TV Rating Guidelines 2025
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: PIB
Context: The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting released a draft policy on TV Rating Guidelines 2025, proposing to allow multiple agencies in the TRP ecosystem to improve accuracy, transparency, and reflect digital viewership trends.
About TV Rating Guidelines 2025:
• What is TRP? Television Rating Point (TRP) is a quantitative metric used to measure the popularity and reach of television programs. It helps broadcasters, advertisers, and stakeholders assess audience engagement and plan revenues accordingly.
• Television Rating Point (TRP) is a quantitative metric used to measure the popularity and reach of television programs. It helps broadcasters, advertisers, and stakeholders assess audience engagement and plan revenues accordingly.
• Administering Authority:
• Governed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India. Operationally handled by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
• Governed by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India.
• Operationally handled by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC).
• Established: The current regulatory framework was introduced in 2014 under the “Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India”.
• Objective of the TRP System:
• To ensure transparent, scientific, and reliable measurement of TV viewership across platforms. To aid content creators, advertisers, and regulators in making data-driven decisions in the media ecosystem.
• To ensure transparent, scientific, and reliable measurement of TV viewership across platforms.
• To aid content creators, advertisers, and regulators in making data-driven decisions in the media ecosystem.
• Issues with the Existing TRP System:
• Monopoly by BARC: BARC is the only rating agency authorized, limiting innovation and competition. Limited Sample Size: Only 58,000 meters for over 230 million TV homes—representing just 0.025%. No Measurement of Connected Devices: Current system excludes smart TVs, OTT platforms, and mobile apps.
• Monopoly by BARC: BARC is the only rating agency authorized, limiting innovation and competition.
• Limited Sample Size: Only 58,000 meters for over 230 million TV homes—representing just 0.025%.
• No Measurement of Connected Devices: Current system excludes smart TVs, OTT platforms, and mobile apps.
• Proposed Reforms in the Draft TRP Policy 2025:
• Allow Multiple Rating Agencies: Entry barriers removed to foster competition and modernise the ecosystem. Modern Technology Integration: Encourages agencies to include connected TVs, streaming apps, and mobile devices in measurement. Amendments to Restrictive Clauses: Clause 1.4 reworded to focus only on avoiding conflict of interest, not general consultancy bans. Clauses 1.5 and 1.7 deleted to eliminate entry barriers. Democratising Investment: Broadcasters and advertisers can now invest in rating infrastructure under regulated norms. Transparent and Inclusive Ratings: The new system seeks to better reflect India’s diverse content consumption, especially in regional and digital domains.
• Allow Multiple Rating Agencies: Entry barriers removed to foster competition and modernise the ecosystem.
• Modern Technology Integration: Encourages agencies to include connected TVs, streaming apps, and mobile devices in measurement.
• Amendments to Restrictive Clauses: Clause 1.4 reworded to focus only on avoiding conflict of interest, not general consultancy bans. Clauses 1.5 and 1.7 deleted to eliminate entry barriers.
• Clause 1.4 reworded to focus only on avoiding conflict of interest, not general consultancy bans.
• Clauses 1.5 and 1.7 deleted to eliminate entry barriers.
• Democratising Investment: Broadcasters and advertisers can now invest in rating infrastructure under regulated norms.
• Transparent and Inclusive Ratings: The new system seeks to better reflect India’s diverse content consumption, especially in regional and digital domains.