MIB reportedly plans watermark-based system to curb inflated TV ratings

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) is reportedly planning to introduce a watermark-based mechanism to improve the accuracy of India’s television viewership measurement system, according to a media report. The move aims to ensure that only genuine audience engagement counts toward Television Rating Points (TRPs), excluding inflated data generated from default ‘landing page’ exposures.

Currently, when viewers switch on their set-top boxes, they are automatically shown a landing page for a few seconds, a space often bought by broadcasters to promote their channels. Although these short exposures are frequently unintentional, they have long been recorded as valid viewership, artificially boosting TRPs and influencing advertising spending worth thousands of crores.

As per media reports, the MIB’s draft amendment to the television rating policy seeks to stop this practice by stating that ‘any viewership arising out of landing pages shall not be counted in the viewership measurement.’ The move would restrict landing pages to promotional purposes only, disconnecting them from viewership metrics.

To implement this, the ministry is said to be exploring a watermark-based identification system that can distinguish between normal broadcast feeds and landing page feeds.

The ministry is expected to hold consultations with broadcasters, advertisers, and distribution partners before finalising the amendment. If approved, the watermark-based segregation would mark one of the most significant upgrades to BARC’s methodology since its inception - a shift from a visibility-driven model to one based on verified audience engagement.