What is TRP why was it manipulated?

insightsonindia.com/2020/10/09/what-is-trp-why-was-it-manipulated

Insights October 9, 2020

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Topics Covered: Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role

of media and social networking sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber
security; money-laundering and its prevention.

What is TRP, why was it manipulated?

Why in News?

Mumbai police have alleged that three television channels are involved in manipulating
TRPs.

What is Target Rating Point (TRP)?

Sometimes it is also known as the Television Rating Points.

It is the metric used by the marketing and advertising agencies to evaluate viewership.

TRPs represent how many people, from which socio-economic categories, watched
which channels for how much time during a particular period.

How is it recorded?

In India, the TRP is recorded by the Broadcast Audience Research Council

using Bar-O-Meters that are installed on televisions in selected households.

As on date, the BARC has installed these meters in 44,000 households across the
country.

Besides, Audio watermarks are embedded in video content prior to broadcast.

These watermarks are not audible to the human ear, but can easily be detected
and decoded using dedicated hardware and software. As viewing details are
recorded by the Bar-O-Meters, so are the watermarks.

Why these ratings are important?

On the basis of audience measurement data, ratings are assigned to various

programmes on television.
Television ratings in turn influence programmes produced for the viewers.
Better ratings would promote a programme while poor ratings will discourage a
programme.
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 Incorrect ratings will lead to production of programmes which may not be really
popular while good programmes may be left out.
Besides, TRPs are the main currency for advertisers to decide which channel to
advertise on by calculating the cost-per-rating-point (CPRP).

How can TRP data be rigged?

If broadcasters can find the households where devices are installed, they can either
bribe them to watch their channels, or ask cable operators or multi-system operators to
ensure their channel is available as the “landing page” when the TV is switched on.

What is BARC?

It is an industry body jointly owned by advertisers, ad agencies, and

broadcasting companies, represented by The Indian Society of Advertisers, the
Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Advertising Agencies Association of India.

Created in 2010.

I&B Ministry notified the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India
on January 10, 2014 and registered BARC in July 2015 under these guidelines, to
carry out television ratings in India.

Sources: the Hindu.

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