The Government has introduced a new policy focused on TV Rating Policy Transparency to improve how television viewership is measured in India. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) aims to make the system more transparent, fair, and reliable. The new rules bring major changes in how rating agencies work, how data is collected, and how audits are conducted.

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Changes in Eligibility and Governance

Under the new policy, the net worth requirement for TV rating agencies has been reduced from ₹20 crore to ₹5 crore. This will allow more companies to enter the sector.

To ensure independence, at least 50% of the Board of Directors must be independent members. These members should not have any connection with broadcasters or advertisers. Also, rating agencies are not allowed to offer consultancy services that could create conflicts of interest.

Expansion of Measurement System

The policy focuses on expanding the data collection system. Rating agencies must increase the number of metered homes to 80,000 within 18 months. In the long term, the target is 1.2 lakh homes.

Existing agencies must meet the first stage of expansion within six months. The data will cover all TV screens in selected households, which will improve the accuracy and reliability of audience measurement.

Transparency and Audit System

A key part of TV Rating Policy Transparency is better data sharing. Agencies must publish their methods and anonymised data on their websites.

The policy introduces a dual-audit system. This includes quarterly internal audits and yearly external audits. The government will also set up an Audit and Oversight Team to check compliance.

All agencies must follow the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to protect user data and privacy.

Key Provisions and Impact

The policy removes landing page viewership from rating calculations and allows it only for marketing purposes. Broadcasters must inform rating agencies about such features.

It also introduces a grievance redressal system, appoints nodal officers, and sets penalties for rule violations. TV platforms and OTT services can now share viewership data without prior registration.

This new policy replaces the 2014 guidelines and is expected to create a more fair and competitive broadcasting system in India.