Broadcasters - TAM ROW: No solutions yet...!

There have been reports that a solution between the broadcasters and TAM Media Research over the issue of inadequate and faulty viewership rating may soon be a thing of the past for now at least. In a meeting between the broadcasters and TAM, the former seem to have suggested some changes in the rating pattern. The controversy has been going on for quite some time and came out in the open two week back when many broadcasters unsubscribed to TAM data.

Sources say that TAM has still to come back on the broadcasters suggestions. However the factual position seems to be different. Sources to whom Adgully spoke to in the Indian  Broadcasters Federation (IBF) and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) have refused that any solution has been reached.

Broadcasters have indicated that instead of rating data which at presently given every week be given on monthly basis to even out any inconsistency and swings in weekly rating, the very basis of dispute. Broadcasters feel this will lend stability to the ratings. This practice is followed by the print media which does periodic readership surveys that is working well so there is no reason why monthly rating for television industry will not work.

The other suggestion is that the industry should follow the cost per thousand model that pays emphasis on the reach of the channel, than the cost per rating point model, which emphasizes the ratings. Broadcasters are also keen to have data on TV household shares, rather than time spent by the viewers.

A way out to this is the setting up of Broadcasters Audience Research Council (BARC) by March 2014 but there are doubts that this is possible. The advertisers have already said that ratings are must for decision making. Broadcasters too are under pressure to resolve the issue with the ad cap becoming effective from October 2013, some have already gone ahead and raised ad rates. A way out has to be found in the interim until a more concrete arrangement is in place or TAM data becomes more acceptable. We will wait and watch how things evolve.