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Tag: Partho Dasgupta

  • Dr. Sumit Chowdhury joins BARC India as technical advisor

    Dr. Sumit Chowdhury joins BARC India as technical advisor

    MUMBAI:  Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has appointed former Reliance Jio Infocomm president Dr. Sumit Chowdhury as technical advisor. This is a move to align and streamline technology processes since almost 76 per cent of BARC India spends are on technology.

     

    As BARC India moves closer to launch, Chowdhury’s mandate is to measure and automate all critical processes and to create a mission-critical infrastructure that scales to the requirements of the industry. He will also contribute to the creation of other information products from the vast amount of data collected by BARC India.

     

    BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta said, “As we are gearing up for launch, Sumit’s excellent background and experience in telecom, media, entertainment and other industries will ensure all systems scale and are in sync and automated for the big data factory that we would be running.”

     

    “It is great to be a part of a start-up, which is slated to be the biggest television audience measurement system across the world and I look forward to a whole new world of excitement as I join team BARC India in solving the puzzle,” Chowdhury added.

     

    Chowdhury is the founder of Gaia Smart Cities, an M2M/IOT company focused on telecom and ICT solutions for smart cities. At Reliance Jio, he was initially CIO and then helped establish their enterprise business. Prior to Jio, he was IBM vice president, Reliance Communications CIO and a partner with KPMG.

  • BARC India to conduct roadshows in February

    BARC India to conduct roadshows in February

    MUMBAI: The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is all set for 2015, as it will hold roadshows in February on the GUI (Graphical User Interface) in Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Bengaluru.

    It was in 2013 when the Council held its first round of roadshows that aimed at sharing the latest updates from BARC with all constituents across the entire broadcast value chain, and, equally important, to receive feedback and suggestions, so that the new television measurement system is completely robust, transparent and representative.

    Welcoming the New Year, the council thanked its stakeholders, vendors, partners and associates as well as highlighted its achievements. With more than 275 channels having ordered for embedders, all major networks in each region and across genres are now on-board.

    As it continues to reach out to the stakeholders for feedback, the playout monitoring facilities are in action and meta-tagging of content across watermarked channels is in full throttle in Mumbai and Bengaluru.

    It has also tested the end-to-end integration of the system, which is working perfectly fine. The technology handshakes are in place and ratings are being generated from the BARC system now.

    In continuation to unravel the puzzle of TV audience measurement system in India, BARC India shared a few learnings and insights on the importance of Relative Errors and Confidence Levels in audience measurement for new beginnings.

    BARC India and the importance of Relative Error

    Over the past few months, BARC India has highlighted its commitment to data robustness and has spoken about lower Relative Errors at high Confidence Levels. It has repeatedly highlighted that Relative Errors are an important factor to be considered whenever it evaluated the ratings data, or read any research report, for that matter.

    Relative Error and its impact on research data

    It is not possible to sample every individual (except perhaps, a Census); hence, sample surveys are undertaken. Statistics offer scientific methods to estimate phenomena across entire population by studying samples. Any sample survey suffers inherently from various errors. Owing to these, statistics never talk about an average (or mean) without talking simultaneously about a measure of dispersion, usually the standard deviation.

    A researcher has to balance between demands of greater accuracy and constraints of finite resources. Statisticians therefore work with defined ‘Confidence Intervals’ and ‘Sampling Errors’. One of these sampling errors is the ‘Relative Error’, or the deviation (in percentage) of the observed value from the actual (expected) value.

    Confidence Level (or Confidence Interval)

    Confidence Level is generally defined as a percentage or a decimal figure less than one. So, if a researcher says that the Confidence Interval is 90 per cent, what he means is that 90 per cent of the samples of the same size taken from the same population will produce results within a defined range.

    Relative Error

    A TV ratings measurement system estimates that the programme has 1 TRP with a standard deviation of 0.25. This means that the actual rating is expected to lie between 1-0.25 and 1+0.25 or 0.75 and 1.25. The relative error is simply 0.25/1.0 or 25 per cent.

     A simplistic explanation that may antagonise a purist, but can be explained simply in the diagram below:

    In other words, it is important for a research to ensure least possible Relative Error at the highest possible Confidence Level; else it risks generating data with such wide variance that it becomes meaningless. Just imagine saying that a programme has 1 TRP at the above Relative Errors.

    Factors affecting Relative Error

    The most important factor that affects Relative Error is sample size. Relative Error increases in geometric magnitude as sample size decreases, while it becomes independent of sample size beyond a certain threshold.

    Sampling is also relatively simpler when estimating a homogenous population and more complex for heterogeneous population. It is hence extremely important to have a significantly large sample size, especially when calculating estimates for large heterogeneous universe.

    On how BARC India intends to handle issues related to sample size to ensure robustness of data, the council shares a hypothetical scenario – A planner wishes to evaluate programme viewership for the following TG for a premium brand – males, NCCS AB, 40+ in Delhi

    Total Sample Size: 130

    Approx. sample size for a programme with a rating of 1 per cent viewers: 13

     A sample size of 13 is way too low to do any meaningful evaluation. Hence, BARC India would not encourage such evaluations.

     To circumvent this issue, BARC India intends to aggregate the data through one of the following means:

    •        Aggregate viewership data across two or more weeks

    •        Add more cities to the sample, aggregating geographically

    •        Instead of considering a particular individual programme or a limited time, evaluate a day part, thus aggregating by time bands

    Each of the above methods would increase the sample size and would allow the planner to make his decision based on robust relevant data. The BARC India Technical Committee is evaluating options of either hardcoding the aggregations in the pre-publishing stage itself, or allowing the planner to decide the aggregation based on his/her requirements. This decision would be taken only after seeing the data for all panel homes and assessing the pros and cons of each method.

  • BARC India to install 30% of total barometers in rural India

    BARC India to install 30% of total barometers in rural India

    MUMBAI: The Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC India) is ensuring that it accurately captures ‘what India watches’ and hence is putting in resources to cover not just urban, but rural India as well. In keeping with this, the research body is installing approximately 30 per cent of its ‘barometers’ (people meters) in rural India.

     

    But how will BARC India ensure credible ratings, considering the constant power cuts in rural India? Answers BARC India CEO Partho Dasgupta, “Our meters have an inherent capability to store data for up to two months, so in case there are power cuts, we are secure.” The research body is also planning to have 10 per cent buffer homes which will enable them to reduce data vagaries due to any such factor.   
     

    “It is obviously difficult to reach across the rural parts of India, however, it has been a mandate for BARC India to capture ‘what India watches’ and hence it is important to cover that part of India as well,” adds Dasgupta. 

     

    BARC India, is currently busy with its roadshows, where the body is meeting with broadcasters, advertisers, media agencies and consultants, clarifying their doubts and questions. “We are delighted with the positive feedback we have received. People are receptive to change to a system which they believe will be much more robust and reliable,” says Dasgupta.  
     

    The purpose of the roadshows being held in Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai and Mumbai is to share with the larger group of stakeholders, BARC India’s current progress, thoughts on sample design and reporting structure. “These sessions enable us to understand the needs of our end customers more closely which will ensure us to fast track the last mile,” he informs.
     

    The roadshows saw discussions looming around the status of the project to-date, initial thoughts on reporting and broad sample designs being presented to the stakeholders.

     

    BARC India is currently testing meters across various parts of India in the most rugged conditions. So by when will the data be rolled out? “The data is being captured for our internal analysis and this will not be published,” he informs. 
     

    Talking about the feedback from the stakeholders, Dasgupta says, “We have got a very positive response. The proof of this lies in the fact that almost Rs 100 crore has been invested additionally by the broadcasters in installing embedders and related systems. They would not have done it if they didn’t believe in the technology selected.”

    BARC India is developing its system on a future ready technology “which is two generations ahead than what is being used currently,” he informs.
     

    The body has closed deals with 26 vendor partners across 12 processes involved in the broadcast measurement system, who will contribute to the different moving parts of the system. Giving an update on the current status of the measurement body, Dasgupta informs that most of the bigger networks and channels have ordered their watermark embedders and most of them are installed or being installed. The playout monitoring systems are being tested. The sampling design is almost complete. “We are taking feedback from the stakeholders through a series of roadshows that we are doing,” he says.  

    He further adds, “You will appreciate that this will be the largest such audience measurement system globally with cutting edge technology. This requires serious technology and process handshakes all over and then testing. All this is currently underway.”

    The audience measurement body which underwent a logo change recently has been subscribed by 250 channels already. “The numbers are going up every week and there has been a smooth progress on installations as well,” adds Dasgupta.

     

    BARC India will provide data to Doordarshan as well.

  • 250 channels sign up for BARC India’s watermarking technology

    250 channels sign up for BARC India’s watermarking technology

    MUMBAI: Even as signs of a delay from Broadcast Audience Measurement Council’s (BARC) side are doing the rounds, the audience measurement company has already got on board 250 channels that have ordered for watermarking embedders. Half of this has already been installed.

    The watermarking technology has been taken from Netherlands based Civolution and field testing of the meters is underway for homologating them to Indian conditions. As BARC India has consistently maintained, the meters have been assembled in India at a fraction of the cost of global suppliers.

    Deals with 26 vendor partners such as Intel, Hansa, Mediametrie, Civolution, Markdata, Magic9Media across 12 processes have been finalised. It also claims that this is the largest such audience measurement system globally with cutting edge technology.

    Very soon, it will start testing and validating the data from the system. The government has laid down policy guidelines that prescribe a minimum of 20, 000 homes, which BARC India feels isn’t enough in the long run. It has also opted for the harder and tougher method of assembling systems from various vendors to offer a superior and cost effective output.

    The measurement process undertaken by BARC India is as follows:

     

  • Romil Ramgarhia quits Zeel, joins BARC India

    Romil Ramgarhia quits Zeel, joins BARC India

    MUMBAI: Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has appointed Romil Ramgarhia as its chief business officer. This is a move to strengthen its core management team as the joint industry body moves closer to the launch of its services. In his new role, Ramgarhia will report to BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta.

     

    Ramgarhia brings with him more than 12 years of experience across media, telecom and manufacturing sector. In his last role, he was Zeel chief commercial officer. Before Zeel, he was also associated with Viacom18, Bharti Airtel, Asian Paints and ACC, in different capacities.

     

    Zeel MD and CEO and BARC chairman Punit Goenka said, “Romil has played a key role during his limited assignment at Zeel. It is unfortunate that he has quit the company, however I am confident that his rich experience will bring greater value to BARC India. As he now moves on to a new challenge in a new role and domain, I wish him luck for his continued success.”

     

    Dasgupta added, “BARC India is moving closer to launch. Romil has an excellent background in broadcast, in telecom and in other industries. He was already associated with BARC India as part of its commercial committee and hence is well initiated in the processes. With his great business acumen he will further strengthen the organisation.”

     

    Talking about his appointment, Ramgarhia said, “My assignment with Zeel and Viacom18 has been one of my most challenging as well as gratifying periods of my professional career. It is great to be a part of a start-up which is slated to be the biggest audience measurement system across the world.” 

  • BARC selects Prime Focus Technologies for play-out monitoring service

    BARC selects Prime Focus Technologies for play-out monitoring service

    MUMBAI: Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology subsidiary of Prime Focus, has announced that the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has contracted it to offer play-out monitoring service to power the audience measurement programs.

     

    PFT’s globally proven CLEAR Media ERP platform bolstered with next generation content identification technology and digital services will help automatically generate play-out monitoring reports on a daily basis.

     

    “It is a great honor to be selected by BARC, and we consider it equally a great responsibility towards the industry,” said Prime Focus Technologies founder & CEO Ramki Sankaranarayanan. “India has one of the largest TV ecosystems in the world and the audience measurement system ought to be highly credible. We look forward to working with BARC to help build India’s very own, trusted rating service.”

     

    “With PFT on board we are one step closer to our mission of indigenously building a television audience measurement system that is better than the best in the world,” said BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. “PFT’s world class technology, deep understanding of Indian broadcast and advertising industry, and across the board relationships with broadcasters and advertisers as a neutral partner made them the perfect choice for this critical role.”

     

    Audience measurement data is the de facto currency for media industry, being widely used by all stakeholders for planning, pricing, selling and buying advertising inventory on the medium. PFT will offer a robust play-out monitoring service which will check the actual telecast of each channel, capture the content at every point in time, and help link it back to the rating piece of the audience measurement system.

     

    India has 154 million TV households making it the third largest TV market in the world, next only to China and the US. This will be the first fully digital play-out monitoring service employed directly by the Indian broadcast industry and is scheduled to commence operations in October 2014.

  • Difference of opinion within BARC on rollout date?

    Difference of opinion within BARC on rollout date?

    MUMBAI: The silver lining in the TV rating system in India might see dark clouds if Broadcast Audience Research Council’s (BARC) chairman Punit Goenka is to be believed.

     

    Goenka showed concerns on the time the new rating system will start operating. Earlier talking to indiantelevision.com, BARC tech committee chairman Shashi Sinha had stated that the new ratings system should be up and running by 1 October, 2014.

     

    “Everyone is aware of the issue with Indian Readership Survey (IRS) and unless that gets sorted how can we roll out our process,” said Goenka, when quizzed if the launch time for BARC was on schedule. “There would be a delay,” he added.

     

    A committee member, without commenting on Goenka’s concerns, said that the IRS issue is sub judice and hence cannot share data with BARC. “If data isn’t shared with us, how are we going to design the panel?” he questioned. However, he soon highlighted on the fact that the current issue is with the survey done for national publishers and it shouldn’t impact any survey/data needed for television.

     

    Whereas another source refuted any such delay and believes that though IRS has its own sets of problems, there shouldn’t be any issue with BARC. “BARC needs IRS for establishment data, but with minor internal adjustments, everything will fall in place and IRS issue shouldn’t create any material difference to the time-table,” he pin-pointed.

     

    Similarly, another source believes that there shouldn’t be any delay in the rating system to come in place. “Work is in process and in line with the date we had said earlier. And we are hopeful of reaching the due date without any hassle.”

     

    “Why think of a delay? Everything is on schedule,” said a highly placed industry source. “An eight to 10 days delay shouldn’t be called as a delay. A minor variation in the date shouldn’t be an issue,” he concluded.

     

    Early this year, in January, BARC had signed a contract with Médiamétrie for a 1+5 year term. The French audience measurement system will be providing the audio watermarking technology to BARC to monitor TV consumption through its 20,000 strong panel.

     

    The funding to put up the new system in place has been divided as follows: 60 per cent Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), 20 per cent ISA and 20 per cent Indian Advertisers Agencies Association of India (AAAI).

  • #Elections2014 result: Media industry tweets

    #Elections2014 result: Media industry tweets

    MUMBAI: Social media played an important role in this election season. With the country buzzing with the election results today and Narendra Modi ready to take charge as the PM, the social media is buzzing again.

     

    People have their own set of opinions/jokes/statements to make regarding the day which is being pointed as a historic day by many.

     

    We at indiantelevision.com bring to you what the media fraternity feels/thinks about the new dawn.

     

    Punit Goenka @punit_goenka – The government that comes to power should be given time to perform! We need to understand that there’s no overnight solution! #Results2014

     

    Jehangir Pocha @JehangirPocha – The Indian elections are the greatest democratic show on Earth. A fitting tribute from an ancient nation to the greatest human idea.

    Raj Nayak @rajcheerfull – The right thing for all parties would be to accept the verdict gracefully, pick up the phone & congratulate @narendramodi before Obama does.

     

    Vivek Srivastava @vivek3180 – The Indian voters have done their job given clear majority… now its about the politicians to deliver. #Results2014

     

    Satbir Singh @thesatbir – Remember: in 1984, BJP won 2 seats. 30 years later, 280. Today, AAP leading in 4 seats. Anything can happen in future

     

    TANUJ GARG @tanuj_garg – Rakhi Sawant got 15 votes, FYI. Y’all can sleep in peace now.

     

    bhatnaturally @bhatnaturally – So Mani Aiyyar can open tea shops in Mayiladuthurai now

     

    Madhavan Narayanan @madversity – Sensex at 25,000. It is a dream peak. But where does it go from here? What do mountaineers to when they reach the Everest?

     

    Ashok Lalla @ashoklalla – It’s Diwali day for halwais and mithai shops across India as the #RaceTo272 is decided today.

     

    Madan Sanglikar @maddyisms – It’s Boxing Day today in India #election2014

     

    Ramesh Srivats @rameshsrivats – Modi’s first act as PM will be to change the password for @PMOIndia from Sonia123 to ModiOnly1.

     

    Harit Nagpal @haritnagpal – I switched on Times Now to figure out which party was leading and was told that Times Now leads, amongst news channels.

     

    Harini Calamur @calamur – The last time a political party got these kind of numbers, I was in school

     

    Sunil Lulla @SunilLulla – Jai Namo, Jai Namo, Jai Namo

     

    dilip cherian @DILIPtheCHERIAN – Exaggerated or not the stories of internecine battles in the #BJP indicate it’s now a party that has a whiff of power!

     

    Partho Dasgupta @parthodasgupta – So will now VK Singh be the new Defence Minister? Kissakursika

  • BARC conducts watermark technology workshops

    BARC conducts watermark technology workshops

    MUMBAI: With only a few months left for Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to start operations full-swing, BARC conducted technical workshops for broadcast engineers to enable them get a deeper understanding of the watermark technology.

     

    The workshops that were conducted countrywide between 18-21 March, aims to help in understanding the deployment of the future watermarked system at the broadcaster’s end.

     

    The workshop was conducted by technical experts from BARC’s technical partners. Watermarking technology inserts a mark inaudible to the human ear into programs. This mark contains the identification of the channel which broadcasts the program and the regular broadcast timestamps. The meters installed in panelists’ homes can retrieve this information. This audio watermark is inaudible to viewers, and is compatible with both digital and analogue broadcasting.

     

    On successful completion of this workshop, BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta said, “It was a delight to see a massive and encouraging participation from 150+ broadcast personnel at the recently concluded watermarking technical workshop by BARC. This technical workshop was successfully conducted at multiple locations in India. It gave a unique opportunity for the broadcasters to interact directly with the technology and service providers. The broadcasters have already started placing orders for the watermarking embedding technology required at their playout centres.”