The information and broadcasting (I&B) ministry has asked the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to expand its measurement framework to include connected TV (CTV) viewership, as more Indian households shift to streaming television even while linear TV continues to dominate several genres, according to people aware of the development, as reported by ET.
The directive comes at a crucial time for the country’s sole television rating agency, whose 10-year registration with the ministry expired on July 27. BARC’s registration renewal is currently under review, and ministry officials have sought clarifications on multiple aspects before approving for another 10-year term, the people said.
Shift in viewing habits drives the push
BARC, jointly promoted by the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation, the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), currently measures viewership for over 600 television channels. However, advertisers and broadcasters have for months pressed for a cross-media measurement system that captures both linear and digital viewership, reflecting India’s evolving consumption habits.
India’s connected TV base has grown rapidly to about 40 million homes, as smart TVs and affordable broadband make streaming more accessible. With audiences now toggling between broadcast and digital platforms, advertisers say a unified measurement framework has become essential for accurate media planning and ad spend allocation.
Renewal under active consideration
A senior I&B ministry official confirmed to ET that the renewal process is under active consideration and that “some key issues are being discussed with BARC,” though they declined to elaborate further. Industry executives say that including CTV data will not only bring greater transparency to ad buying but also reflect the growing convergence of India’s media ecosystem.