Mumbai: BARC on February 7 has announced that the news channel data will be released on March 17, 2022. In the wake of this, NBF, the congregation of news TV channels, have accused BARC and its board for favoring a section of news channels.
In a letter to the BARC Chairman, NBF accused that release of data on March 17 possibly indicates continued favouritism to select few channels that would reflect in skewed audience measurement numbers and fabricated industry representation.
The letter stated, “BARC’s move is in complete defiance and in violation of MIB’s direction dated- 12 January 2022. BARC’s communication to its subscribers on 7 February 2022 (Monday) comes barely a week after detailed discussion with channels of NBDA, which are of conflict of interest on this issue. NBF, as the largest new broadcasters industry association protecting the business interest of news channels has not been consulted despite several requests on the same. We are also apprehensive about whether the date of resumption of ratings i.e. 17 March 2022 or the opt out methodology has any official seal of approval from the MIB.”
“Even during the dark period – October 15 2020 until date – audience data is being collected and tabulated for all Genres including those with a lesser sample size than News channels. So, in all fairness, it should be released as they are, with immediate effect and as directed by the MIB,” the letter read.
NBF alleged that Opt-out option extended by BARC is in absolute violation of MIB’s direction.
“Despite MIB directing BARC to immediately release the data with ‘immediate effect’, they have, however, chosen to completely undermine the government’s order and in violation is now proceeding with an opt-out option. Ratings are relative within a genre. The opt-out option is a direct contravention and renders completely redundant the MIB direction of 3-month ratings. The opt-out is a way to conceal even recent historical data,” the letter stated.
It further added, “News channels generate revenue by selling air time to advertisers on the primary condition that news channel viewership is measured in market share terms. Any channel opting out disrupts the true representation of the market share. BARC by providing an opt-out option is doing an extreme disservice to the entire industry including advertisers and advertising agencies as well.”
“The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting order came on January 12, 2022, and the ministry specifically said ‘immediately’ but in turn BARC has chosen March 17, 2022. In fact, even if the audience data is released on a 4-week rolling average basis on March 17, 2022, the final TRPs will skew the average since it would only reflect a one-off major event of the Assembly elections and the ensuing counting day to five states, including Uttar Pradesh. The day chosen for the resumption of ratings will not give a fair and transparent picture of the actual viewership across the stakeholders – trusted viewers, advertisers and advertising agencies,” the letter further read.
