Are television ratings the only criteria to gauge the true popularity of TV shows?

The only way to gauge the popularity of a channel is through the TRP of shows. Every show, on any platform, functions on two aspects - creative and business. 

When Broadcasters commission a show to the makers, the latter has many criterias to fulfill, one of the primary things being the popularity and leverage the show will bring. 

The fortune of a show on a channel highly depends on the weekly rating it garners. The BARC ratings which release every Thursday have taken a center stage for broadcasters to determine whether a show is performing up to the mark or not and if they want to pull the plug on it or continue with the show. 

Also, the division of ratings according to urban and rural sectors has given many a clear picture of the viewers' demands. But of course, this goes without saying that the TRP system lays immense pressure on makers as they are required to churn out content that constantly appeals to the audience.

It certainly is very tricky for makers to be extremely clear about their target audience. 

A certain section of the audience watch shows online but unfortunately, the popularity of those are not included into the rating system and this has disappointed a lot of Producers.  

Shows from the house of Beyond Dreams, such as 'Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi' and 'Jaana Na Dil Se Door' have garnered tremendous popularity online while the ratings witness a different scenario.

Co-founder of Beyond Dreams, Producer, Yash Patnaik adamantly said, "When one has to determine the popularity of a show, it should be holistic and not television based only. The online audience has its own voice and is infact a much stable audience."

"A legitimate viewer watching a show on a legitimate platform provided by the broadcaster cannot be neglected," he added.

The producer also voiced his opinion that the view count of the people watching the show online should also be included while calculating the TRP to know the actual standing of a show. 

One of such instance shared by Four Lions Producer, Gul Khan is, "Ratings is the criteria and we have to accept it.  We don't earn anything extra if 'Ishqbaaaz' is chart topper on Hotstar. There was a time when we had to change content on the show to match expected ratings."

The maker of the iconic show 'Taarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma', Asit Modi averred, "Commenting on rating parameters is very difficult since the audience has been divided between online and conventional TV. But since the online platforms are provided by broadcasters, they should count as they are monetizing those platforms too."

The makers have different thoughts about the whole ratings system. But it is by mutual consent that makers have to balance their creative instincts and the verdict of the TRP charts.

What do you have to say about it?