IRS, NRS to be merged into a single readership survey

Well-known readership barometers Indian Readership Survey (IRS) and National Readership Survey (NRS) would be merged to form a single survey.

IRS is the flagship readership research survey from Media Research Users Council (MRUC), the body set up by agencies, advertisers and media houses to conduct the research required for the assessment of various media for advertising. The NRS, on the other hand, is published by the National Readership Studies Council (NRSC) — a body constituted by the Indian Newspaper Society, Advertising Agencies Association of India and Audit Bureau of Circulation for the purpose of carrying out readership surveys in India. Both MRUC and NRSC have passed resolutions for the merger at their respective Governing Council meetings held recently. The boards of both NRSC and MRUC have been mandated to discuss and finalise the modalities of the merger as soon as possible.

Sam Balsara, chairman of NRSC Governing Council, said: “We can now look forward to one industry-sponsored robust readership survey that will be accepted by one and all.”