The Information & Broadcasting Ministry’s decision to halt BARC ratings amid implementation of a new policy has increased uncertainty in the television advertising market just ahead of the festive season
New Delhi: India’s television industry, one of the world’s largest TV markets, is facing a growing ratings crisis after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B Ministry) directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to suspend television audience measurement and TV ratings.
The order, issued on July 1, will remain in force until the government decides on BARC’s application for renewal of its registration under the new Television Rating Policy, which was notified in March this year.
The interruption comes at a sensitive time for the television advertising industry, with the festive season approaching—a period when brands traditionally increase their advertising expenditure.
Television advertising market already under pressure
The disruption in television ratings comes against the backdrop of a sustained decline in advertising expenditure on traditional television delivered through cable and direct-to-home (DTH) platforms.
Television advertising expenditure declined from around ₹31,200 crore in 2023 to approximately ₹26,300 crore in 2025.
So far, however, the absence of fresh ratings data has not resulted in a major disruption in advertising spending. According to TAM Media Research, television advertising expenditure has remained broadly stable.
One reason is that much of the advertising inventory for July had already been planned and purchased well in advance. Consequently, advertisers were able to continue their campaigns despite the lack of updated ratings data.
Festive season could become a turning point
The bigger concern is what happens from August onward, when India’s festive advertising season begins.
Television traditionally attracts significant advertising spending during the festive period, with brands increasing campaigns around major shopping and consumption events.
If the ratings blackout continues for an extended period, advertisers could reassess their television budgets and potentially shift some spending to other media platforms where audience measurement is more readily available.
The impact, however, may not be uniform across broadcasters.
Large television networks such as JioStar, Zee and Sony could be better positioned because advertisers can rely on historical audience data, network reach and market share when making advertising decisions.
Smaller broadcasters and brands targeting specific regional or niche audiences could face greater difficulties because advertisers depend more heavily on detailed and current ratings data to identify the right channels and programmes.
What is the new Television Rating Policy?
The government’s new policy seeks to make the television-rating ecosystem more robust and potentially create greater opportunities for other rating agencies to enter the market.
One of the major changes is an increase in the number of measurement meters.
Under the new framework, a rating agency would be required to deploy at least 80,000 meters. The number would subsequently increase by 10,000 meters every year, eventually reaching 1,20,000 meters.
The expanded measurement panel is expected to capture the television viewing behaviour of approximately 5.5 lakh individuals.
By comparison, BARC currently operates around 58,000 meters, making the proposed measurement sample significantly larger.
Greater independence and regular surveys
The policy also introduces governance and sampling requirements for rating agencies.
At least 33 per cent of the members of a rating agency’s board must be independent, according to the new framework.
The survey used to select the sample of households and viewers for television audience measurement is also required to be conducted once every three years.
These measures are intended to strengthen the credibility, transparency and statistical reliability of television ratings.
Policy aims to make ratings technology-neutral
Another important objective of the new policy is to bring the rating system in line with changes in how Indians consume video content.
Television viewing is no longer limited to traditional cable and DTH platforms. Viewers increasingly consume content through:
- Connected TVs
- Streaming platforms
- OTT services
- DD Free Dish
- Internet-based television services
The new framework therefore seeks to create a more technology-neutral rating system that can account for changing patterns of content consumption.
Once its registration is renewed, BARC is expected to receive nine months to align itself with certain provisions of the new framework.
Why BARC itself has faced challenges
The debate over television ratings is not new.
The government and regulators began intervening in television audience measurement more than 15 years ago, following controversies surrounding the earlier TAM Media Research system.
The issue led to legal disputes, expert committee reports and several rounds of policy discussions.
The TAM system was eventually phased out, and BARC was established in 2015 under difficult circumstances.
BARC operates as a joint industry initiative with a 60:20:20 ownership structure. The shares are held by:
- Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) — 60%
- Indian Society of Advertisers — 20%
- Advertising Agencies Association of India — 20%
However, BARC has also faced some of the statistical and operational challenges that affected the earlier ratings system.
Ratings are stronger for mass entertainment than niche segments
BARC’s sample is considered reasonably robust for large categories such as general entertainment, which accounts for more than half of television programming consumption.
However, the statistical reliability of ratings becomes more challenging when measuring smaller programmes, niche categories or highly specific audiences.
For advertisers targeting a particular demographic, language or geographic market, reliable and granular audience data is particularly important.
Cost of expanding the ratings panel
The new policy’s requirement to substantially increase the number of measurement meters could also create a significant financial burden.
The cost of installing each meter is estimated at around ₹10,000.
Installing 60,000 additional meters would therefore involve an estimated expenditure of around ₹60 crore.
Industry participants have reportedly raised concerns over whether broadcasters and other stakeholders will be willing to make such a substantial investment in a traditional television market that has been steadily losing viewers to digital platforms.
India’s television reach has declined
The ratings debate is also taking place against a fundamental change in India’s television ecosystem.
In 2019, more than 21 crore Indian households had television sets, representing a potential reach of around 90 crore people.
By 2025, television penetration had declined to approximately 15.7 crore households and 65.9 crore people.
The decline has been attributed partly to the impact of the pandemic and the rapid growth of streaming and digital entertainment.
Despite this change, BARC has continued to use television penetration data based on the 2018 survey, because a more recent comprehensive survey has not yet been conducted.
DD Free Dish and connected TVs changing the landscape
At the same time, some of the growth in video consumption is coming from DD Free Dish and connected television (CTV).
DD Free Dish is India’s government-controlled free-to-air DTH service, while connected TVs allow users to access internet-based content and streaming services directly through their television sets.
Connected TV penetration has now crossed 5 crore households, highlighting how rapidly the television ecosystem is evolving.
The OTT measurement challenge
Measuring audiences across different platforms has become increasingly complicated.
Major broadcasters now operate their own OTT platforms. For example, JioStar operates JioHotstar, while Sony operates SonyLIV.
A comprehensive measurement system capable of simultaneously capturing audiences across DTH, cable and internet-based platforms could cost an estimated ₹150 crore.
This raises a fundamental question: Who should bear the cost of building and operating such a comprehensive measurement system?
Advertisers remain largely silent
Perhaps the most striking aspect of the current crisis is the relatively limited public response from advertisers—the companies that ultimately spend billions of rupees on television advertising.
Advertisers rely heavily on audience measurement to decide where and how much to spend. Yet, despite the ratings disruption, the industry has so far seen limited public pressure from major advertisers for an immediate resolution.
Possibility of provisional registration for BARC
There is currently discussion within the industry that BARC could potentially receive temporary or provisional registration to maintain continuity in television audience measurement.
At the same time, no significant company has so far shown interest in establishing a new television rating agency in India.
This highlights the practical difficulties of creating a completely new ratings ecosystem, particularly given the significant investment required in technology, sampling, data collection and infrastructure.
Need for a collaborative approach
India’s television industry has undergone enormous changes since economic liberalisation began 35 years ago.
Private television networks such as CNN, Star TV, Sun TV and Zee entered the Indian market decades ago, while the regulatory framework for broadcasting has also been in place for more than two decades, with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) playing an important regulatory role.
However, the continuing ratings dispute suggests that India’s regulatory approach may need to evolve alongside the industry’s rapid transformation.
Traditional television is increasingly converging with OTT, connected TV and digital video, making a single-platform measurement system less relevant.
What lies ahead?
The immediate priority for the industry is to restore continuity in audience measurement, particularly before the crucial festive advertising season.
A provisional arrangement for BARC could provide short-term stability, while the broader challenge is to develop a credible, transparent and technology-neutral measurement system capable of accurately tracking audiences across traditional and digital platforms.
As India’s media consumption habits continue to change, cooperation among the government, broadcasters, advertisers, agencies, technology companies and measurement organisations could be essential.
The future of television ratings may therefore depend not merely on increasing the number of meters, but on creating a unified and trusted measurement ecosystem that reflects how Indians actually consume video content today.
