IBDF unlikely to respond to MIB’s audience measurement consultation

New Delhi: In a swift turn of events, the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) is set to withhold its response to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MIB) draft amendments on audience measurement.

Sources told BestMediaInfo.com that sharp divisions within the IBDF have prevented the industry body from arriving at a unified stance.

While some members have been pushing to oppose the government’s move to allow multiple players into the television audience-measurement ecosystem, others within the foundation are said to be supportive of the amendments.

The lack of consensus means IBDF is now unlikely to send a formal submission to the MIB, despite earlier indications that the body would firmly back BARC as the sole ratings currency for the Indian broadcasting sector.

BestMediaInfo.com reported on Tuesday that IBDF was preparing to oppose the government’s proposal, with sources strongly criticising the idea of opening up the ratings ecosystem to more players.

The report appears to have raised the temperature. Within hours, it became evident that the house was divided on the matter.

The latest development underlines a split within IBDF ranks. “They are not going to respond to the ministry. Members in the federation have different views. The house is divided. As a result, no submission will be made,” a source familiar with the matter said.

The MIB’s draft amendments sought industry views on scrapping cross-holding restrictions and opening the audience-measurement ecosystem beyond BARC, subject to guidelines and oversight. The ministry has argued that such reforms would increase competition, foster innovation, and reduce dependence on a single provider.

Broadcasters who oppose the amendments counter that the credibility of ratings would be at stake. They fear that if multiple agencies are allowed, each using different methodologies, every broadcaster or channel could claim to be number one on some metric, making it difficult for advertisers and regulators to trust the data.

Others within the IBDF are understood to favour allowing alternative systems, particularly if this leads to greater transparency, accountability, and representation for digital and converged measurement.

This division has left the foundation unable to take a collective stand, in sharp contrast to the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) president, Srinivasan K Swamy, who recently reiterated his support for BARC as the sole measurement body.