New Delhi: India’s television audience measurement system is set for its biggest disruption since its inception, with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) reportedly directing the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to stop publishing television ratings across both news and non-news genres until its licence is renewed under the Television Ratings Policy, 2026.
According to media reports, the directive effectively pauses BARC’s ratings operations until the ratings body secures licence renewal and is certified as fully compliant with the new regulatory framework introduced by the ministry.
The move significantly widens the existing suspension of news ratings and, if implemented, will halt the publication of audience measurement data for all television genres. The absence of weekly ratings is expected to impact broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies that depend on BARC data for advertising negotiations, media planning, programme evaluation and competitive benchmarking.
Media reports said the ministry’s decision stems from Clause 14.2 of the Television Ratings Policy, 2026, which stipulates that no television ratings agency can generate or publish audience data unless it complies with the revised regulatory framework.
The Television Ratings Policy, notified earlier this year, replaced the 2014 framework with a stricter governance and compliance regime. The revised rules mandate enhanced corporate governance standards, stronger audit mechanisms, security clearances, expanded metered-home deployment, greater transparency in audience measurement methodologies, periodic inspections and complaint redressal disclosures.
According to media reports, BARC had applied for renewal of its television ratings licence after the ministry extended the compliance deadline for existing ratings agencies from 30 days to 60 days. The application followed consultations involving BARC, the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) and Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, during which broadcasters sought additional time to implement the revised requirements.
Although the ministry subsequently eased certain provisions—including reducing the mandatory proportion of independent directors on ratings agency boards from 50% to 33%, extending timelines for deploying 80,000 people meters and revising the establishment survey cycle from an annual exercise to once every three years—media reports indicate that BARC will still be unable to resume publishing ratings until the licence renewal process is completed.
Industry executives cited by media reports said BARC’s earlier registration has expired and renewal remains contingent on the ministry’s approval under the new policy.
The suspension is expected to create fresh uncertainty for India’s television ecosystem, where weekly audience measurement serves as the primary currency for advertising investments and programming decisions. Advertisers and media buying agencies extensively rely on BARC ratings to evaluate campaign performance, optimise television spends and assess channel reach.
The revised policy also empowers the government to impose graded penalties for non-compliance, including temporary suspension of ratings services and cancellation of registration for repeated violations.
BARC did not comment on the reported development.
