Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
News channels prefer monthly ratings instead of weekly
The move will initially be applicable to all national news and business channels in Hindi and English, and will eventually be implemented for regional news channels as well.
The board of the News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has decided to move towards the monthly rating format (instead of weekly) from TAM in a bid to improve news broadcasting standards.
The NBA and TAM are in discussions on implementation of this initiative from October, 2011 onwards. There are, however, many internal adjustments and logistical dynamics that TAM will have to take into account before the timeline implementation and therefore, the execution process could get extended.
LV Krishnan, CEO, TAM Media Research said in an official communiquïé, "It is imperative for NBA to first discuss their proposal with other industry bodies such as IBF, AAAI and ISA who are also users of the same central TAM database. Only after this should one arrive at an overall industry consensus on the frequency of TAM data reporting. TAM will require written approvals from each of the member's industry bodies on the decision taken with respect to the change in frequency of data reporting. Till the time we receive a formal overall approval from all stakeholders of the TAM database, no decisions on the change in current frequency of reporting will be taken."
The initiative is proposed to be introduced initially for a period of two years.
The NBA argues that news channels are distinct from other genres and have a responsibility to inform and empower their viewers with quality programming and dissemination of news, rather than providing content merely for garnering viewership. Coverage and reportage of news and programmes cannot always be linked to popularity or audience measurement.
Therefore, the NBA believes that news broadcasting standards can only improve with time spent on strategic planning and research, rather than knee-jerk reactions taken on a weekly basis.
NBA further informs that the initiative taken by the board will not hamper the decision making of advertisers and advertising agencies in any manner. In the new monthly dispensation, advertisers will continue to get access to data broken down to minute, day-part or specific programmes, in a manner similar to how data points are currently accessed in the weekly format.