Latest news with #Barc
Mint
21-07-2025
- Business
- Mint
Beyond TRPs: Govt's ratings reform may transform OTT audience measurement
The government's recent proposal to amend the norms for television ratings system in India, currently monopolized by Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc), encouraging big tech and other private entities to set up their own rating agencies could spark competition and help create more credible cross-platform audience measurement systems, experts said. The current system of measuring television rating points, which indicate the popularity of TV programmes and the time slot when most viewers tune in, is used by brands to place their advertisements for maximum impact. However, TRPs are restricted only to linear TVs, meaning they gauge viewerships only for cable TVs and direct-to-home, with no insight into streaming platforms or connected TVs, making it difficult for brands to make confident ad spend decisions. The ministry of information and broadcasting's (MIB) draft amendments to the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India, released on 2 July, could democratise the rating system, leading to more credible measurement systems for OTT video streaming content, too. The draft amendments are open to public feedback until 1 August. Read more: Movie theatres are back to being prime drivers of Bollywood revenue as OTT cools 'This move could encourage third-party agencies or tech firms to develop or licence audience measurement tools for OTT. Currently, most OTT platforms rely on internal (and opaque) analytics. A policy push could incentivize competition, innovation, and transparency, leading to more credible and cross-platform metrics," Anupam Shukla, partner, Pioneer Legal said. Benefits for advertisers Until now, viewership of web shows and films have only been tracked informally by select media consulting firms and agencies, leading to an opaqueness around what works. Although streaming platforms themselves have such data, very few, with the exception of foreign players such as Netflix, release the same. In the rare cases that they do, there is no standard metric for viewership of OTT programmes, creating an obstacle for advertisers to bet on such content, if it is streamed for free. That could change, industry experts say, with the availability of granular and verifiable viewership data, offering targeted advertising solutions based on user demographics, behavioural insights, content preferences, and viewing habits. Currently, Barc is the sole ratings provider on TV and didn't track connected TVs or OTT platforms, Bharati Wukkadada, associate professor in data science and technology at Mumbai's KJ Somaiya Institute of Management pointed out. Further, OTT platforms in India use their own measurement metrics and reporting formats. The absence of uniform standards made it difficult to compare or consolidate viewership data across platforms. Major Indian OTT services preferred to keep viewership data confidential, treating it as a competitive advantage rather than sharing it with industry bodies or advertisers, Wukkadada said. While data for OTT platforms can be tracked even now, the accuracy of the metrics remains questionable, agreed Natasha Treasurywala, partner at law firm Desai & Diwanji. With the entry of more rating agencies including those owned by the OTT platforms themselves, competition will increase, and the data will become far more reliable and authentic, she said. Calling the MIB move a shift aimed at making audience viewership measurement more accurate, transparent, and representative, Gaurav Sahay, founder partner, Arthashastra Legal, said that the OTT sector currently operates outside the framework of any government-mandated audience measurement system. It relies instead on proprietary and opaque data analytics managed internally by streaming platforms. 'These data sets are rarely shared with advertisers or regulators in a standardized or verifiable format. This absence of uniform measurement hinders comparability, credibility, and cross-platform audience analysis. Though the proposal primarily focuses on linear television broadcasting, it can result in consequential bearing on OTT content," Sahay said. Read more: Old Indian films find revival on OTT platforms, thanks to social media, nostalgia cravings Precision viewership data enables advertisers to move beyond traditional impression-based models to outcome-based metrics such as click-through rates, conversions, and engagement duration, thereby justifying higher ad spends and improving return on investment. Access to credible, third-party audited data could bridge the trust deficit that often exists between OTT platforms and advertisers, leading to increased programmatic ad purchases and cross-platform campaigns that combine television, digital, and mobile viewership, the experts said. Further, from a regulatory standpoint, granular audience insights also assist in internal compliance with age-appropriate rating norms, language-specific targeting, and accurate content classification. However, there is a flipside to the government's move. A senior executive at a streaming platform pointed out that like TV, this could lead to multiple parties, including OTTs themselves, claiming to provide credible data that suits their interests. "Whom would the viewer trust in this case?" the executive asked. Moreover, for significant advertising, streaming content would actually have to prove to clock in significant eyeballs in mass-market areas, which remains a challenge. Yet, many see the possibility as a positive one for the industry. 'This data also supports fair market practices under competition, which can help platforms meet disclosure requirements under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, ASCI (Advertising Standards Council of India) guidelines, while ensuring alignment with IT Rules, 2021, and emerging privacy requirements under DPDPA (The Digital Personal Data Protection Act) frameworks," said Gaurav Gupta, founding partner at law firm Bridge Counsels. "Just as Barc ratings help shape buying decisions for television, independently verifiable OTT metrics would enable fair ad placement and unbiased audience segmentation. Ensuring transparent pricing through such metrics is also crucial to prevent potential claims of advertiser deception." Read more: Will ZEE5's new slate of content, regional push, and micro-drama help it win the OTT war?
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
The best guest shifts in Hong Kong and Macau ahead of Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025
The countdown begins for Asia's 50 Best Bars 2025! For the first time, the spotlight is on Macau as the SAR prepares to host the prestigious awards ceremony, unveiling the list on July 15. In the lead-up to the big night, both Hong Kong and Macau will be buzzing with guest shifts and visiting mixologists from some of the world's most celebrated bars in one of the most exciting weeks of the year for bar goers. If you're looking to sip drinks from the world's top bars without booking a flight, now's your chance. Here are our picks among the stellar crossovers happening in Hong Kong and Macau from July 11 to 16, where the craft, spirit and charisma of world-class mixology will be poured straight into your glass, whether you're a seasoned enthusiast or simply craving something new. Friday, July 11 Nepal's Finest: Barc x Tell Camellia x Courtroom Gagan Gurung (left) of Tell Camellia and Saan Dhakal of Courtroom appear at Wing Lei Bar on Friday. Photos: Handout Kick off Asia's 50 Best Bars celebrations with a powerful trio of Nepal-born bartenders taking over Wing Lei Bar in Macau. Abhishek Tuladhar of Nepal's Barc – which is fresh from winning the Michter's Art of Hospitality Award – joins forces with Hong Kong's Gagan Gurung of Tell Camellia and Saan Dhakal of Courtroom. Each brings something uniquely their own: Barc's heartfelt service, Tell Camellia's refined tea-inspired cocktails and Courtroom's daring, socially conscious creations . What unites them is a deep-rooted passion for Nepalese flavours, culture and an unwavering commitment to genuine hospitality. Together, they represent a rising wave of talent redefining Nepal's place on the world cocktail map, delivering their stories in every glass. Where: Wynn Palace, Avenida da Nave Desportiva, Macau When: 8pm-late Tequila Extravaganza feat. Julio Bermejo and Dre Masso Known for its unique Mexican inspiration and masterful use of agave spirits, Coa topped Asia's 50 Best Bars list for three consecutive years in 2021, 2022 and 2023, and was still sitting strong at No 4 in 2024.
Mint
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Mint
Barc reports surge in viewership as 507 million tune in for news during Operation Sindoor
Television news emerged as a vital source of information with 507 million viewers watching news in the week of Operation Sindoor, India's cross-border counterstrike following the Pahalgam terror attack, according to data from the television monitoring agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc). Further, the news genre peaked and accounted for 16% of TV viewership during the three critical days of 7, 8 and 9 May 2025 as against the usual 6%. The Hindi news genre clocked GRPs (Gross Rating Point, a key metric that measures the total exposure of an advertisement to a target audience) of 254, as compared to 235 during the Lok Sabha elections last year, 211 during the multiple state elections of 2022, 185 during the Ram temple consecration ceremony followed by Republic Day, and 178 during the Pahalgam terror attack, Barc added. Also read: 'Not surprised with Turkey', Vikram Misri tells Parliament committee, sees no normalisation of ties soon Further, Hindi news also clocked the highest ATS (average time spent) of 60 minutes, an increase of 67% over the ATS of pre-Pahalgam weeks. The genre's share increased from 3% to 13% during the week. Daily tune-ins on Hindi news on critical days increased on the three critical days from 73 million to 142 million. Hindi news viewers Overall, 65 million new viewers (with respect to preceding weeks) tuned in to Hindi news. These new viewers had not sampled Hindi news in the last month, Barc added. Besides, in the wake of Operation Sindoor, government fact-checking units swung into high alert to highlight and debunk misleading information on social and mainstream media, and set the record straight. Their job multiplied as social media channels were flooded with unverified images of troop movements, doctored videos claiming to show missile launches, and misleading news about diplomatic escalations. Also read: JD Vance skips Israel trip amid Gaza offensive, signaling US discomfort with Netanyahu's operation: Report The news category commanded nearly a fifth of overall TV viewership at the beginning of the covid lockdown, thanks to a lack of fresh entertainment content and viewers' hunger for pandemic-related information. However, it fell to nearly 4% as the economy opened up, before rising back to 7.1% before the general election last year. The Ram temple pran pratishtha, or consecration ceremony, and Lok Sabha polling day, among others, were seen as tentpole events that led to a jump in viewership compared to a regular day, recently. Key takeaways Also read: India's crackdown on Pakistani 'spies' continues: Three 'ISI agents' arrested over two days; know details
