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INDIAN BROADCASTING
FOUNDATION
Media Release
TAM Suspends Ratings Data for 2 months to ensure smooth transition from Analogue to Digital
October 17, 2012
-
Building on a previous agreement between TAM & Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) and
with joint consensus of Advertising Agencies Association of India, (AAAI) and ISA (Indian Society of Advertisers
(
ISA), Television Audience Measurement (TAM) data has been suspended, across all genres across the country.
The data will be released from December 19
th
, 2012,
as usual practice.
As per law, Cable Digitization is Mandatory from November 1, 2012 in New Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkatta and
Chennai. Subsequently, the second phase, in 38 other cities, ushers in from April 1, 2013 and the sunset date for
Digitization to be completed in rest of India is 31
st
December, 2015.
The Broadcasting Industry is of the view that during the transition process from analogue signals to digital
environment, there could have been discrepancies in TAM’s reporting of data, which could have had serious
implications, particularly for the broadcasters, not only in terms of finance but also in terms of credibility.
The deferment of release of data during the ‘switchover’ will ensure that TAM and all stakeholders have
provided extended time for the on ground situation to stabilize into a digital phase. This will help in ensuring the
users take a longer-term view of data for decision-making. TAM has all its systems in place to ensure accurate
data. TAM will anyway be communicating the steps it is taking in this regard to all stakeholders. All stakeholders
are unanimous that consistency, quality and integrity of the data must be maintained.
TAM data release on December 19
th
, 2012,
will include data measured from 9
th
December, 2012. Further, TAM
data which has been suspended from October 7
th
to December 8
th
, 2012,
will be curetted and validated by a
panel of experts from Nielsen/Kantar and a representative each of the Board of IBF, AAAI and ISA to ensure
quality, consistency and integrity of processes and data, prior to release.
In good faith, IBF has assured the stakeholders of AAAI and ISA, it has no specific intent to requisition a similar
blackout in the subsequent phases, as long as the data integrity and quality consistency is maintained, in the
interest of the TV industry and its stakeholders, in subsequent phases. The learning’s from the 1
st
phase should
enable greater clarity in subsequent phases.
