** TRP/TAMs Ratings Thread** - Page 55

Scrutiny

IMPORTANT NEWS : Regarding TAM Data

Breaking News: TAM data temporarily deferred for 9 weeks starting Week 41

IBF, AAAI, ISA came to a consensus yesterday to temporarily defer publication of the weekly television audience measurement data coinciding with the period of transition to full digitisation in the four metros. The deferment is on all-India basis

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 17, 2012

The time of reckoning has come. For nine weeks – Week 41 to Week 49 – that is, from October 7, 2012 to December 8, 2012, the broadcast industry will have to function without TAM data. Sources close to the development have informed BestMediaInfo.com that the industry stakeholders came to a consensus yesterday to temporarily defer publication of the weekly television audience measurement data by TAM coinciding with the period of transition to full digitisation in the four metros of Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

The sources also informed that the deferment of TAM data is on all-India basis. It was also decided by the industry that TAM would be entitled to release the data for these nine weeks along with the data of Week 50 on December 19.

It may be recalled that the meeting of the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) and AAAI (Advertising Agencies Association of India) originally scheduled to be held in Mumbai on October 11, 2012 to arrive at a consensus on ceasing the publication of TAM data during the period of transition to full digitisation in the four metro cities was called off and rescheduled for Monday, October 15, 2012. However, the industry representatives failed to arrive at a decision on Monday, and met again yesterday to finally arrive at a consensus decision.

The decision is fraught with far-reaching implications during these nine weeks for the broadcast industry. Some industry observers feel that advertisers would get the upper hand in the absence of ratings, and they could beat down advertising rates in this period. Many channels have expressed off the record that lack of ratings data may affect the revenue potential of their big-ticket shows in terms of spot ad bookings. Colors has a lot in stake with its Bigg Boss Season 6 which is currently on. Sony Entertainment Television has its KBC on-air. In the absence of ratings for a protracted nine weeks, it will finally depend on the marketing muscle of the television channels to keep the revenue side ticking as per set targets.