Treating landing page data as zero viewership hollows out key business asset: AIDCF to HC

The All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) and DEN Networks Limited had moved the High Court of Kerala challenging the Centre’s new television ratings framework that bars “landing page” viewership from being counted in Television Rating Points (TRPs), arguing that the move threatens the economic viability of cable distribution platforms and circumvents ongoing proceedings before the Supreme Court.

In a writ petition filed against the Union government, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the petitioners have sought the striking down of a proviso under Clause 5.4.1 of the newly notified TV Ratings Policy 2026, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on March 27, 2026.

Read more: Kerala HC stays release of new TRPs without landing page data

The matter came up before the Bench of Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas in the Kerala High Court. The court has asked the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) to file its response on the interim application filed by AIDCF. Kerala High Court has put a stay on releasing ratings without landing page data. Interestingly, the court has not stayed the implementation of the TRP policy guidelines issued by MIB. The matter will now again be heard on June 15.

The contentious provision states: “Provided that any viewership arising out of Landing Page shall not be counted in the viewership measurement. Landing Page can be used only as a marketing tool.”

Landing pages refer to the default channels that appear when viewers switch on a set-top box. According to the petitioners, carriage and placement arrangements tied to these landing pages form a critical revenue stream for Multi-System Operators (MSOs), especially at a time when traditional cable television distribution is facing pressure from OTT platforms and social media.

The petition argued that by treating all landing page exposure as “zero viewership”, the new framework commercially “hollows out” an important business asset for cable operators and violates their right to carry on trade and business under Article 19(1)(g) of the Constitution.

The industry bodies also alleged that the Centre’s move effectively bypasses pending litigation before the Supreme Court in the long-running dispute over landing page regulation. The matter stems from a 2017 TRAI direction that sought to prohibit broadcasters and distributors from placing rated channels on landing pages or boot-up screens.

That direction was challenged before the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT), leading TRAI to temporarily withdraw it in April 2018 after issuing a consultation paper on the issue. However, TRAI again issued fresh restrictions in December 2018 despite objections from broadcasters and distribution platform operators, prompting multiple appeals before TDSAT by entities including Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd., Zoom Entertainment Network, AIDCF and JPR Channel Mumbai.

In May 2019, TDSAT set aside TRAI’s landing page restrictions. TRAI subsequently approached the Supreme Court through Civil Appeal Nos. 6001-6003 of 2019.

The petitioners pointed out that while the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the TDSAT ruling in July 2020, it also directed that TRAI should not enforce landing page restrictions during the pendency of the appeal.

AIDCF and DEN Networks have now argued that the 2026 TV ratings policy indirectly achieves what TRAI had been restrained from doing directly. “Respondent No. 1 attempts to do indirectly what Respondent No. 2 was prohibited to do,” the petition stated.

The petition further contended that the blanket exclusion of landing page viewership ignores technological realities and existing safeguards already deployed by BARC. According to the filing, BARC introduced a Landing Page Algorithm (LPA) in September 2020 that identifies passive viewing generated merely due to channel placement while retaining genuine viewer engagement.

The petitioners argued that the government itself had earlier recognised that only the first two minutes of landing page exposure could be treated as passive or forced viewing, while any viewing beyond that period represented a conscious consumer choice.

AIDCF had formally objected to the proposed amendments in December 2025 after the ministry circulated draft changes to the ratings framework. In its submission to the ministry, the federation argued that “completely excluding landing-page viewership from audience measurement is neither technically justified nor operationally feasible.”

The federation further argued before the ministry that landing pages constitute “a legitimate and unavoidable part of the viewer’s experience” and that treating such exposure as “non-viewership” would distort audience measurement, reduce transparency and unfairly penalise broadcasters and MSOs.

The petition also noted that on February 23, 2026, AIDCF again wrote to the ministry warning that the proposal would undermine assurances previously given before the Supreme Court in the pending appeal.

BARC subsequently operationalised the revised framework. According to the petition, on May 13, 2026, BARC issued operational guidelines to completely exclude landing page-driven viewership from official ratings calculations following the ministry’s revised policy.

Apart from the landing page controversy, the TV Ratings Policy 2026 introduces sweeping changes to the television measurement ecosystem. The policy expands the measurement mandate beyond conventional television to include cable TV, DTH, terrestrial TV, OTT platforms and connected TVs wherever feasible.

It also sharply raises panel size requirements by mandating at least 80,000 metered homes within 18 months of registration, increasing annually to 1,20,000 homes. Existing agencies have been directed to achieve the 80,000-home threshold within six months.

The framework additionally introduces new governance and compliance obligations, including quarterly internal audits, annual independent audits, ministry-level audit and oversight teams, stricter board independence requirements, grievance redressal mechanisms, enhanced disclosure norms, and graded penalties ranging from temporary suspension of ratings to cancellation of registration for repeated violations.

The petitioners have sought a writ striking down the landing page exclusion clause as “unconstitutional, arbitrary and ultra vires”, and have requested interim relief restraining the government and BARC from implementing the operational guidelines issued under the amended policy.