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Our Bureau

Mumbai, Sept. 19

Leading industry associations of the advertising sector have announced formation of a joint industry body under the nomenclature of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), to oversee and control the TV audience measurement system in India.

The council will be a not-for-profit body registered as a section 25 company with a nominal share capital contributed equally by: Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI). The company will have only three members, which are the leading advertising sector associations, representing the three interest groups — advertisers, media owners and advertising agencies.

It has long been felt by many in the ad sector that any large scale ongoing media measurement research should be conducted by an ad industry body that is constituted by the associations of respective media owners, advertisers and advertising agencies to ensure transparency, funding support and sustainability, while keeping the interests of users of study upper most in mind. Earlier in October 1997, the ad industry had come together to form a Joint Industry Body (JIB) consisting of ISA and AAAI, who after detailed evaluation had signed an agreement with AC Nielsen and Indian Market Research Bureau and formed TAM. However, as JIB lacked formal structure, it was unable to strictly implement what it had set out to do.

The objective of BARC is to provide accurate, up-to-date and relevant research relating to television and other audio/video media, but not restricted to TV ratings, for TV programming and spot ratings, without fear or favour in a completely transparent and objective manner and at a reasonable cost to users.

The Board of Directors will also appoint a technical committee, which will be chaired by Mr Vikram Sakhuja. Mr Pradeep Guha representing the IBF will be the first Chairman of BARC. The chairman’s term will be for two years.

BARC will operate from an independent secretariat located in Mumbai. The secretariat will be headed by a media, marketing or research professional with adequate experience and expertise to oversee, and run a large study. The Board of Directors is currently in the process of identifying and appointing the CEO. Over the next few weeks BARC will finalise the specifications, process and business model that it will adopt for TV Audience Measurement Research and the nature of financing.

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