MSOs urge govt to retain landing-page viewership in TRP system

Cable operators have urged the government to reconsider its proposal to exclude landing-page viewership from television rating measurements, arguing that such a move would be technically unsound and create an uneven regulatory framework for the broadcasting sector.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting recently proposed a sweeping overhaul of the existing TRP ecosystem in its latest draft policy.

The Landing Page Puzzle

The proposed framework includes expanding the national ratings panel to nearly 1,20,000 households, ending BARC’s monopoly by accrediting multiple measurement agencies, enforcing stricter conflict-of-interest rules, and introducing far stronger data security protocols to prevent any leakage of meter locations or viewership information.

Another significant recommendation is the removal of landing page impressions from official ratings, a move meant to eliminate a long-criticised loophole that allows channels to inflate reach through default placement rather than genuine viewer choice. These proposals are currently open for public and industry feedback and are expected to shape the final version of the revamped ratings architecture.

Read e4m report on how dropping landing page puts cable TV revenue at risk

According to sources, MSOs have made a submission to the MIB on the proposed amendments to the audience measurement guidelines. They have appreciated the ministry’s “efforts to enhance transparency and reliability in the television audience measurement ecosystem" and extended their support on several key changes outlined in the draft, including replacing the Companies Act 1956 with the Companies Act 2013, strengthening conflict-of-interest norms to keep rating agencies independent and reducing the minimum net worth requirement for rating agencies from Rs 20 crore to Rs 5 crore.

However, they have raised concerns regarding the proposed inclusion of connected TV as a recognised viewing platform under Clause 5.2.1, and warned that this could introduce ambiguities and be misused by connected TV operators to imply official approval despite alleged violations of broadcasting regulations.

News broadcasters may slash landing page spend. Read more here

As per sources, the cable industry is in agreement with the vision that ratings must be technologically neutral and shall capture data across multiple viewing platforms for reflecting the actual viewing trends. However, they have objected to the inclusion and recognition of connected TV in the policy, saying it will lead to ambiguities and may indirectly be used by Connected TV operators as a tool to apply a stamp of government approval on their violation of downlinking guidelines.

They argued that many connected TV environments are dominated by FAST, or Free Ad Supported Streaming Television services, which it claimed are operating in violation of MIB and TRAI regulations by offering pay TV channels as free-to-air, and in some cases distributing unlicensed channels. It requested that the term connected TV be removed from Clause 5.2.1 and reiterated its call for the government to bring all broadcasting platforms, including FAST services, digital distribution platforms and internet-based content apps, into a unified licensing framework.

Landing pages may now carry watermark

On the ministry’s proposal to expand the TV rating panel to 1.2 lakh homes, the MSOs said the sample remains inadequate for a country with 210 million TV households. It recommended expanding the panel to five lakh homes to ensure more credible and tamper-resistant measurement. 

While recommending that a sample size of 5 lakhs should be mandated to get true ratings of any channel, they said that a larger panel size will also ensure that the cases of influence on rating by unscrupulous stakeholders are minimised.

The strongest opposition, however, was reserved for the proposed exclusion of landing-page viewership under Clause 5.5.1. Cable industry has argued that landing-page exposure constitutes real and measurable contact between the viewer and the channel and has long been an inherent part of how cable and set-top-box systems function in India.

“While we fully support the Ministry’s intent to curb any misuse or manipulation of TRP data, we respectfully submit that completely excluding landing-page viewership from audience measurement is neither technically justified nor operationally feasible,” they said.

According to the MSOs, landing page by design is the first channel a viewer encounters and therefore part of the authentic viewing experience. They said that Landing Page, by design, is the first channel or stream that a viewer encounters upon switching on the television set-top box. 

In most Indian households, this is a legitimate and unavoidable part of the viewer’s experience. Treating it as non-viewership does not reflect actual consumer behaviour, they have told the ministry as per sources. 

They said that excluding this exposure would be equivalent to ignoring other universally accepted forms of paid visibility in print, retail and digital media. “When a viewer switches on the television, the content and advertisements on that first channel are visible and impactful. Ignoring this exposure is akin to pretending that a reader does not see a front-page advertisement in a newspaper or that a shopper does not notice a product placed at eye level.”

They also countered the argument that landing pages disproportionately propel certain channels to the top of ratings charts, calling it “overstated and incorrect as a blanket statement.” 

They said any channel placed on landing or default positions could see incremental visibility, but sustained leadership depends on content strength, brand equity and consistent programming.

“The net effect is distributional, not inherently skewed to a single broadcaster. Channels that sustain top positions typically combine distribution advantages including but not limited to landing, programming investment, brand recognition, and promotional activity across platforms. Landing exposure alone rarely explains long-term leadership,” they said.

The cable operators maintained that viewers ultimately decide whether to engage with a channel and that landing-page exposure by itself cannot secure ratings without compelling content. “Banning their counting is a blunt instrument with disproportionate collateral effects,” they said.

Drawing comparisons with accepted marketing practices across industries, the cable industry said that paid prominence is integral to how media and marketplaces function. They pointed out that front-page jackets in newspapers, premium shelf placement in retail and sponsored listings on digital platforms are all counted toward their respective audience or sales metrics. By the same logic, they argued, landing-page impressions on television are legitimate and should be included in the TRP system.