ITV

Tag: landing page

  • MIB directs BARC to stop landing page impressions for measurements

    MIB directs BARC to stop landing page impressions for measurements

    MUMBAI: Clamping down on the practice of running a channel on multiple logical channel numbers (LCNs) allegedly for influencing television ratings, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has advised the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to discontinue the adoption of landing channels for the purposes of television audience measurement with immediate effect. Moreover, the ministry has asked BARC to send a compliance report on the same.

    According to government sources, non­compliance on the landing page advisory “shall be violation of the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India.”

    The development comes close on the heels of the Telecom Regulatory   Authority   of  India’s (TRAI) statement on the issue on Tuesday. The telecom regulator issued a consultation paper to discuss the issue of the landing page (the page that appears when one switches on the STB and the TV set) and its many uses and misuses with the industry stakeholders.

    Pointing out that the practice of running a channel on multiple logical channel numbers (LCNs) allegedly for influencing television rating was brought to the notice of the regulator, the TRAI statement said. Some TV channels allegedly, in collusion, with the distributors, placed some television channels on multiple LCNs (meaning at several places in different programming genres in the EPG), it added.

    Also Read:

    TRAI initiates consultation on landing page issue

    TDSAT ‘reserves’ order on landing-page case

    TRAI tightens landing-page norms

  • TRAI initiates consultation on landing page issue

    TRAI initiates consultation on landing page issue

    NEW DELHI: The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), the telecoms and broadcast regulator, now wants to discuss the issue of the landing page (the page that appears when one switches on the STB and the TV set) and its many uses and misuses with the industry stakeholders. The regulator issued a consultation paper in this regard today.

    Pointing out that the practice of running a channel on multiple logical channel numbers (LCNs) allegedly for influencing television rating was brought to the notice of the regulator, the TRAI statement said. Some TV channels allegedly, in collusion, with the distributors, placed some television channels on multiple LCNs (meaning at several places in different programming genres in the EPG), it added.

    “As the TV channel ratings measurement is done on the basis of a unique water mark ID of a channel, the data of viewership of all such multiple LCNs is aggregated and reflects in the final ratings,” the statement said, adding that on the receipt of complaints the TRAI intervened last year and acted as per the provision of existing regulations.

    The TRAI has gone on to say that alleged irregularities in trying to influence audience measurement and subsequent data later shifted to the landing page and that it received quite a few complaints regarding the same. 

    Some of the issues raised by the TRAI in its consultation paper on the landing page include the following:

    · Do you feel that the emerging concept of placing TV channels on

    the landing page can influence TRP ratings? Suggest the action,

    which may address the issue with justification.

    · Should the concept of a landing page be defined? If so, please

    suggest the definition of the landing page with justification.

    · Whether placing of a TV channel on the landing page increases

    television ratings? If yes, why TV channels whose TV ratings

    are released by a TV rating agency should not be barred from

    being placed on the landing page? If no, why are broadcasters eager to place their channels on the landing page?

    · What should be the criteria/consideration to put a TV

    channel on a landing page?

    · Can placing of TV channels on the landing page be mitigated through changes in measurement methodology of television ratings?

     · Should the landing page be used to place TV channels not

    having TRP rating or only to provide platform specific

    information? Give suggestions with justification.

  • TDSAT ‘reserves’ order on landing-page case

    TDSAT ‘reserves’ order on landing-page case

    NEW DELHI: Telecoms and disputes tribunal TDSAT on Thursday reserved its order—the judge will pronounce the verdict later—on a case filed by a few multi-system operators (MSO) on sector regulator Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) decision to ban the use of boot-up or landing page for anything else other than promotion of the distribution platform’s services.

    TDSAT, after hearing all sides, including TRAI, will now give a direction later. The arguments, amongst other issues, revolved around the fact whether all laid down norms and procedures were followed by the regulator before passing an order on the landing page matter on 8 December 2017.

    “In order to protect the interest of service providers and consumers, and orderly growth of the sector, [TRAI] directs all broadcasters and distributors of TV channels to restrain from placing any registered satellite TV channel, on the landing page LCN or landing channel or boot-up screen within 15 days from the date of issuance of this direction,” the regulator had stated in its order, asserting it was well within its right and powers to do so.

    Soon after this directive was issued, a clutch of MSOs and TV channels, including Fastway (operating in Punjab and Haryana states), DEN Networks and the Times group, moved the TDSAT challenging the regulator’s diktat.

    The landing or the boot-up page is what a viewer sees first when a TV set and the connected set-top box are switched on. This page on the screen remains for a certain period of time after which the EPG or the electronic programming guide of the distribution service provider comes up. The landing page, considered hot real estate, usually carries paid advertisements of a TV channel programme or messages (like audience-measurement data relating to a particular TV channel or even initial sampling of a new channel). The commercial use of the landing page results in sizeable revenue for distribution platforms.

    Asked about the legality of the whole issue, lawyer Abhishek Malhotra, a partner in Bharucha & Partners, a law firm specialising in media sector-related cases, said, “The legal position on transparency required to be followed by TRAI under Section 11(4) of the Act is very clear and has been reiterated by the Supreme Court. It seems likely that non-observance by TRAI of this basic condition could result in the matter being remanded back before the merits of the matter are taken up.”

    While passing the directive on use of the landing page, TRAI had said it had received a number of representations from stakeholders stating the practice of placing a registered TV channel—whose audience data was recently released—on the landing page had the potential to influence TV-audience measurements.

    The genesis of this TRAI order is connected to the rousing debut of an English news channel last year, which got high viewership ratings from the audience-measurement agency and the data was questioned by a section of the competition on the grounds that some unethical practices were followed. It had then resulted in a public spat.

    Also Read :

    TRAI tightens landing-page norms

    Republic TV curiosity factor wanes, NBA channels data absent in week 21

    Republic TV, TRAI, NBA and the case of multiple LCNs

    News channel controversy: BARC India fires riposte to NBA

    “Dual LCNs is not the best thing to do” — Chrome Data CEO Pankaj Krishna