IBF, AAAI, ISA and TAM reach consensus on TV audience measurement

The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) andTV audience measurement body TAM have issued a statement announcing an agreement on the ratings imbroglio.

TV measurement data will be available on a weekly basis, as was the case before some broadcasters decided to ask TAM to move to reporting viewership on a monthly basis.

In a shift from the earlier practice, the media (and public through media) will now get to know television viewership in thousands, colloquially referred to as TVT. For internal evaluation including planning and buying, all other data including weekly TVR percentages will be available to advertisers and advertising agencies, as in the past. Broadcasters will also have access to this information, should they so desire, informed an official statement announcing the resolution.

Addressing concerns of broadcasters, an option of TVT as a four-week rolling average will be provided each week. The rolling average is statistically more stable data on viewership, especially for smaller audiences in niche channels, regional languages, English language programs and news, the statement added.

The three stakeholders - ISA, AAAI and IBF - also agreed that TAM will make all future audience measurement changes based on inputs from the joint-industry BARC technical committee.

On the changes, Man Jit Singh, president, IBF, said, "We are delighted to have reached this agreement. We believe it is important for the industry, and from the perspective of our social responsibility, we must reflect both the growing television audience and the data in a more stable and useful manner. We want to thank AAAI and ISA in collaborating and working out a solution acceptable to all constituents".

“As three concerned constituents who believe in working together, we have decided to refer all future currency related changes to the BARC technical committee. I am glad we will now have an effective guide and monitor for ratings in the country," said Hemant Bakshi, chairman of media committee and managing committee, ISA.

“Getting weekly TVR percentage is important for media planners and buyers to effectively plan and buy ad-spots and do mid-plan course corrections and post-facto analysis. We are glad that we have been able to agree that the agencies and advertisers will have access to this data as in the past. From tomorrow, we look forward to being able to focus back on our clients’ businesses and effective planning and buying for their brands," said Arvind Sharma, president, AAAI.

Speaking to Campaign India, Ashish Bhasin, chairman India & CEO South East Asia, Aegis Group, said, “It is great that all stakeholders have reached a consensus. The decision satisfies the need of all constituents.”

Also read: Viewership ratings deadlock ends, broadcasters to revert to weekly TAM data: Sources