BARC to be Kept on Lead?

Indian regulator TRAI has worried researchers with its recommendations regarding the country's future TV audience measurement. Its conclusions favour 'self-regulation' via the newly constituted BARC body, but recommend the inclusion of government nominees on the latter's committees.

TRAI (the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) says there should be no direct government intervention in measurement, and the industry should look to self-regulate for the moment. However, it also recommends the inclusion of two nominees of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the board of BARC, the agency charged with overseeing the process; and that BARC's technical committee should include nominees from the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation, National Council of Applied Economic Research and the Indian Statistical Institute.

Today's report says BARC, whose formation in September '07 was the work of three independent broadcasting and advertising associations, should begin its official functioning by January '09, and must ensure that measurement covers all broadcasting platforms including cable, direct to home and IPTV, and represents both rural and urban areas across all Indian states.

TRAI says actual fieldwork and analysis should be the work of specialist research firms, but in a blow to current leader TAM Media Research, recommends that no broadcaster, advertiser or advertising agency should have any stake in the measurement agency. TAM's joint venture partners include WPP agencies.

Stakeholders have until next Tuesday, July 29th, to comment. TRAI's web site is at www.trai.gov.in .

All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.