What is the broadcast audience research board?

Answer 1

According to July 2011 report

GRPs are used by media planners to devise advertising strategies, and hence, every broadcaster is focused on obtaining high viewership ratings so that it can garner the maximum share possible of the advertising pie. However, the primary agency measuring the television viewership in terms of GRPs - TAM Media Research (TAM) - has a small sample base with only 8,000 people meters installed. In order to improve this viewership measurement system, a Government committee has announced setting up the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) so as to double the number of people meters and consumer sample size within the next 22 months. This TRP overhaul, which involves the cost of people meters and their maintenance, is expected to cost over Rs. 600 crore, which would be implemented in two phases - first phase involving increasing the sample size from the present level of around 8,000 to 15,000 over the next two years at an investment of Rs. 220 crore, and the second phase involving doubling the sample size of the people meters from 15,000 to 30,000 between 2013 and 2016 at an investment of Rs. 440 crore. This additional investment would be shared by the various stakeholders including broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agencies. Further, unlike the current system where the people meters are installed only in larger towns in select states, the new samples would be representative of urban and rural areas, small towns, Jammu & Kashmir and the North-East. Also, under the revamped TRP system, the sample will cover all platforms and technologies such as terrestrial TV, digital and analog cable, DTH and IPTV.