MAM
TAM hires Sr cop to increase security of its TV ratings panel
MUMBAI: TV ratings agency TAM Media has come under fire from time to time with the allegation that its ratings sample audience has been breached and that its ratings are not sacrosanct. It is taking steps to put those fears to rest. It today announced that it has set up a dedicated desk for vigilance, investigation and crime detection in a bid to further fortify its TV panel home security process.
The desk is to be chaired by president‘s medal awardee and a crime investigation veteran (a former ACP, Maharashtra Police with 22 years experience) Ravi Ratanjankar as head, vigilance & corporate risk mitigation. Ravi‘s special role in TAM will be to help fortify the organisation against any potential vested interest parties trying to break into the TAM system. He was earlier with HDFC Bank. Handling pan-India vigilance functions and helping in the implementation of fraud management systems
This move, probably, is a first of its kind, proactive initiative undertaken by any market research service provider to safe guard its operations, says a TAM Media release.
Says TAM Media Research CEO LV Krishnan: “Our core service of television audience measurement (TAM) has played a silent, yet, central role in helping the Indian broadcast and advertising industry reach the size and stature we know of today. This has only happened because of our regular proactive measures, one of them being constant expansion and enhancement of our TV audience panel home. Today, our TV audience measurement panel covers over 225 towns & cities across urban and semi-rural markets covering all the key states of India.”
“The key here is, and which a very few realise, that the complexity of such huge on-ground operations do run a risk of potential external threats. In our unrelenting focus towards quality and the need to protect the services from any types of external threats, TAM is taking further necessary steps that will ensure a deeper safeguard to the services via stronger walls of security and vigilance in the coming months and years. Ravi‘s appointment towards this is not the end but one of the many more initiatives that Industry will see. I am very pleased to have Ravi as part of my team. We are very sure that his role and involvement will further elevate TAM to new performance benchmarks,” adds Krishnan.
Brands
Jubilant FoodWorks faces Rs 47.5 crore GST demand, plans appeal
Tax authorities flag alleged misclassification of restaurant services
MUMBAI:Â Jubilant FoodWorks Limited has landed in a tax tussle after receiving a GST demand of Rs 47.5 crore from the office of the additional commissioner of CGST and central excise in Thane, Maharashtra.
The order, issued under the provisions of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017, relates to an alleged incorrect classification of certain services under the category of restaurant services. According to the tax authorities, this classification resulted in a short payment of goods and services tax for the period between the financial years 2019-20 and 2021-22.
The demand includes Rs 47.5 crore in GST along with an equal amount as penalty, in addition to applicable interest. The order was received by the company on March 13, 2026.
In a regulatory filing to the BSE Limited and the National Stock Exchange of India Limited, the company said it disagrees with the order and believes its arguments were not adequately considered.
The company is preparing to challenge the decision and plans to file an appeal. It added that once the redressal process is complete, the demand is likely to be dropped.
Despite the sizeable figure attached to the notice, the company said it does not expect any material impact on its financials, operations or other activities.
The disclosure was signed by Suman Hegde, EVP and chief financial officer, who confirmed that the company received the order at 19:06 IST on March 13 and has already initiated steps to contest it.
The development places the quick service restaurant major in the middle of a tax debate that could hinge on how certain restaurant-linked services are classified under GST rules. For now, the company appears ready to take the matter from the tax office to the appeals desk.
