The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), Government of India, yesterday released a modified draft of the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India and invited feedback from the public and industry stakeholders within 30 days by December 5, 2025.

The ministry had earlier notified the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India on January 16, 2014, and later proposed amendments on July 2, 2025, seeking comments from relevant stakeholders. After reviewing the responses, the ministry has now made further revisions and issued the updated draft order for additional feedback.

The draft order, dated November 6, 2025, outlines key changes aimed at strengthening transparency, credibility, and accountability in India’s television viewership measurement ecosystem. Among the proposed amendments, the ministry has emphasized that applicants seeking registration for providing television rating services must be companies registered in India under the Companies Act, 2013.

The revised draft also tightens cross-holding norms to prevent conflicts of interest. It specifies that no single company or entity—directly or through associates—should have substantial equity (20 percent or more) in both a television rating agency and a broadcaster, or in more than one rating agency operating in the same area. However, these restrictions will not apply under the self-regulation model, such as that of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), where an industry-led body directly provides ratings.

Additionally, the amendment mandates a minimum panel size of 80,000 households to be achieved within six months of the notification, with an annual increment of 10,000 until the number reaches 1.2 lakh. The policy also clarifies that viewership from Landing Pages—often used by broadcasters to automatically tune viewers to specific channels—will not be included in audience measurement, as such pages may only serve as marketing tools.

Other significant modifications include ensuring technology-neutral ratings that capture data across multiple viewing platforms, including connected TVs, and a stipulation that no officers or employees of rating agencies should be part of the audience measurement panel.