BARC to License Suppliers for Ratings Consultancy

TV rating body BARC India has issued Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for firms able to provide TV viewing related consultancy services to its subscribers.

BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) was launched last year, and has since partnered with Nielsen / Kantar joint venture TAM India to form a new meter management company. The issuing of the new RFPs reflect MIB (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) guidelines, which prohibit BARC from involving itself in areas such as consultancy, or any advisory role which could lead to a potential conflict of interest with its main objective of providing TV ratings. According to the organisation, many of its subscribers have said they have a need for such additional services, and the organisation now wants to build a small pool of approved consultancy companies to provide them.

While BARC data will continue to be delivered directly to subscribers via the BARC India Media Workstation (BMW) analysis system, consultancy companies will be able to analyse this data using their own systems. CEO Partho Dasgupta (pictured) explains: 'After building a strong television audience measurement system in the country, we have now decided to grant licences to select consultancy companies to provide analysis to our subscribers'.

Web site: www.barcindia.co.in .