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Media Research Council plans monitoring body for TAM, INTAM ratings

Shweta Jain

In an effort to take control of the television rating point bedlam, the Media Research Users Council has stepped in and expressed an interest to monitor the television audience measurement done by the two television rating agencies TAM and INTAM.

The MRUC, on September 7, held a meeting with a few industry people, including advertisers, advertising agencies and broadcasters to spring the question of having an independent monitoring body for TAM and INTAM.

The consensus reached was that the majority of the industry happily welcomed the idea that the MRUC should play a key role as a monitoring body for the television audience monitoring system.

Commenting on this, Nabankur Gupta, vice-chairman, MRUC said: "We have shown our willingness to be of help in establishing quality standards of research. We have volunteered because the MRUC is an independent body with no vested interests. And therefore, it would be in the interest of all, be it broadcasters, advertisers or advertising agencies, as most of them are already members of the MRUC."

"It is very unfortunate that bodies like the AAAI and Indian Broadcasting Foundation are full of vested interests," Gupta added.

Said Ashish Bhasin, president, Initiative Media: "I welcome this idea and hope for it to turn into reality soon."

In today's scenario, MRUC is best suited to keep an eye over the operations of both these research agencies. But for it to gain momentum or practically happen, the entire industry has to come together."

But contrary to what Gupta and Bhasin say, AAAI's president, Ramesh Narayan, said: "I personally feel that there is no real need for any independent monitoring body.

"I think TAM is still very relevant. But if some people want to go ahead and create such a body, they are most welcome."

When contacted, TAM's chief executive officer (media research), LV Krishnan told Business Standard that he was not even aware of such a meeting being held.

"Nonetheless, even if it has taken place, it is too early for me to comment on it. First, let us try and understand what the entire problem is at this point of time."

Krishnan further said that TAM is supposed to have a meeting with AAAI on September 10 and with IBF on September 14.

So, considering MRUC gets to become the single monitoring body for TAM and INTAM in the future, it would also apply to the merged entity that will emerge after TAM and INTAM merge.

And the industry people expect that to happen soon enough.

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