Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has recommended a major overhaul in the governance structure and operational framework of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India, the joint-industry body for TV audience measurement.
Since 2015, BARC has been the sole provider of TV rating services in the country. However, after concerns of neutrality and reliability, were raised by various stakeholders, TRAI had initiated suo-motu review and consultation process on Television Audience Measurement and Ratings System in India.
TRAI believes there is a need for development of multiple data collection and rating agencies and once that happens, BARC India should limit its role, to publishing the TV ratings, framing methodology and audit mechanism for the rating agencies. To ensure process of measurement is independent, the regulator has also suggested that BARC should be at an arm's length from its own data collection subsidiary, Meteorology Data Pvt Ltd, which is its sole data collection agency.
"BARC should separate its functions in two units-one unit should be responsible for prescribing methodology of ratings/validation of data, publishing the data and audit mechanism and - the other unit for processing the data, watermarking or any other such technical work including management of data collection agencies," TRAI said on Tuesday.
TRAI’s proposals
TRAI also believes to mitigate conflict of interest, the structure of the board of BARC India should be changed. It has recommended that Board should consist of atleast 50 per cent independent members including two representatives from the government/regulator.” It feels that advertisers and advertising agency representatives should also be active participants in BARC and the restructured board of BARC India should provide equal voting rights and representation to the three consitutent industry associations (AAAI, ISA and IBF).
TRAI has also suggested that tenure of the Chairman and members of the Board should be capped at two years and Chairmanship should rotated among the three constituent industry associations every two years.
Recommendations
Recommendations also include setting up an oversight committee with representatives from top institutes , media experts and an I& B Ministry nominee, to guide BARC India in the areas of research, design, analysis and appointment of independent members of the Board.
"The rating agency should be mandated to increase the sample size from the existing 44,000 to 60,000 by the end of 2020, and 1,00,000 by the end of 2022 using the existing technology," the regulator has recommended adding penal provisions should be imposed if such targets are not met. In addition, it believes BARC should conduct a study with Indian Statistical Institute to estimate the appropriate sample size to get accurate representation of viewership.
When contacted, BARC India said that it is reviewing TRAI recommendations. “All Stakeholders from the Industry and the Government and related bodies are aware of the scientific, statistical and technical robustness of the data collated and released by BARC. BARC truly represents all facets of the Industry comprising Advertisers, Agencies and Broadcasters regardless of size, as the currency of What India Watches. We do not wish to comment at this very early stage,” the BARC statement added.
Other TRAI recommendations include ensuring adequate grievance redressal mechanism, annual audit by an independent agency and automating data processing to avoid manual intervention.