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BARC ratings suspension: Matter is being examined at the ministry level, reveals Prasar Bharati's CEO Gaurav Dwivedi
After BARC ratings suspension, Prasar Bharati's CEO Gaurav Dwivedi shares that the I&B Ministry is evaluating the future of TV audience measurement in India
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Nearly three months after television ratings were suspended across genres, Prasar Bharati CEO Gaurav Dwivedi says the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is examining the future of television audience measurement in India, including the possibility of multiple rating currencies. Speaking at a panel discussion at FICCI Frames in Mumbai on Wednesday, he said media associations had presented their views to the government, but refrained from commenting on when ratings might resume.
“Everybody is aware of the structural issues at BARC. I am told the issues are resolved now and they have submitted their reports to the government. They have made representations also. Other media associations have also made their presentations. So I think the matter is under consideration,” Dwivedi said.
He also pointed to the possibility of multiple rating currencies, as other organisations have applied to measure television viewership. “At the same time, there has also been a thought that there could possibly be multiple currencies. And there are other organisations who also put in their applications as far as ratings are concerned. So the matter is being examined at the ministry level. It’s actually a ministry domain. So beyond that, I really don’t have much to say on that,” he added.
The suspension followed the introduction of the Television Ratings Policy, 2026, which sets out the framework for registering and regulating television rating agencies. BARC, which measures television viewership in India, has been unable to publish its regular ratings amid the regulatory process.
Television ratings help broadcasters assess programme performance and enable advertisers to make decisions about media spending. Their suspension has left the industry awaiting clarity on when regular ratings will return and whether other agencies will also enter the audience-measurement space.
Dwivedi did not give a timeline for the resumption of ratings or confirm whether the government would approve multiple rating agencies. He reiterated that the matter rests with the ministry, saying, “It’s actually a ministry domain.”
