#e4mExclusive:  TRP blackout: BARC possible shutdown puts 1,500 jobs at risk; industry braces for layoffs

The possible shutdown of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India could put approximately 1,500 jobs at risk across its wider operational ecosystem, even as television broadcasters prepare a separate round of workforce reductions amid mounting financial pressure on their linear television businesses.

Industry sources told e4m that the potential closure of BARC would affect around 1,500 people associated with the ratings body's operations and the wider ecosystem supporting television audience measurement. Separately, broadcasters, including some of the country's leading television networks, are evaluating workforce rationalisation as the prolonged suspension of television ratings continues to hurt the economics of linear television.

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The impact of broadcaster-led layoffs is expected to become more visible after Diwali, when networks are likely to begin implementing cost-cutting measures, sources said. These job reductions are independent of the potential employment impact of a BARC shutdown and could extend across editorial, programming, sales, marketing, distribution and other functions.

"The shutdown of BARC itself could impact over 1,500 people across its wider operational ecosystem. This is separate from the layoffs that broadcasters are now considering within their own organisations. The absence of ratings has put additional pressure on linear television businesses, and broadcasters are looking at ways to rationalise costs," said a top senior industry executive privy to discussions with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

The employment concerns come at a time when the broadcasting industry is grappling with prolonged uncertainty over the resumption of television audience measurement. Ratings have remained suspended following directives from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), which has been seeking BARC's compliance with the new Television Ratings Policy 2026.

For broadcasters, the absence of audience measurement data has made it increasingly difficult to demonstrate channel performance, negotiate advertising rates and provide advertisers with reliable visibility into television audiences.

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The situation is particularly challenging for linear television channels, which are already facing competition from digital platforms and changing media consumption habits.

"Without ratings, it becomes difficult for broadcasters to establish the value of their advertising inventory. Advertisers need measurable audience data, and in its absence, commercial negotiations are becoming increasingly challenging. This is directly affecting the economics of linear television," said another industry source.

BARC's revenue model under pressure

The financial strain on BARC has also become a concern, with the ratings body facing restrictions on subscription collections from news broadcasters during the ongoing TRP blackout.

In June, MIB directed BARC not to levy subscription charges on news broadcasters for the period during which television ratings remained suspended. The ministry's position was that broadcasters should not be required to pay for audience measurement services when ratings data was unavailable.

The directive marked a significant intervention in BARC's revenue collection process, given that subscription fees from broadcasters and other stakeholders form part of the ratings body's revenue model.

BARC had subsequently approached the ministry seeking withdrawal of the billing restriction, arguing that it continued to incur substantial operational expenses despite the suspension of ratings. These included maintaining its panel of metered households, collecting viewing data, processing information and running the technology and measurement infrastructure.

The situation has added to the financial uncertainty surrounding the ratings body. While news broadcasters have stopped paying subscription fees during the blackout, industry sources said only a handful of leading broadcasters continue to pay subscription fees to BARC.

The distinction between the subscription suspension directed by the ministry for news broadcasters and the payment decisions of other subscribers is significant, as BARC continues to bear the cost of maintaining its measurement infrastructure even without publishing ratings.

Broadcasters weigh BARC's future

Broadcasters have been considering a November deadline for the resumption of ratings. An industry-level shutdown of BARC is also being discussed as a last resort if the impasse continues.

At a board-level deliberation, members of the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) discussed the prolonged suspension of ratings and the need for a clear resolution from the MIB. The industry is understood to be considering a formal representation to the government, seeking a defined timeline for the resumption of measurement.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had given BARC time until November to implement the necessary changes under the Television Ratings Policy 2026 and secure clearance to resume measurement.

The new policy requires BARC to expand its measurement panel to 80,000 metered homes, introduce independent directors, conduct annual audits, adopt technology-neutral measurement and exclude landing-page viewership from official ratings.

BARC has informed the ministry that its panel has expanded to 70,876 homes and that it expects to meet the 80,000-home requirement by December. However, the ratings body is yet to receive the necessary clearance to resume publication.

The prolonged uncertainty is now creating two distinct employment challenges for the television industry. A potential shutdown of BARC could directly affect approximately 1,500 people across its wider operational ecosystem, while broadcasters are independently preparing workforce reductions to manage the commercial impact of operating without an industry-wide audience measurement currency.

For employees across television networks, the coming weeks could prove critical, with broadcasters expected to take a harder look at operating costs after Diwali. Unless the regulatory deadlock is resolved and ratings resume, the industry could face further pressure on both employment and the financial sustainability of linear television.