India may get multiple TV ratings agencies: But which TRP will count?

Multiple TV ratings agencies could soon operate in India. But if each produces a different number for the same programme, which TRP will become the industry's currency? Experts explain

As the festive season nears, broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies are facing uncertainty. Television ratings, the industry’s principal audience-measurement currency, have been unavailable since July. But the ratings blackout is not the only factor that is adding to the uncertainty.

 

The government is moving to implement the Television Rating Policy, 2026, which allows more than one television audience-measurement agency to operate in India. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said in July that the policy places "no restriction on the number of agencies" that may be registered.

 

This opens the possibility of Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) India operating alongside other measurement providers. Barc is currently seeking registration under the new framework, while TAM India and Chrome DM have also applied, The Economic Times reported earlier this month.

  

The central question for the industry is what happens if multiple registered agencies produce different ratings for the same programme, and which of those numbers advertisers and broadcasters use for commercial transactions.

Why could two compliant agencies produce different ratings?

The measurement system used by a ratings agency can affect the numbers it produces. The policy standardises the broad rules of measurement, but not necessarily every methodological choice. According to industry experts, two agencies could therefore comply with the same regulatory framework and still arrive at different audience estimates.

 

Ankush Vij, co-founder and vice-president, Media, Hashtag Orange, an advertising agency, said agencies would have to examine whether a provider relies on panel metering, set-top-box data or smart-TV recognition because each approach measures audiences differently. He pointed to consistency and coverage as factors agencies would consider.

 

“A provider could have different strengths in measuring broadcast channels, streaming or regional audiences, which makes it necessary for agencies to assess the data against their clients' requirements,” Vij told Business Standard.

 

Ravindra Singh, senior vice-president at Efficacy Worldwide, a full-service marketing agency, said multiple providers could require agencies to work with different methodologies, panel structures and reporting frameworks when planning reach and frequency.

 

“The key challenge will not be having multiple datasets, but ensuring that planners understand what each dataset measures and how comparable the outputs are,” Singh told Business Standard.

What happens if two ratings differ?

If two providers report different audiences for the same programme, the difference can affect calculations of campaign reach, frequency and efficiency.

 

Singh said an advertiser could see a campaign as having delivered one level of scale under one measurement system and a materially different level under another. “Agencies would therefore need to explain the methodology behind the numbers and distinguish between a difference in measurement and a difference in audience behaviour,” he said.

 

The problem becomes more substantial when ratings are used for comparisons across channels or over time. Singh said such comparisons become less meaningful when the underlying methodologies or audience definitions differ significantly.

 

For datasets to be used alongside each other, agencies would need sufficient consistency in fundamental metrics such as audience definitions, reach, frequency, time spent, demographic cuts and reporting periods, Singh said. They would also need transparency around panel composition, sampling, methodology and data processing.

 

Different systems would not necessarily have to produce identical numbers, he said, but they would need to provide enough methodological context for agencies to understand why the numbers differ.

Multiple datasets, but one commercial currency?

Experts draw a distinction between using multiple sources of audience data and using multiple ratings systems to settle advertising transactions.

 

Vij said advertisers already use multiple sources of data alongside television ratings, including platform data, brand-lift studies and internal business metrics. But he drew a distinction between using several sources for planning and using two currencies for commercial transactions.

 

"A marketer needs one definitive number they can defend to the CFO," Vij said, referring to the need to establish the cost per rating point and whether agreed campaign delivery was met.

 

His view is that advertisers could use another ratings provider for planning, validation or cross-checking while retaining one primary dataset for contractual settlement. Multiple ratings systems could therefore coexist without necessarily becoming multiple commercial currencies.

What would determine the commercial currency?

Registration would allow a ratings provider to operate, but would not by itself make its data the industry's commercial benchmark, according to Vij.

 

Agencies would consider factors including methodology, consistency, coverage and the ability of the dataset to represent current television viewing patterns, he said. Transparency, independent audits, timely delivery of data and governance involving broadcasters, advertisers and agencies would also matter.

 

Historical continuity could also play a role. Vij said the established provider has more than 10 years of trend data that agencies use for annual planning, long-term benchmarking and broadcaster rate cards.

 

“Accreditation gives a new entrant legitimacy, but it does not automatically make them a currency,” he said.

 

The policy does not specify which agency’s ratings should serve as the reference for commercial transactions. It also does not require broadcasters, advertisers or media agencies to use a single provider’s ratings for planning or transactions.

 

In practice, an established provider could continue to be used for commercial settlement even after another agency is accredited, depending on industry acceptance and contractual arrangements, Vij said.

How would media buying work if ratings differ?

If there is no single industry-wide reference dataset, buyers and broadcasters may have to specify in contracts which ratings system will govern a transaction.

 

Vij said contracts could specify one reference system for final settlement, along with acceptable variance bands and reconciliation rules for cases where campaign delivery falls outside those limits. Contracts could also establish how make-goods or credits are calculated and provide a dispute-resolution mechanism.

 

For longer campaigns, he said periodic checks could identify discrepancies before the end of a campaign. “Contracts should also address mid-campaign methodology changes, since providers update models unpredictably,” he said.

Who decides which TRP counts?

The policy creates room for multiple ratings providers, but leaves broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies to determine how their data will be used commercially.

 

Vij said agencies could retain a primary dataset for contracts while using other ratings datasets for cross-checking and planning insights.

 

For multiple datasets to work alongside each other, Singh said agencies would need consistency in fundamental metrics such as audience definitions, reach, frequency, time spent, demographic cuts and reporting periods. Transparency around panel composition, sampling, methodology and data processing would also be important.