Television Ratings-Will the Industry Scare Help Focus on the Real Issues?
TRPs
could be more accurate than what the system reflects now. In the wake of
revelations over the confidentiality of the lists, hastening the merger will
help, and in any can both agencies now need to work in tandem to restore the
credibility of the rating systems in quick time.
Advertising
agencies also now know that they have not been sufficiently vigilant in Being
watchdogs of a system on which thousands of crores of rupees worth of
investments ride. Apparently, committees which comprise agency officials and
rating agencies have not met in months. As long at the TRP data kept coming,
nobody questioned the system.
So
much for ratings and what they spell for the fortunes of broadcasters and
advertising agencies.
A
website like The Hoot however is primarily concerned with the public service
aspects of the whole business of TV ratings. There are two aspects to this. One
is that the over-dependence on viewership ratings is leading to an erosion of
diversity in programming. Only formula programmes with mass appeal are finding
favour with advertisers who do not want to take chances with betting on
audiences. With over a hundred channels on offer to viewers in the countries of
the sub-continent, the number of programmes devoted to cultural fare that is
not film based, and public service programmes that educate as well as
entertain, can be counted on the fingers of two hands. May be even one hand!
The ratings game, thus, is detrimental to diversity and choice.
The
second aspect is that in countries where both television and television
audience measurement is established, the ratings debate currently is not over
accuracy of measurement. It is over using an advanced system of television
ratings to guide audiences on which categories of programmes are wholesome
enough for their children to watch. With the Clinton administration mandating
that the television industry must install V chips to enable parents to decide
which categories of programmes were child friendly, the TV industry had to come
up with programme ratings to match. This was in the late nineties. The Federal
Communications Commission kept a watch on this aspect of ratings. In fact,
recently in the US sex and violence in entertainment were the subjects of a
Senate committee hearing that focused on evaluating and improving entertainment
ratings systems.
Today those TV and advertising companies who keep the ratings system alive in
India, do so entirely for their own commercial interest. But with television
playing an enormous role in the lives of the people of the sub-continent, the
time has to come when the industry unites to evolve ratings that serve more
altruistic purposes. That is, ratings which have to do with categorising the
programming families watch. Perhaps our law makers need to get into the act to
force this to happen.
Further readings on the Net
At
www.indiantelevision.com
there are several reports on the repercussions of the leaked households lists.
RATINGS
RESOURCES FOR RESEARCH
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/6578/research.htm
TRP-edoed