The government?s mandatory sharing clause of sports feed has started hitting private broadcasters who have failed to cut ice with TV audiences despite investing heavily on procuring rights. The rule is heavily eating into the revenues of the private broadcasters, as they are not able to leverage the cricket rights and expand its distribution.
According to figures released by television audience measurement body, TAM, private broadcaster Neo has been plagued by poor television ratings (TVRs). This according to analyst is heavily affecting their distribution as a result of sharing rights with DD since February this year.
TV Ratings for DD, however, during the matches have been rising as can be seen from the recently concluded India-Australia ODI series where DD has posted more than five times Neo?s share of the TVRs. For the first match of the Future Cup held on September 29 Neo Sports posted a rating of 1.36 while its sister channel Neo Sports Plus posted a TV rating of 0.06. Doordarshan posted a TV rating of 5.36.
During the second match held on October 2, Neo Sports posted an average TV rating of 1.71 while Neo Sports plus posted an average rating of 0.10 and Doordarshan posted an average rating of 5.28. DD was a little less than five times that of Neo sports.
During the third match Neo Sports posted an average rating of 1.32, Neo Sports Plus posted an average rating of 0.05 while DD posted an average rating of 4.30.
Similarly, the fist tournament since the implementation of the mandatory sharing of sports feed rule the Hero Honda Cup between India and Sri Lanka held in February, Neo posted an average rating of 1.07.