ITV

Tag: TAM

  • Star Plus and Sab gain in TAM week 22

    Star Plus and Sab gain in TAM week 22

    MUMBAI: Week 22, TAM ratings. Hindi General Entertainment Channel (GEC) leader Star Plus once again held on to its pole position adding 11 GRPs to increase its total to 249 for the entire week. Sab was the next highest gainer, clipping on an additional 10 GRPs to take its score to 145 GRPs, according to ratings provided by a TV channel.

    Colors gained a couple of GRPs and that helped it maintain its no 2 position with 186 GRPs. Zee TV shed eight GRPs to end the week with 176 GRPs. Sony Entertainment was at no 4 as it gained five GRPs to end the week with 154 GRPs. Life OK gained seven GRPs taking its total tally to 137 GRPs.

    1 June saw a slew of new reality shows fighting it out to be crowned the best weekend prime time slot turning GECs into a war zone with Zee TV, Sony and Colors launching their reality shows at the 9.00 pm time slot.

    There was cut-throat competition among the GECs who spent top dollar in promoting the weekend shows. And going by the current week‘s ratings, Zee TV‘s DID Super Moms apparently has won the prime time war bagging a 3 TVR. On the other hand, popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Ja (JDJ) registered a 2.4 TVR while Sony‘s all new Indian Idol Junior (IIJ) was at 1.8 TVR.

    Numero uno Star Plus‘ chart topper Diya Aur Baati Hum added eyeballs as the show rated 4.1 TVR (3.7 TVR last week). Its long running Yeh Rishta showed an improvement as it ran up a 3.7 TVR (2.8 TVR last week). Pyaar ka Dard another popular series witnessed a jump generating 3.6 TVR (2.9 TVR last week). Fiction series Veera notched up 2.6 TVR (2.1 TVR last week).
    The channel‘s new talent hunt-cum-reality show India‘s Dancing Superstar aired its maha Govinda episode and managed to get 1.5 TVR on Saturday and witnessed a fall to 1.6 (2.6 last week) on Sunday.

    Colors popular celebrity dance reality show JDJ helped them maintained their position this week (it generated 2.4 TVR on Saturday). Colors leading fiction series witnessed a marginal rise with 2.8 TVR (2.6 TVR last week) and Madhubala inched up to 2.6 TVR (2.3 TVR last week).

    Zee TV‘s fictional show Qubool Hai saw a growth to 3 TVR (2.5 TVRlast week), Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke saw a slight growth to 2.2 TVR (2.0 last week), PunarVivaah fell to 1.8 (1.9 TVR). What was surprising was the rating that the Hindi feature film ‘Kai po Che‘ got (a 0.8 TVR on 26 May), Sunday. Other fictional shows seem to be shedding viewers if one goes by the fact that Punar Vivaah witnessed a fall taking it to 1.4 TVR (1.8 last week).

    Fourth placed, Sony Entertainment‘s long running crime series CID showed a marginal improvement as it registered a 2 TVR (1.8 last week); whereas Crime Patrol witnessed a fall as it registered a 1.4 TVR (1.8 last week). Finally, Comedy Circus showed a drop of 0.1 taking Sony‘s tally to 1.3 TVR (1.4 last week). A new historical show Maharana Pratap notched up to 1.5 TVR (0.7 last week). Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Sab gained 10 GRPs ending the week with 145 GRPs. Its fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel lead with 3.1 TVR (2.8 last week). The show‘s maha special episode included Dharmendra who promoted his movie Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 and added 2.4 TVR to the chart. Wah Wah Kya Baat Hai saw a marginal growth taking it to 0.9 TVR (0.6 last week).

    Life OK gained seven GRPs taking it to toll with 137 GRPs (130 last week). Its top series Mahadev continues to lead, with a TVR of 2.4 (1.9 last week). Savdhan India showed a 0.2 improvement taking it to 1.3 TVR (1.1 last week).

    Sahara continued to be at the bottom of the heap with 15 GRPs.

    Movie channels too witnessed marginal decreases: Zee Cinema stayed stable with 103; Star Gold lost few points and rated at 103 GRPs (110 last week) and Movies OK was at 52 GRPs (56 last week).

  • Colors, Life OK gain in TAM week 21; Star Plus continues to lead

    Colors, Life OK gain in TAM week 21; Star Plus continues to lead

    MUMBAI: Week 21, TAM’s ratings. Colors was the highest gainer amongst Hindi GECs as it added 10 GRPs to increase its total to 184 for the entire week. Life OK was the next highest gainer, clipping on an additional eight GRPs to take its score to 130 GRPs, according to ratings provided by a TV channel.

    Zee TV and Colors shared the No 2 position with 184 GRPs each. Sony Entertainment was at No 3 as it shed three GRPs to end the week with 149 GRPs.

    Life OK had its special Maha episode of – Savdhan India which added 1.1 TVR to its chart. It even aired a Hindi feature film on Sunday titled ‘Dhammu’ that got 0.6 TVR.

    Star Plus held on to its pole position this week, gaining only four points to take its tally to 238 GRPs. Its chart topper Diya Aur BaatiHum retained last week‘s TVRs of 3.7 TVR. Pyaar ka Dard was the second most popular Star Plus show with 2.9 TVR (3.0 TVR last week). Its long running Yeh Rishta lost eyeballs as the show rated 2.8 TVR (2.9 TVR last week). The channel‘s new talent hunt-cum-reality show India‘s Dancing Superstar witnessed a fall to 1.8 (2.8 TVR last week) on Saturday and a slight fall on Sunday with a 2.6 TVR (2.8 TVR last week).

    Colors leading fiction series Balika Vadhu saw a minor fall to 2.6 TVR (2.8 last week) and Madhubaladropped to 2.3 TVR (2.5 last week). Another daily, Uttaran continued to stay put at its last week‘s TVR of 2.6. Sasural Simar Ka ended the week with 2.5 TVR (2.4 TVR last week). What added muscle to Colors GRPs was the 1.6 TVRs that indiantelevision.com‘s The Indian Telly Awards notched up on 25 May at 9 pm. Overall, The Indian Telly Awards added seven GRPs to Colors‘ total tally to help it get level with Zee TV this week.

    Zee TV‘s ficitonal shows seem to be shedding viewers if one goes by the fact that Qubool Haidropped to 2.5 TVR (2.8 last week), Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke fell to 2.0 TVR (2.4 last week),PunarVivaah which fell to 1.8 (1.9 TVR). The only gainers were Hitler Didiwhich rose to 1.3 TVR (1.2 TVR) and Pavitra Rishta which rose to 1.9 TVR (1.8 TVR) and the Mahasangam Qubool Hai episode, which generated 2.8 GRPs on 20 May. That along with Hindi feature film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hai’ which notched up a 1.0 TVR, and its reality talent show India‘s Best Dramebaaz which generated 2.5 TVR (2.0 TVR) on Saturday and 2.0 TVR (1.8 TVR) on Sunday which helped Zee hold on to its position this week.

    Third placed, Sony Entertainment‘s long running crime series CIDwitnessed a fall to 1.8 TVR (2.4 last week); whereas Crime Patrolshowed a marginal 0.1 improvement as it registered a 1.8 TVR (1.7 last week). Finally, Comedy Circus showed a drop of 0.2 taking Sony‘s tally to 1.4 TVR (1.6 last week). Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Fourth placed, Sab gained three GRPs ending the week with 135 GRPs and the No 4 spot. Its fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel lead with 2.8 TVR (2.9 last week).

    Sahara managed to gain two GRPs but still continued to be at the bottom of the heap with 15 GRPs.

    Since the cash rich league was nearing its qualifier stage, the number of matches played trickled down to a match every two days, and that reflects in Max chopping off 59 point taking its GRPs down to 170 GRPs (229 last week).

    Movie channels too witnessed marginal increases: Zee Cinema stayed stable with 102; Star Gold rated at 110 GRPs (105 last week) and Movies OK was at 56 GRPs (54 last week).

  • Zee TV, Colors gain in TAM week 20; Star Plus continues to lead

    Zee TV, Colors gain in TAM week 20; Star Plus continues to lead

    MUMBAI: Week 20, TAM‘s ratings. Zee was the highest gainer amongst Hindi GECs as it added 10 GRPs to increase these to 184 for the entire week. Colors was the next highest gainer, clipping on an additional nine GRPs to take its total to 174 GRPs.

    According to ratings provided by a TV channel.

    Zee TV‘s gains helped it maintain its No 2 position while Colors‘ growth helped it polevault past Sony Entertainment to the No 3 position. Sony Entertainment was at No 4 as it shed 14 GRPs to end the week with 152 GRPs.

    Star Plus held on to its pole position this week despite gaining only two points to take its tally to 234 GRPs. Its chart topper Diya Aur Baati Hum remained stable with 3.7 TVR (3.8 TVR last week). Pyaar ka Dard was the second most popular Star Plus show with 3.0 TVR (2.9 TVR last week). Its long running Yeh Rishta added eyeballs asthe show rated 2.9 TVR (2.7 TVR last week). The channel‘s new talent hunt-cum-reality show India‘s Dancing Superstar witnessed a TVR fall to 2.8 (3.0 TVR last week) on Saturday only to rise on Sunday with a 2.8 TVR (2.6 TVR last week).

    Zee TV‘s top performer was the fiction series Qubool Hai that remained stable with 2.8 TVR (2.8 last week) followed by Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke that witnessed a fall to 2.4 TVR (2.7 last week). Its reality talent hunt India‘s Best Dramebaaz‘s viewership witnessed a huge growth on Saturday to 2.0 TVR (1.6 last week) and remained stable Sunday with 1.8 TVR (1.8 last week).

    Colors leading fiction series Balika Vadhu continued to be stable with 2.8 TVR (2.8 last week) and Madhubala rated a 2.5 TVR (2.5 last week). Another daily, Uttaran notched a 2.6 TVR (2.4 last week). Sasural Simar Ka ended the week with 2.4 TVR (2.3 TVR last week).

    Fourth placed, Sony Entertainment got a lot of support from its consistent performer CID 2.4 TVR (2.2 last week), whereas Crime Patrol saw a fall while notching up 1.7 TVR (2.0 last week). Finally, Comedy Circus showed a marginal 0.1 improvement as it registered a 1.6 TVR. Other fiction shows either held on to their viewership or dipped marginally during the week.

    Sab maintained status quo with 132 GRPs and was at the No 5 spot. Its fiction show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah continues to be the channel lead with 2.9 TVR (3.0 last week).

    Ditto was the case with Life OK which nearly stayed where it was last week with 122 GRPs (123 last week).

    The controversy around the IPL 6 does not seem to be hampering Max‘s viewers‘ love for the tournament as the channel saw a five point increase in its GRPs to 229 GRPs (224 last week). Sahara continued at the bottom of the heap with with 13 GRPs.

    Movie channels too witnessed increases: Zee Cinema added 10 GRPs to end at 103; Star Gold rated at 105 GRPs (103 last week) and Movies OK was at 54 GRPs (50 last week).

  • NDTV files fresh appeal against Nielsen in New York supreme court

    NDTV files fresh appeal against Nielsen in New York supreme court

     MUMBAI: New Delhi Television (NDTV) ain’t giving up on its law suit against global research agency Nielsen on account of the TV ratings service it runs in India with global advertising powerhouse WPP under TAM Media Research. Last week, the newscaster filed fresh papers with a New York state supreme court appealing against its decision earlier this year to dismiss its $1 billion suit against Nielsen and WPP.This time, however, it has named only Nielsen group companies in the appeal, whereas earlier it had included both in its suit.

    While dismissing the suit, the New York court had then said that NDTV’s claim and complaint should be filed and contested in Indian courts where TAM, the Nielsen-WPP joint venture is based and not in New York.

    NDTV’s nine month old lawsuit states that it has lost hundred of millions of dollars in ad revenues on account of the inaccuracies in TAM’s TV ratings service in India and that it needs to be compensated for the loss. It had alleged that TAM staff took bribes in exchange for overstating ratings.

    In its fresh appeal (a copy of which is with indiantelevision.com) which it filed with the court on 15 May, NDTV sought a reversal, annulment or modification of the trial’s court’s dismissal of its application earlier as it has mistakenly ruled that the Big Apple is not a proper venue for the suit because it “failed to accept as true the allegations” that the New York-based Nielsen owns and controls the “Nielsen process” upon which its ratings services around the world operate.

    Additionally, the NDTV appeal has stated that the court has disregarded the fact that Nielsen’s hq and “senior management (and several key witnesses and thus evidence) are located in New York and the court wrongly concluded that the defendants were foreign.”

    The court has also erred earlier in dismissing its amended complaint, NDTV has stated in its appeal, “for its failure to include an indispensable party (TAM)..the court wrongly concluded that its claims address TAM’s misconduct in India when in fact NDTV’s claims are based solely on the conduct of the New York-based Nielsen.”

    “The Indian courts likely lack jurisdiction over Nielsen,” as it is based out of New York, pleads the new NDTV filing. “Contrary to the trial court’s rulings..we properly pled that Nielsen breached a duty it owed to NDTV and the breach resulted in a compensable injury.”

    NDTV has pointed out that it had brought the bugs in TAM’s ratings process in India to WPP’s and Nielsen’s notice. Both had promised to have these rectified, but did nothing about it forcing it to take the matter to the US courts.

    WPP and Nielsen had denied NDTV’s claims and said that the case should be argued in India and the not in the US, which the New York court had accepted while dismissing the case.

    TAM, on its part, in recent times, has been making efforts to spruce up its act, aiming to guarantee impartiality of its ratings service. It has set up a vigilance desk’, headed by a former senior policeman, and a ‘transparency panel’ of regulation experts. But some broadcasters have said these changes have come too late.

  • Life OK, Sony are the biggest gainers of TAM wk19

    Life OK, Sony are the biggest gainers of TAM wk19

     MUMBAI: All’s Ok with Life OK and Sony Entertainment Television (SET) in week 19 of the TAM ratings report. The two channels are the biggest gainers in the ramped up digital universe that TAM is now reporting on from 5 May. TAM data (for Hindi speaking market including five new LC1 markets, C&S, 4+) sourced from a channel, shows Life OK added 21 GRPs this week to close the week with 123 GRPs (102 GRPs last week) and the No 6 slot. Life OK’s mythological drama Devon Ke Dev..Mahadev added some points to register 1.8 TVR (1.5 last week). Its crime-based show Hum Ne Li Hai…Shapath showed rapid improvement with 1.4 TVR (0.8 last week).

    SET, the other major gainer, continued its upward journey this week too by adding 12 GRPs to its last week tally taking it to 166 GRPs and the third spot among GECs. SET scored on the back of its crime-based properties like CID (2.2 TVR), Crime Patrol (2.0 TVR) and comedy reality show Comedy Circus that registered a 1.5 TVR. Its fiction shows such as Bade Achhe Lagte Hain added eyeballs as they rated 1.6 TVR (1.3 last week). Other fiction shows either stagnated or dipped marginally during the week.

    The good news for GECs, however, is that the genre has overall grown by 37 GRPs, taking it to 1,004.

    Back to the leader, Star Plus continues to lead the flock with an increase of eight GRPs to 232. The channel’s new talent hunt-cum-reality show India’s Dancing Superstar notched a 2.6 TVR on its Saturday and Sunday telecast even as fiction shows like Saathiya Saath Nibhana continue to be stable in week 19 with 2.2 TVR. Its chart topper, Diya Aur Baati Hum’s ratings, however, declined from 4.0 to 3.8 TVR in the week ended 11 May. Pyaar Ka Dard occupies No 3 position amongst all Hindi fiction shows with 2.9 TVR (2.8 last week).

    “We are doing very well in the expanded digital TV universe. But what is more important is that we have seen that our relative share has improved continuously over the last quarter. Though our relative numbers have been low (average of past 13 weeks) but the share of the channel has improved,” says Star India vice-president – marketing Nikhil Madhok.

    Following Star Plus is Zee TV, that held on to its second spot on the Hindi GEC chart with 174 GRPs (175 last week). Zee TV’s top performer was the fiction series Qubool Hai with 2.8 TVR (2.6 last week) followed by Sapne Suhane Ladakpan Ke that rated 2.7 TVR (3.0 last week). Its reality talent hunt India’s Best Dramebaaz’s viewership declined by a huge margin on Saturday to 1.8 TVR (2.4 last week) and on Sunday to 1.6 TVR (1.9 last week).

    At fourth spot, is Colors which dropped a point to record GRPs of 165. Its leading fiction series Balika Vadhu notched a 2.8 TVR (2.7 last week) and Madhubala rated a 2.5 TVR (2.4 last week). Sasural Simar Ka ended the week with 2.3 TVR (2.5 TVR last week).

    Multi Screen Media’s other Hindi GEC Sab maintained status quo with 131 GRPs and was at the No 5 spot. Ditto was the case with Max which is telecasting IPL6 which stayed put at 224 GRPs, while Sahara continued to shed GRPs and dropped to 13 GRPs.

  • Why Pogo and CN got a ratings spike in TAM week 18

    Why Pogo and CN got a ratings spike in TAM week 18

    MUMBAI: Week 18 of TAM Media Research’s weekly TV ratings monitor turned up a surprise for Turner International India which runs the kids channels Pogo and Cartoon Network.

     

    Pogo notched up 183 GRPs (4-14 all C&S homes), the highest GRPs for any kids channels in the past seven years. Cartoon Network (CN) on its part also reported high GRPs of 134 placing it at the number 2 spot. They also grabbed a combined near 50 per cent of the viewership share of the kids channel genre – Pogo had a share of 28.7 per cent and Cartoon Network of 21.1 per cent. This data was provided to indiantelevision.com by a channel.

     

    What happened? What got it those unexpected numbers at a time of an intense focus on cricket courtesy the IPL and when the GEC genre has been losing ratings and viewer share?

     

    “The kids genre on the whole did really well in week 18. The summer vacations are on and kids are home from school,” explains Turner senior director & head of kids vertical south Asia Krishna Desai. “Also, Chota Bheem did very well for us on Pogo. We had Chota Bheem’s birthday celebrations in week18 which ran through the week like previous years. On 1 May, we premiered the movie ‘Chota Bheem and The Crown of Valhalla’ which also contributed to the record setting GRPs.”

     

    “Kids like to watch marathons of two to three of their favourite shows. Increasing the frequency of these shows leads to higher viewership for the channel,” adds Turner vice president ad sales south Asia Juhi Ravindranath.

     

    Juhi says the high viewership despite, the kids channel genre and pricing for it needs to be looked at with a different set of eyeglasses.

     

    “The kids channel genre accounts for approximately six per cent of overall viewership (CS 4+ All India). In terms of revenue share, it is around 2.5 to three per cent,” she highlights. “So yes, it is definitely underpriced as a genre. If one looks at the past few weeks’ data, Pogo and CN are ranked at number 11 and number 12 respectively in terms of viewership amongst all channels. Unfortunately the rates commanded by the genre are not at par. However, year on year, there is growth in effective rates for the genre. We are, however, pushing for very aggressive rate hikes this year and are seeing success.”

     

    She says her team is increasingly getting aggressive on bringing in non-traditional advertisers to hoick revenues. “While kids form the core audience, any household with kids would also see substantial viewership coming from parents. For example, Pogo and Cartoon Network would be ahead of most news channels in the male 15+ target group. Categories like computers, telecom and other durables are forming areas of growth for us. Apart from this, we are actively using non-FCT areas like licensing of our characters, vignettes, on-ground events and our online websites to help us drive revenues.”

     

    Will week 19 of TAM’s ratings see Pogo and CN maintaining the tempo? Desai says the team is gung-ho about this. “We put in our best, however, we leave to the kids’ audience the rest,” he ends with a smile.

  • TRAI extends date for TRP consultation paper comments

    TRAI extends date for TRP consultation paper comments

    NEW DELHI: The last date for receipt of comments on the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India‘s (TRAI‘s) consultation paper on accreditation of television rating organisations has been extended to 23 May. The last date earlier was 9 May.

    TRAI said that it had on the request of the stakeholders given 30 May (earlier 16 May) as the date for any counter-comments.

    In an effort to put an end to controversies generated by television rating points, TRAI had on 17 April issued a paper to deal with issues such as establishing an accreditation mechanism for the rating agency and methodology of audience measurement.

    The consultation paper on “Guidelines/Accreditation Mechanism for Television Rating Agencies in India” also seeks to get the views of stakeholders on sample size; secrecy of sample homes; cross holding between rating agencies and their users; complaint redressal; sale and use of ratings; disclosure and reporting requirement; competition in rating services; and audit.

    The consultation paper has been issued at the behest of the information and broadcasting ministry, which had earlier received a report from the Amit Mitra Committee on the subject. The Indian Broadcasting Foundation has since been working to set up the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) as an alternative to TAM.

    The consultation paper aims to lay down comprehensive guidelines/accreditation mechanism for TRP (television rating points) rating agencies in India to ensure transparency and accountability in the rating system.

    A press note from TRAI says ‘incorrect ratings will lead to production of content which may not be really popular while good content and programmes may be left out. Therefore, there is a need to have an accurate measurement and representative television ratings for the programmes. The importance of a credible, transparent and representative television audience measurement system is recognised the world over. Presently television rating in India is being done by only one agency. Issues related to credibility and transparency of the ratings services in India has been raised by certain stakeholders. Lack of credible TRP system will hamper the growth of TV industry as a number of decisions having financial implications and also bearing on the type of content being watched are influenced by the TRP ratings supplied by rating agencies. So, there is a need to establish suitable mechanism/guidelines for the rating agencies which ensures that the data generated by the rating agencies is representative, credible and transparent.”

    The full text of the Consultation Paper is available on TRAI‘s website www.trai.gov.in

  • Trai seeks industry’s views on TV ratings system

    MUMBAI: In an effort to create a reliable television rating system, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) today issued a paper to deal with issues of establishing an accreditation mechanism for the rating agency and methodology of audience measurement.

    The consultation paper titled “Guidelines/Accreditation Mechanism for Television Rating Agencies in India” also seeks to get the views of stakeholders on sample size, secrecy of sample homes, cross holding between rating agencies and their users, complaint redressal, sale and use of ratings, disclosure and reporting requirement, competition in rating services, and audit.

    The consultation paper aims to lay down comprehensive guidelines/accreditation mechanism for TRP (television rating points) rating agencies in India to ensure transparency and accountability in the rating system. Written comments have been invited by 9 May with any cross-comments by 16 May.

    The Consultation paper has been issued at the behest of the Information & Broadcasting ministry, which had earlier received a report from the Amit Mitra Committee on the matter.

    The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has since been working with the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) to set up the Broadcasting Audience Rating Council (BARC) as an alternative to TAM.

    “Incorrect ratings will lead to production of content which may not be really popular while good content and programmes may be left out. Therefore, there is a need to have an accurate measurement and representative television ratings for the programmes,” the Trai says.

    Seeking to ensure “fair competition, better standard and quality of services”, the government had asked the Trai to draft recommendations on comprehensive guidelines and accreditation mechanism for agencies involved in measuring television rating points.

    The consultation paper also outlines suggestions on the eligibility criteria for ratings agencies. Some of the suggested criteria include –
    a. The rating agency should be set up and registered as a company under the Companies Act, 1956.

    b. The Rating Agency should have, in its Memorandum of Association, specified rating activity as one of its main objects.

    c. The rating agency should have a minimum net worth (say rupees five crore).

    d. The rating agency should have professional competence, financial soundness and general reputation of fairness and integrity in business transactions, to the satisfaction of the Government;

    e. Rating agency should meet the prescribed cross holding requirements.

    Another key area that the consultation paper touches upon is the issue of cross holding between a ratings agency and its user. It has asked stakeholders to comment/suggest on the guidelines of cross holding of ratings agency which may include:

    a. There should be no cross holding between the rating agencies and broadcasters, advertisers, media agencies and advertising agencies.

    b. This cross-holding restriction should also be applicable in respect of individual promoters besides being applicable to legal entities.

    c. No single company/ legal person, either directly or through its associates or inter-connected undertakings, shall have substantial equity holding in more than one rating agency. Similarly no single company/ legal person, either directly or through its associates or inter-connected undertakings, shall have substantial equity in both rating agencies and broadcasters/advertisers/ media agencies/advertising agencies. Substantial equity could be defined as certain percentage (say 10% or more) of paid equity

    d. A promoter company/ legal person/ directors of the rating agency cannot have stakes in any broadcaster, advertiser and advertising agency either directly or through its associates or inter-connected undertakings.

  • Hindi commentary simulcast delivers well for ESS

    MUMBAI: Sportscaster ESPN Star Sports‘ strategy of introducing Hindi commentary simulcast has found favour with cricket fans as it contributed 40 per cent of the overall ratings for the recently concluded India-Australia Test series.

    According to Tam data provided by ESS, the television broadcast of the recently concluded India-Australia Test series has delivered average rating of 2.05 TVR, which the broadcaster claims, is the highest average rating for a Test series played by India in the past four years. The test series delivered a reach of 92.8 million.

    The India-Australia series 2013 has delivered almost 50 per cent higher ratings as compared to the previous India-Australia series played in Australia in the year 2011/12 which averaged 1.37 TVR.

    The four test series also delivered 22 per cent higher ratings than the India-England test series played earlier this season which delivered an average of 1.68 TVR. The TV ratings peaked at 3.2 TVR on the eventful third day of the fourth test match when Cheteshwar Pujara made a quick fire 82 in India‘s pursuit for victory.

    ESPN Software India COO Vijay Rajput states, “We are extremely delighted with the results. Our approach to the presentation of Indian cricket has been a game changer in many ways. The introduction of Hindi commentary feed has done well and so has our strong web offering through starsports.com which allows consumers to get in the game online.

    He adds. Our aggressive marketing campaigns through the season which focussed on new and upcoming heroes of team India in transition culminating with the ‘Asli Test Baaki Hai‘ campaign for the India Australia series struck a chord with fans across the country.

    “Our aim is to take the viewership of this game to a completely new level – be it through our compelling campaigns, quality of talent, look and feel of the presentation, multi-platform delivery or through promoting it across the entire Star network.”

  • WPP welcomes lower court dismissal of NDTV law suit

    MUMBAI: Global media communications conglomerate WPP has issued a statement welcoming the lower court of New York’s decision to dismiss the law suit filed by Indian news broadcaster New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV).

    On 4 March, the New York court ruled in favour of dismissing the case lodged by NDTV against WPP, Kantar and Neilsen regarding corruption in the television ratings system in India by Television Audience Measurement (TAM).

    WPP’s statement reads –

    “As previously noted, NDTV‘s case was dismissed 4 March 2013 by the court on jurisdiction (“forum non conveniens”) grounds, on the basis that there were “minimal contacts” with New York.

    “Further, the court did in fact address the causes of action raised by NDTV. According to a transcript of the oral argument and the decision rendered by the Court, Judge Sherwood stated that if he were to look at the various claims he would dismiss those claims as well.

    “The Court could go on and look at the claims aimed at dismissing the individual causes of action. In the interests of time I am not going to do that. Although, I will tell you that were I to go through them all I would dismiss those claims, as well[…] I could go on and talk about the other causes of action for fraud and breach of contract and so on […] And were I to go through those The Court would dismiss those, as well.

    WPP is pleased with the Court‘s decision and welcomes the complete dismissal of this ill-founded and inappropriate law suit. WPP is confident that if NDTV elects to appeal this decision in New York, the judge’s well-reasoned decision will be affirmed.”