No Indian viewing data until Dec during digital switch

Indian viewing ratings measuring body, TAM, will not be releasing any data until December during the digital switchover phase taking place from first week of November.

For nine weeks, ratings in India have been suspended to provide a stabilisation period after the compulsory switchover to digital delivery of channels happens from 1st November in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata.

TAM Media Research, Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) have struck a deal not to release any data until week ending 8th December.

The broadcasting industry pushed hard for the suspension of ratings data as it felt that during the transition process from analogue signals to digital environment in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, there could have been discrepancies in TAM�۪s reporting of data, which could have had serious implications, particularly for the broadcasters, not only in terms of finance but also in terms of credibility.

TAM data for the period of suspension from 7th October to 8th December will be cureted and validated by a panel of experts from Nielsen/Kantar, owners of TAM, and a representative each from IBF, AAAI and ISA to ensure quality, consistency and integrity of processes and data, prior to its release on 19 December, along with ratings for the week beginning 9th December.

Shows such as ZEE TV’s ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’ and ‘Bigg Boss 6’, which have only recently launched will be going ahead with no indication of how the shows are doing in the ratings until December.

Extracts from IndianTelevision