Lok Sabha Question No. 1005 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-04-29
Subject: TRP of TV Channels
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: NAGARAJAN P.

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1005 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29/04/2016

## TRP OF TV CHANNELS

1005.  SHRI  P. NAGARAJAN:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  many  TV  channels  are  involved  in malpractices to increase their Television Rating Point (TRP) across the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the details of the mechanism adopted by the Government to check/control such malpractices of TRP?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  INFORMATION  &  BROADCASTING [COL RAJYAVARDHAN RATHORE (Retd.)]

(a)  to  (c):    The  mechanism  of  generation  of  Television  Rating  Points  (TRP)  including issues relating to transparency and credibility has attracted attention of Government as well as Legislature from time to time.

A  comprehensive examination of TRP generation was taken up by the Standing Committee on Information Technology. In the 67 th Report (2008-2009), tilted 'Television  Audience  Measurement  in  India' ,  the  Standing  Committee  critically examined the entire system of TRP generation in India and made several recommendations.

The Ministry also made  a reference to TRAI in August 2008 for their recommendations  and  suggestions.    TRAI  submitted  its  report  to  the  Ministry  in December 2009 recommending self-regulations in generation of TRPs.

Meanwhile IBF took steps to register BARC as a Not-for-Profit company under Section 25 of the Companies Act, 1956 in July 2010. Though BARC was registered it was felt that several issues relating to its effective operation remained to be addressed. Therefore an independent committee headed by Dr. Mitra, the then Secretary General of  FICCI  was  constituted  by  the  Ministry.  The  Committee  submitted  its  report  on 25.11.2010, recommending several measures for BARC to start operations.

Following request by this Ministry, Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), on 11.09.2013 gave recommendations on 'Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies', available on TRAI's web site i.e www.trai.gov.in.  The recommendations were accepted by this Ministry and after obtaining approval of the Cabinet, the guidelines were notified on 16 th Jan 2014. The Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India are designed to address aberrations in the existing television rating system in India. These guidelines are aimed at  making  the  Television  rating  transparent,  credible  and  accountable.  The  agencies operating in this field have to comply with directions relating to public disclosure, third party audit of their mechanisms and transparency in the methodologies adopted. The share of broadcasters in shareholding of TRP agency has also been limited in order to reduce  their  influence  on  the  published  results.    This  would  help  to  make  the  rating agencies accountable to the stakeholders like the Government, Broadcasters, Advertisers, Advertising agencies and above all the people of this country.

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