New Delhi
The government on Friday notified the TV Ratings Policy 2026, replacing the over a decade-old 2014 framework and expanding the scope of the ratings to cover OTT platforms, connected TVs and other digital viewing modes. Also, to address concerns about tampering, the policy states that views generated from landing pages, where channels are automatically played when the TV is turned on, will not be counted.
The final policy comes months after the government put out a draft in July 2025, in which it proposed relaxing some rules to allow more companies to enter the TV ratings business. At the time, the department noted that the system, which is dominated by a single agency, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), did not capture full viewership on smart TVs, mobile apps and streaming platforms, and relied on a relatively small sample size.
The draft proposed removing some restrictions, including common rules. However, the final policy does not embrace this change. Meanwhile, some things haven’t changed. As in the 2014 policy, the government still has the authority to inspect rating agencies, intervene on national security grounds, and even suspend operations in certain situations such as national security concerns, emergencies, or conflict.
The government has also significantly increased the sample size used to calculate ratings. Under 2014 rules, assessments were based on 20,000 homes, expandable to 50,000 homes. The new policy requires a minimum of 80,000 homes, with plans to expand that number to 1.2 million homes over time.
“With these actions, the Government of India reaffirms its commitment to a fair, competitive and well-governed broadcasting environment that protects stakeholders and public interest,” the government said in a press release. The statement also said that OTT and TV distribution platforms may publish their viewership data without having to register as rating agencies.
There are also changes in how rating agencies are managed. At least half of the board must now be independent directors, and the minimum net worth required to enter this field has been lowered. $20 Crores $5 Crore, which may make it easier for new players to join. To ensure impartiality, the policy stipulates that at least 50% of the Board of Directors must be independent directors and have no relationships with broadcasters/advertisers/advertising agencies. In addition, agencies are prohibited from engaging in advisory roles that could create a conflict of interest.
Under the new rules, rating agencies will now have to publish their methodology, disclose limitations, and share anonymized data with the government. While the 2014 Policy allowed for inspections and audits to be conducted by the government and the TRA, the 2026 Policy goes further by establishing a dedicated audit and oversight team at the ministry level to conduct regular, as well as risk-based, audits of classification agencies, including their systems, methodologies and field operations.
The 2026 policy provides suspension of classification as a first step in a graduated framework, in contrast to the 2014 guidelines, which relied primarily on financial penalties and revocation. But the new policy still includes financial penalties for repeated violations.
The policy also updates the privacy requirements by linking them to the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023, which came into effect through rules notified in February 2026. “The privacy of households being measured must be maintained. All stakeholders must develop a mechanism to comply with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act, 2023 and the rules issued under it,” the policy said.
Regarding complaints, instead of mandating call centres, the new rules stipulate that complaints must be acknowledged within three days and resolved within 10 days. Agencies should appoint a nodal officer to resolve complaints and establish an appellate body for escalated disputes.
