Self-regulation a ?flop?, Trai asked to propose new TRP mechanism

Both the government and the broadcast sector regulator have termed the industry-led efforts for self-regulating television rating system as a ?failure?. Taking a cue from the Amit Mitra panel report on television rating points (TRP) overhaul, the information & broadcasting (I&B) ministry has now asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) to step in and propose regulations and guidelines for an alternative TRP measurement body in the country.

On its part, citing powers given to it under Section 11 of the Trai Act, Trai has batted for a zone-wise/region-wise multi-agency TV rating system, which would be free from any cross-media holdings.

As per a provision in the Section 11 of Trai Act, the telecom and broadcast sector regulator can step in to perform such other functions, including administrative and financial functions as may be entrusted to it by the Central government, the regulator said.

Seeking Trai’s intervention in the matter, the I&B ministry wrote to Trai: ?Self-regulation of the TRP system has failed to take off as the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has not been able to take any credible action on the recommendations made by Trai and by Mitra Committee… No significant progress has been made till today by BARC to set up a transparent television rating mechanism in the country.?

Trai said it will be in the interest of the stakeholders, including consumers, that there is competition in the rating services. It suggested different rating agencies for different regions/states or zonewise division of rating agencies.

?Another alternative could be to have separate rating agencies for different stages involved in the rating process i.e establishment survey, preparing panel of households for measurement and analysis of the data to arrive at the ratings,? Trai said. A third option could be to have different agencies for different delivery platforms, it said.

Speaking at the 4th CII’s CEOs round table on broadcast, I&B minister Manish Tewari said a viable measurement system would enable the industry to position itself for sustainable revenue models. ?The broadcasting industry needed to initiate immediate steps for setting up the BARC mechanism,? Tewari told the industry leaders.