"We will talk to MIB, but will continue to release ratings": Shashi Sinha on BARC data

MIB has advised BARC to withhold dissemination of viewership ratings until its registration process is over. The delay has been from MIB's end, insist BARC officials.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has sent out a notice urging the Broadcast Audience Research Council to not share television audience measurement data. Reason being, the industry body has not registered itself with MIB.

BARC rolled out its first ratings last week, on April 29, and has landed into a controversy post that.

According to BARC officials, they had applied for registration in November and the delay has been from MIB's end. One of the senior members also insisted that the existing ratings agency, TAM, is also not registered with MIB, questioning why such a rule is being imposed on BARC.

BARC is talking to MIB to reach a solution and speed the registration process.

Talking to afaqs!, Shashi Sinha, technical committee head, BARC and CEO - IPG Mediabrands, says, "There is an advisory that MIB has issued saying they would appreciate if we don't send the data till we get ourselves registered. Having said that, we applied in November and it's been almost six months. They were following up with us on what we were doing, and I'm surprised by this. We will approach them and talk to them. But, meanwhile, we'll continue the release of the data."

Meanwhile, TAM has released its statement on the matter too. It states that the agency has been given permission to release data until its case on cross-holding is resolved.

'For TAM Media Research, weekly TV viewership data release to the industry will continue as normal. Pursuant to the interim order issued by the Hon'ble High Court of Delhi on February 12, 2014, 1.7(a), 1.7(d), 16.1 & 16.2 of impugned guidelines have been stayed till the disposal of the Writ Petition 494/2014 (Kantar Matter)' - the statement read.