|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
 
|
|
|
|
India Government tells Nielsen and Kantar to clarify concerns over TV viewership ratings
The IB ministry has also sought telecom regulator Trai’s recommendations on creating alternate rating systems to measure television viewership.
The government has asked The Nielsen Company andKantar Media Research to respond to concerns over sample size, methodology and creditability of TV viewership ratings provided by their Indian joint ventureTAM Media Research.
The information and broadcasting ministry has also sought telecom regulator Trai's recommendations on creating alternate rating systems to measure television viewership, a ministry official said.
"The ministry has written separate letters to Nielsen and Kantar in the US and sought responses from them within 15 days," the official said, requesting anonymity.
"There are questions on TAM's credibility and methodology, which have been communicated to both Nielsen and Kantar," the official said.
The I&B ministry has also sent a communication to TAM's India office, seeking increase in its sample size.
A TAM spokesperson said the company will definitely respond once it receives the request. TAM currently provides television viewership ratings in India on a sample size of just over 8,000 people. The I&B ministry believes this is not sufficient to represent TV viewing habits of over 1.2 billion people in the country.
"We have asked how TAM plan to increase the sample size and also cover the rural India, and regions like North East, Jammu & Kashmir and Bihar, that currently not covered," the official said. "The question is over the methodology and transparency of data collection," the person said.
In the letter to its owners, the ministry has also communicated concerns over the alleged monopolistic practices of TAM in India. The ministry has also written to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai), seeking its opinion on alternate TV rating systems.
"A reference has been sent to Trai in the backdrop of the entire issue, but that does not imply that the ministry is seeking regulation on TV measurement," the official said.
Last month, New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) had sued The Nielsen Company, a global research and information firm, and its partner Kantar Media Research in a New York court for tampering with TV viewership data to favour broadcasters who allegedly bribed executives in TAM. NDTV has sought damages of around $1.4 billion for negligence and fraud.
The News Broadcasters Association (NBA) had written to the I&B ministry, seeking actions to resolve the malaise with intention to protect the industry and all its stakeholders including advertisers, media planners and advertising agencies.
The board of national broadcaster Prasar Bharati has given in-principle approval to collate facts, seek legal opinion and hold consultations with the ministry on the issue of misrepresentation and under-reporting of data for Doordarshan by TAM.
Meanwhile, global advertising and marketing services firm WPP has moved the Supreme Court of the State of New York for dismissal of the complaint filed by NDTV. WPP is a shareholder in Kantar Media Research Services, which co-owns TAM India with Nielsen.
Read More