BARC rolls out its first TV viewership ratings

Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), a joint industry body promoted by broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies, today rolled out its TV viewership measurement ratings for the first time.
The viewership will be made accessible to TV channels that subscribe to its data. TV ratings have been a contentious subject with some broadcasters expressing doubts over the accuracy of TAM ratings.
With BARC rolling out its measurement system, the advertisers and broadcasters have an alternative, where earlier TAM was the dominant player.
BARC was formed on March 14, 2012 to bring out reliable TV ratings. It is learnt that in the coming months BARC is going to increase its sample size.

While BARC has released its new data, it is learnt that public broadcaster Doordarshan is concerned that at present it does not cover rural India comprehensively which it could do once it begins covering smaller towns more comprehensively, sources said.