BROADCAST AUDIENCE RESEARCH COUNCIL (BARC) INDIA

BARC

• The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India is a joint industry body founded by organisations that represent Indian broadcasters (IBF), advertisers (ISA), and advertising and media agencies (AAAI).
  
  
• The company was incorporated in 2010. It is based in Mumbai.
  
  

Reforms

• Broadcast Audience Research Council, BARC, has undertaken revision in its processes, protocols, oversight mechanism and governance structure.
  
  
• The reconstitution of the Board and the Technical Committee to allow the induction of Independent Members has also been initiated by BARC.
  
  
• A permanent Oversight Committee has also been formed. The access protocols for data have been revamped and tightened.
  
  

New ratings

• Taking note of the above, the Information and Broadcasting Ministry has asked BARC to release the News ratings with immediate effect and also to release the last three months data, for the genre in a monthly format, for fair and equitable representation of true trends.
  
  
• As per the revised system, the reporting of News and Niche Genres will be on a ‘four week rolling average concept’.
  
  
• The Ministry has also set up a ‘Working Group’ under the chairmanship of Prasar Bharti CEO for the consideration of leveraging the Return Path Data capabilities for the use of TRP services, as also recommended by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India and the TRP Committee Report.
  
  
• The Committee will submit its report in four months time.