Now, dna sends legal notice to MRUC, Nielsen over IRS 2013 data anomalies

The news of this development comes close on the heels of a Gwalior Court staying the use of IRS 2013 findings

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | February 14, 2014

The ripples and protests over IRS 2013 refuse to die down. While BestMediaInfo.com yesterday reported that a Gwalior Court had put a stay on the publication and use of IRS 2013 findings, it is now reliably learnt that Mumbai-based English daily, dna, owned by Zee Media Corporation, has sent a legal notice to Media Research User Council (MRUC) and Nielsen India protesting the readership findings.

As per INS (Indian Newspaper Society) and the End-User Agreement with MRUC, a media house/publication cannot directly file a case against the IRS data without going through the laid-down arbitration process. Hence, dna has chosen to first send a legal notice, it is learnt. The newspaper is awaiting a response from both MRUC and Nielsen.

As reported by BestMediaInfo.com, soon after the IRS 2013 findings were announced, dna had contested strongly and demanded correction in the IRS data. In a report published in its Mumbai edition on January 29, 2014, dna said: “There is a clear mismatch between the survey figures and our own database. dna has a robust subscription base and we have the names, contact numbers and addresses of most of our readers, who have opted for a paid subscription scheme. This also shows our loyal reader base, which is extremely stable.”

Questioning the basis of the IRS readings, the report added: “There seems to be an honest error on the part of MRUC and we have written to the Director-General and Chairman of the Technical Committee of MRUC for a clarification.”

It may be recalled that 18 top media houses have already raised strong objections to the IRS 2013 findings and have served an ultimatum to MRUC to withdraw the data. MRUC has shifted the ball into the court of RSCI (Readership Studies Council of India) to take a decision. RSCI is scheduled to meet on February 19, 2014, to deliberate on the crisis and way forward in the crisis bedeviling IRS 2013.

Also read:  IRS 2013: dna questions new IRS data

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com