framework.