Sony & Times Network terminate TAM contract

Sony Entertainment Network and Times TV Network have both terminated their contracts with official audience measuring body, TAM India after it expressed its concern over the credibility and reliability of the ratings system.

That’s not all, according to IndianTelevision, other broadcasters are set to follow and could be ceasing their subscriptions to TAM India.

IBF president & MSM CEO Man Jit Singh told the publication, “There is a great deal of concern over the credibility and reliability of TAM. Seeing the fluctuations, which are happening since IPL and before that, we have decided to stop subscribing to TAM. The GEC market has shrunk by 20 per cent, which again puts a question mark over the reliability of TAM. Why would I pay for this? The entire IBF has complained and expressed their frustration. They even asked for a suitable explanation but we did not get one.”

But the fact is that TV ratings in India have always been a hotly debated subject. Now more fat is likely to be added to the fire with this development with the doomsayers saying “I told you so, TAM’s ratings are suspect, they are rigged and it will get its comeuppance some day. And that day has come.”

TAM Media Research CEO, LV Krishnan said, “If anybody has any concerns we are always open for discussion. Our job is to provide quality and clean data and we will continue to do that irrespective of who subscribes or not. Our parent companies have funded us in the past whether there were subscribers or not. We will continue to measure viewership.”