Debating BARC data for news: Why are stakeholders leaning towards weekly metrics

In the ongoing debate over weekly data versus four-week rolling averages from BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) for the news genre, stakeholder opinion leans towards weekly data. Experts argue that the four-week rolling average is unfair, potentially undermining the recognition of channels that excel in a specific week compared to their performance four weeks back.

The debate on data metrics for the news genre has resurfaced after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) gave a go ahead last week to unroll BARC data. Cut to the following week, the ministry has again deferred the plan for giving broadcasters in the niche genres access to weekly data.

This dispute reflects broader challenges in the broadcasting industry, where the reliance on ad revenue faces scrutiny, especially for niche channels amid the increasing influence of Big Tech.

But how?

“The healthy way to grow in the broadcasting industry is to combine subscription and ad revenue. However, in India, the reluctance to pay for content limits this model, leaving ad revenue as the primary driving force. With the entry of Big Tech companies, this model faces a huge roadblock for niche channels, particularly in the news genre. Linear channels are now competing for a shrinking ad pie. Now those benefiting from the four-week rolling average data system resist the introduction of new metrics, causing protests against the unrolling of BARC data,” said a domain expert on conditions of anonymity.

Why the push for weekly data?

Barring the broadcasters who are pushing the ministry to rethink their decision of bringing back unrolled data, the news fraternity is united in their stance on the issue.

"The prevailing norm is weekly data, a standard model across industries and genres. Applying a rolling average to news is questionable. For instance, when analysing events like India not winning the World Cup, ratings and popularity in a specific week would be very high. However, when this week's popularity is averaged with weeks-old viewership data from matches against New Zealand or other countries, the significance of the current week diminishes,” another domain expert explained.

While the industry grapples with finding a balanced measurement system and addressing concerns of bias and anomalies prompting resistance to changes in BARC data protocols, the problem of under-representation of niche genres remains.

Another subject matter expert emphasised the importance of maintaining proportionally representative sampling, clarifying that merely increasing the sample size won't address the issue.

“Interestingly, in many Western markets, ratings for niche genres are reported monthly or even once in six months to mitigate fluctuations stemming from small sample sizes. The introduction of rolling averages in this context eliminated such fluctuations,” they said.

Even with the four week rolling average broadcasters had access to unrolled data of their own channels. “Broadcasters always had the option of using these private data for performance analysis and ad rate negotiations,” the expert said.

The four-week rolling average was initially implemented upon the resumption of news genre ratings after a 17-month hiatus prompted by the alleged BARC TRP scam. Ratings for the news genre recommenced on March 17 of the previous year, as per the directive of MIB secretary Apurva Chandra.