BARC blackout opens a new channel for TV viewership data

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The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now. Read Today's Paper BARC blackout opens a new channel for TV viewership dataBy Javed Farooqui, ET BureauLast Updated: Oct 26, 2026, 12:30:00 AM ISTSynopsis

The suspension of Broadcast Audience Research Council ratings has prompted new interest in RPD-based data collection for TV viewership. GTPL Hathway has started sharing data from connected set-top boxes to track channel viewing. While Tata Play has utilized RPD for internal purposes, concerns remain regarding its industry-wide credibility and sampling transparency. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has emphasized RPD's importance for future deployments by distribution platform operators.

Mumbai: The suspension of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) ratings has created an opening for cable and DTH operators to establish an alternative source of television viewership data under the ministry of information and broadcasting's TV ratings policy.

GTPL Hathway has made an early move by publishing data from its return-path-data (RPD)-based service, but the larger question is whether operator-led measurement can emerge as a credible industry-wide alternative.

Also Read: India's ₹60,000 crore TV business faces a new reality: Fewer viewers, old rules

Its viability will depend on the scale and representativeness of the data, sampling methodology and the ability to establish credibility among broadcasters and advertisers, industry sources said.

RPD captures viewing information from connected set-top boxes (STBs), tracking which channels households watch and for how long. Unlike BARC's panel-based system, which uses people meters and household-member information to estimate individual viewing, RPD typically records viewing at the household or device level. Its industry-wide relevance will depend on scale, geographical representation and methodological transparency.

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An alternative GTPL is tracking viewing through 10,000 STBs and plans to expand to 50,000, working with TAM India to generate the data. Tata Play has also used RPD for years, primarily for internal content planning, according to industry sources. BARC earlier piloted RPD with Airtel Digital TV and DEN Networks, but the initiative failed to scale as operators sought compensation for sharing data and costs proved prohibitive.

BARC has not published ratings since June, after the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) asked it to comply with the TV Ratings Policy 2026. Registration applications from BARC and TAM remain pending.

Also Read: TV channel exits accelerate as India’s linear television model comes under pressure

The renewed interest in RPD also follows a 2021 recommendation by an MIB-appointed committee to make it a mandatory capability in future STBs deployed by distribution platform operators (DPOs).

Partho Dasgupta, managing partner at Thoth Advisors and former CEO of BARC India, said more DTH and IPTV operators should explore RPD. It could provide channel rankings within an operator's territory, but cannot serve as the industry's trading currency because individual-level and demographic cuts are unavailable.
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Read More News ongtpl hathwayBARC Ratings FreezeTV viewership datatelevision ratings policycable and DTH operatorsGTPL HathwayTata PlayAirtel Digital TVden networks

(Catch all the Business News, Breaking News and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

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