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TAM Files for Indian Ratings Registration
TAM Media Research has applied to the Indian Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for registration as a television ratings service provider, in accordance with stipulations made when a court postponed the implementation of new government guidelines just over a week ago.
The Indian government announced early in January that it would regulate TV ratings agencies, requiring them to register within 30 days and to raise sample size to a minimum of 20,000 panel homes. The document also stated that no investor can hold more than a ten percent equity holding in both ratings agencies and a broadcast or advertising company, which will if unamended specifically exclude TAM, a 50:50 Joint Venture between WPP's Kantar and Nielsen, and the only current provider of ratings in the country.
The High Court in Delhi then issued a stay order on the guidelines, on the eve of their coming into force, giving TAM time to decide on its strategy and avoiding the possibility of the country being left with no audience ratings at all until October this year when a new contract with French company Médiamétrie starts to deliver them.
On Friday, Kantar CEO Eric Salama confirmed to www.indiantelevision.com that TAM had submitted the application a week in advance of its new deadline. However, the site points out that there is no specific timeline for consideration of the application, and details several possible scenarios depending on the MIB's response to it and on the results of the next hearing of Kantar's petition on 6th March. Whatever the government's and the court's position, TAM has the right of appeal to the High Court in Delhi and then to the Supreme Court if required, and the site concludes that 'In all, it seems like TAM has got some time to continue publishing its television viewership ratings in the country.'
Web site: www.tamindia.com .
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