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Kantar says TAM to apply for registration within time given by Delhi HC
MUMBAI: We had last reported that Kantar Market Research Services, one of the shareholders of India’s only TV ratings agency TAM, got a stay from the Delhi High Court on the provision regarding cross-holding of shareholders in the regulations for television ratings agencies.
The court had asked Kantar to ensure TAM complies with the rest of the provisions in the regulations and granted it time to apply with the ministry of information and broadcasting for registration as a television ratings agency.
TAM was allowed to apply for registration in two weeks from the date (15 February, 2014) the regulations came into effect.
Kantar is confident that there will be no delays from TAM’s side in submitting its registration application to the MIB.
Speaking on behalf of TAM, Kantar CEO Eric Salama says, “We are seeking to comply with all the terms of the regulation, cross ownership aside, in the specified period. We will be applying to the Ministry and will not be asking for any further extension.”
The court has also allowed TAM to continue publishing its television ratings till it decides on Kantar’s petition. The court will further hear the case on 6 March. And Salama hopes wiser counsel will prevail on the issue of cross-holdings in TAM. Says he: “As long as the system is transparent so that the same data is released at the same time to all users and there is suitable governance, the shareholding structure makes no difference to the outcome and shouldn’t be an issue.”
If the court finally rules against Kantar and TAM has to stop churning out its ratings, advertisers will be without any viewership data till the industry-backed Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) gets its act together. BARC recently announced that it will present a blueprint of how its viewership ratings monitoring system will work by end-March 2014. It hopes to roll out data to clients by 1 October 2014.
Asked what if the HC rules against Kantar’s appeal and it has to restructure TAM’s shareholding to comply with the regulation, an optimistic Salama says, “I obviously hope that the court will rule against the cross-ownership clause and enable us to progress without a blackout period.”
For those who came in late, the government’s regulations require television ratings agencies to comply with the following clauses:
1.1 The applicant seeking registration for providing television rating services shall be a company registered in India under the Companies Act, 1956.
1.2 The company shall make full disclosure, at the time of application, of Shareholders Agreements, Loan Agreements and such other Agreements that are finalized or are proposed to be entered into. Any subsequent change in these, having a bearing on the foregoing Agreements, would be disclosed to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, within 15 days.
1.3 The company shall have, in its Memorandum of Association (MoA), specified rating services or market research, as one of its main objectives.
1.4 The company’s MoA shall not include any activity like consultancy or any such advisory role, which would lead to a potential conflict of interest with its main objective of rating.
1.5 Any member of the Board of Directors of the television ratings company shall not be in the business of broadcasting/ advertising/advertising agency.
1.6 The Company shall have a minimum net worth of Rs 20 crores. The net worth shall be calculated as per the prescribed proforma and shall be certified by the Statutory Auditor of the company.
1.7 The company shall comply with the following cross holdings requirements.
(a) No single company/legal entity, either directly or through its associates or inter-connected undertakings, shall have substantial equity holding in more than one ratings agency operating in the same area.
(b) The cross-holdings restriction will also be applicable in respect of individual promoters besides being applicable to legal entities.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
