GECs
BARC meets industry in Kolkata; suggests third vendor
KOLKATA: The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has clarified that its technical committee’s evaluation panel plans to appoint three vendors (read three, not two as reported by us on 7 August (Evaluation of RFPs for BARC to be held from 14 August). The first is the technical partner, the second is the panel management partner and the third will conduct the establishment study for the proposed new television ratings system. BARC has announced that the new TV ratings systems should start spewing out viewership ratings by May or June of 2014. The committee, as reported earlier by indiantelevision.com, had earlier accepted applications from 27 organisations, of the 32 RFP responses that it had received.
Once the new TV ratings system is in place, the industry body will also float another tender for a fourth vendor for taking up quality and analytics studies.
BARC TechComm member Paritosh Joshi made this clarification at the third of its open houses held in Kolkata on Thursday.
20 professionals representing broadcasters, advertisers and agencies attended the meet hosted in which BARC shared the progress it has made so far. Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Havas Media, Zee Media, BPN India and TV Today were amongst the media companies that turned up in the Kolkata leg of BARC’s national city roadshow exercise to connect with industry. BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta and vice president Mubin Khan were also present to interact with industry.
“The priority for now is getting the best and biggest vendors. We are currently ensuring that metering, establishment and technology contracts are well managed,” says Dasgupta.
The fourth vendor for quality and analysis will take time and Joshi said BARC might get into the selection process in November.
Havas Media senior general manger Raj Dutta, who was a part of the roadshow says, “I was expecting something new. Things were presented in a sketchy format. There is not much clarity about the rural audience. However with different organisations engaged in the measurement system, there would be complete transparency.”
BPN India executive vice president Mahesh Motwani added, “Given the technological advances, the time was right for this initiative. It will map the diverse and rapidly changing Indian media landscape and provide a deeper connect and understanding of the consumer to Indian television.”
Regional broadcasters have for long been pushing for an independent audience measurement system. “This will help them improve their bottom-line, going forward,” say media analysts. “With robust measurement and data, all genres and languages can expect a boost as far as media planners understanding of consumption of their content is concerned.”
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
