Kerala HC clears way for TRP ratings to resume
What's the story
The Kerala High Court has lifted an interim stay that had temporarily halted the implementation of a crucial provision in the Centre's 2026 Television Rating Policy. This development paves the way for the resumption of weekly publication of television ratings, which had been stalled since May 22 due to legal challenges.
Policy change
What is the 2026 Television Rating Policy?
The 2026 Television Rating Policy introduced a new methodology for calculating Television Rating Points (TRPs) by excluding "landing page" viewership.
A landing page refers to the default television channel that appears when a viewer turns on their TV or set-top box without consciously selecting it.
Broadcasters and industry stakeholders have argued that including such passive viewership in TRP calculations can artificially inflate a channel's ratings.
Implementation
BARC reportedly completed backend changes to implement the revised methodology
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) had also argued that landing page exposure leads to forced viewing, resulting in inaccurate audience measurement.
Under the new policy, automatic viewing seconds will no longer contribute to a channel's ratings.
BARC had reportedly completed the necessary backend changes to implement this revised methodology even before the Kerala High Court lifted the interim stay.
Future steps
New TRP system to be in place
While the primary legal challenge to the Television Rating Policy 2026 is still pending a final decision, the latest court order allows for the implementation of the revised ratings framework until then.
This means that the television industry will now operate under a new TRP system, which aims to provide more accurate and fair ratings for channels.