Shashi Shekhar Vempati returns to BARC Board as independent member

New Delhi: Former Prasar Bharati CEO Shashi Shekhar Vempati, who led the TRP Committee following the alleged TRP scam in 2020, has returned as an independent member of the BARC Board, industry sources confirmed with BestMediaInfo.com.

“His name was proposed by the board last month but he was formally appointed on Monday,” said a source.

Vempati’s appointment on the BARC Board is crucial for the broadcast industry which is facing a stiff challenge on multiple fronts including audience measurement.

In the TRP Committee report, Vempati recommended a number of reforms including “strengthening corporate governance and changes in the structure of BARC India”, “bolstering technical oversight of BARC India”, “Return Path Data (RPD)”, “curbing unhealthy business practices”, and “creating competition to BARC India”.

While the government had pushed for multiple currencies and TAM had applied for registration as an audience measurement agency, the industry continues to repose faith in the BARC regime.

With Vempati returning to the BARC Board and Ashwini Vaishnaw taking charge as the new I&B minister, the stakeholders expect the impending reforms in the BARC to be brought in soon.