Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)

In News

• Ratings by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for the news channels will resume, after the organization revised its procedures and protocols.

About

• Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC): is a Joint Industry Body founded by stakeholder bodies that represent Broadcasters, Advertisers, and Advertising and Media Agencies.
• Aim: BARC India owns and manages a transparent, accurate, and inclusive TV audience measurement system.
• Issue
  • The resumption comes after over a year of TRPs being suspended following allegations of manipulation of ratings that emerged in 2020.
• Changes made and its Significance
  • The reconstitution of the Board and the Technical Committee to allow for the induction of Independent Members has also been initiated by the BARC.
  • A permanent Oversight Committee has also been formed.
  • The access protocols for data have been revamped and tightened.
• A working group under the chairmanship of the Prasar Bharati, Shashi Shekhar Vempati: for the consideration of leveraging the Return Path Data (RPD) capabilities for the use of TRP services has also been set up which is also recommended by TRAI and the TRP Committee Report.
• RPD capabilities: imply that the set top box which is receiving the signal will be able to convey data on how the subscriber is using the box.
  • The idea is for the set top box to automatically capture the subscriber behavior to provide an accurate estimate of viewership.

Source: TH