The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has directed BARC to suspend publication of television ratings across both news and non-news genres, until the agency completes registration under the Television Ratings Policy, 2026, according to a PTI report.
This expands an earlier restriction that was limited to news ratings alone, effectively freezing India’s entire TV audience measurement system until BARC secures approval under the new framework, which replaced the 2014 policy this past March.
As the country’s sole television audience measurement body, BARC’s weekly viewership data serves as the industry benchmark for media planning, ad spends and programme evaluation – making this suspension a significant disruption for broadcasters and advertisers alike.
Under Clause 14.2 of the new policy, no ratings agency can generate or publish data without complying with the updated regulatory provisions.
The Television Ratings Policy, 2026 also brings several structural shifts. Landing page viewership has been excluded from official ratings and can now only be used as a marketing tool, with broadcasters required to disclose such placements to rating agencies.
Additionally, the policy lowers the minimum net worth requirement for ratings agencies from ₹20 crore to ₹5 crore, potentially opening the space to new entrants. It also calls for technology-neutral measurement across cable, DTH, terrestrial TV, OTT and connected TVs, alongside an expanded panel size – starting at 80,000 metered homes and scaling to 120,000.
The framework further mandates regular audits, methodology transparency, DPDP Act, 2023 compliance, and graded penalties ranging from suspension to outright cancellation of registration for non-compliance.
