Indian Readership Survey 'On Hold'

Audience research body MRUC India has reportedly paused production and publication of its IRS 2020 readership survey, and has told subscribers it will refund their payments, due in large part to the economic impact of Covid-19.

According to a report on www.bestmediainfo.com , present circumstances mean it is 'unlikely IRS will return for another year or two'. An unnamed source quoted in the publication said the move followed the issuing of a Request for Proposals in November 2019 as the current contract with Nielsen neared its end, and the combination of no agency being appointed and the Covid-19 situation led to the cancellation.

Sources also suggested that the financial effects of the pandemic on newspapers - whose circulation remains below 75% of its level 6 months ago, will make it hard for smaller players in particular to afford the subscription. Print media revenues had already been in decline in the country, and staff levels at 'all major newspapers' have been cut in the last few months.

The release of data from the IRS - which is the result of a merger of the country's two main readership surveys back in 2013, has been delayed before - briefly in 2014 and then in December 2016, when it was announced that results would be postponed by six months due to technical upgrades and the need for 'enhanced security measures for data collection'.

The recently renamed body is online at www.mruc.net .