October 10, 2025

Mumbai is buzzing with a big move from the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry! They have asked BARC, India’s key TV ratings body, to include Connected TV (CTV) viewing data in their audience measurement system. Why the sudden change? Viewers are rapidly shifting from traditional TV to CTV, which streams shows on smart TVs, gaming consoles, and other devices. Even though normal TV stays strong in many areas, CTV is taking the limelight with about 40 million Indian homes using it now. BARC’s current system tracks over 600 TV channels but misses the booming CTV scene. Advertisers and industry leaders, including the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), want to see a new, unified measurement combining linear TV and digital CTV numbers. It makes sense – today’s viewers don’t stick to just one platform. "The BARC's registration renewal is pending before the I&B ministry. While the renewal is expected for another 10 years, the ministry has sought some clarifications from the BARC. It has also asked the BARC to include CTV in its measurement system, which is currently not the case," said an insider who wished to stay anonymous. BARC’s 10-year license expired on July 27, and the ministry is carefully reviewing things before renewing it. Officials confirmed active talks with BARC about fresh ideas and challenges. They want the ratings system to catch up with today’s tech-savvy viewers. However, there’s a catch — BARC has been working on a cross-media measurement system to cover both TV and digital, but progress slowed due to disagreements in the industry. The I&B Ministry is also shaking things up by proposing big changes to TV rating rules. In a draft released on July 2, they suggested removing rules that block rating agency directors from working with broadcasters or advertisers. These rules were meant to stop big companies owning parts of each other, keeping ratings fair. The deadline for public feedback on these changes was September 1, showing that the ministry is serious about opening dialogue. Adding to the buzz, the Internet and Mobile Association of India wants a clear and unified system for measuring digital platform audiences. Digital Platform Operators (DPOs) have asked to join the measurement game, offering data from set-top boxes that track what viewers actually watch. So, the battle to mix TV with digital, track every eyeball, and keep ratings honest is heating up. Will BARC rise to the challenge and serve us a masaledar mix of traditional and digital viewing data? All eyes are on the ministry and the next steps for India’s TV ratings landscape!

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Tags: Barc, Connected tv, Ctv, I&b ministry, Audience measurement, Television ratings,