Cabinet approved the TRAI guidelines for TV rating agencies

January 11, 2014

The Union Cabinet approved the proposal of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to bring out the comprehensive regulatory framework in the form of guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India.

Excerpts of guidelines for Television Rating Agencies

All rating agencies including the existing rating agencies shall obtain registration from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
Detailed registration procedure, eligibility norms, terms and conditions, cross-holding norms, period of registration, security conditions and other obligations have been outlined.
Ratings must be technology neutral and shall capture data across multiple viewing platforms viz. cable TV, Direct-to- Home (DTH), Terrestrial TV etc.
No single company / legal entity either directly or through its associates or interconnect undertakings shall have substantial equity holding that is, 10% or more of paid up equity in both rating agencies and broadcasters/ advertisers/ advertising agencies.
Panel homes for audience measurement shall be drawn from the pool of households selected through an establishment survey. A minimum panel size of 20,000 to be implemented within six months of the guidelines coming into force. Thereafter the panel size shall be increased by 10,000 every year until it reaches the figure of 50,000.
Secrecy and privacy of the panel homes must be maintained. 25% of panel homes shall be rotated every year.
The rating agency shall submit the detailed methodology to the Government and also publish it on its website.
The rating agency shall set up an effective complaint redressal system with a toll free number.
The rating agency shall set up an internal audit mechanism to get its entire methodology/processes audited internally on quarterly basis and through an independent auditor annually. All audit reports to be put on the website of the rating agency. Government and TRAI reserve the right to audit the systems /procedures/mechanisms of the rating agency.
30 days time would be given to the existing rating agency to comply with the guidelines.

Note: The guidelines are aimed at making television ratings transparent, credible and accountable. The proposal is based on recommendations made by the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI).

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