The Hindu Business Line : Television audience metering needs no Govt intervention, says industry

New Delhi, May 7 The Industry has informed the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, that imperfect as it may be today, television audience metering needs no Government intervention.

TRAI on request from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry is looking into the need for the government to step in or supervise audience metering exercises in the view of the explosion in the number TV channels, changing cable environment from analogue to cable as well as in DD’s interest amongst other issues.

Times Now has pointed out that even in China the Government does not intervene in such exercises. The Advertising Agency Association of India and the Indian Society of Advertisers have argued that television audience metering is a tool for “democratically determining the demand-supply based market prices for television advertising inventory,” and should be left to the buyers and the sellers, or to advertisers and broadcasters.

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), which has been set up by the broadcasting and advertising associations, has also got the support of most members who have shared their views with the Regulator, including that of Indian Broadcasting Federation, ZEE and Star Networks. “Rating System around the world has energetic and productive engagements with Broadcast Regulators and BARC proposes to be a responsive partner to TRAI,” said Star in its comments.

Big TV, Reliance ADAG’s DTH service would, however, prefer a “tighter well knit body to act as a regulator supervised by a govt regulator in the initial phase to put in place a future proof system”. It has suggested that a body be set up which can cover a sample of 80,000 plus homes, and report to TRAI. Direct government intervention should be allowed only for the first one-and-half to two years.

Zee, stressing that regulation of such agencies should be done by users or industry bodies has said that an “oversight authority” (created with private sector participation) with autonomous functioning would be welcome. The network would also like the transmission mode and distribution platform to be recognised. MTNL has argued that the high stakes calls for regulation, “so that the proper programme gets the proper TRP and unscrupulous elements do not get the benefit by manipulating the industry.” Interest can be minimised with I&B representation in the oversight body it suggest. Its preferred sample size starts with 100 houses per district, with 80 houses can be from the urban centres and 20 can be from the rural areas.

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