(a) whether Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) ratings for news channels are yet to be resumed;
(b) if so, the details thereof, language/State-wise; and
(c) the reasons for stopping the same in earlier occassions since 2010 and the present status, channel-wise?
THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)
(a): M/s Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has apprisedthat it is reaching out to all the constituents to sufficiently inform and educate them about the details of the revised and augmented Data Reporting Standards of BARC and thus would need eightweeks time (from the date of Ministry’s permission) to resume the reporting of individual news channel ratings.
(b) : Does not arise.
(c) : BARC was granted registration as TRP agency on 28.07.2015 in accordance to the “Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India” notified by Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notified on 16th January, 2014. Since then, BARC has been publishing the TRPs. In October, 2020 BARC released a press statement stating that as per the directions of its Board, BARC would cease publishing the weekly individual ratings for all the channels of News and Niche genres with immediate effect for an initial period of 8-12 weeks.Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on 15.02.2021, had directed BARC to maintain status quo in the matter of ratings. This was necessitated in view of the alleged reports of manipulation and review of the whole ecosystem of publishing of ratings. After review of the steps taken by BARC on corporate governance and on streamlining of processes and their transparency etc. BARC has been askedon 12.01.2022 to resume the release of the News ratings. BARCis now reaching out to all the constituents to sufficiently inform and educate them about the details of the revised and augmented Data Reporting Standards of BARC.
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