News Broadcasting
CAS and what it offers: The TAM View
MUMBAI: AC Nielsen’s TAM Media offers its viewpoint on the government’s plans to introduce conditional access systems (CAS).
What CAS is expected to deliver:
Security, reliability, accountability.
Nielsen Media Research (NMR) and CAS PeopleMeter and CAS peacefully co-exist in multiple NMR markets.
One of the most complex markets, USA, also has CAS set-top boxes with NMR tracking the viewership on a daily basis
The PeopleMeter is attached to the tuner of the set top box (instead of the TV tuner) to trace the frequency of the channel being viewed
NMR has technology experts to help Indian market (and TAM) during the growth phase of CAS
How will life change for TAM, after CAS?
TAM will have to undertake some changes such as
-Frequent base-lines to estimate penetration of CAS in the universe
-Resampling, if necessary (we expect proportionate TAM sample also to move to CAS as per change in universe)
-Monitoring changes in viewing behavior across the CAS homes closely (eg: Change of status from non-remote owning home to remote ownership)
After assessing market changes & learning from other CAS markets within the Nielsen network, we see changes in the following areas:
We have been accustomed to having two discrete universes within TV homes:
1. C&S
2. Terrestrial
After CAS, we will move from two universes to three
1. Terrestrial
2. C&S : in 4 metros
*FTACS (Free To Air C&S)
*CAS C&S
3. C&S : Other (Rest of the country)
Internationally, NMR has seen some amount of consistent changes in household statuses during the early days of CAS:
This instability exists because of
-The Flirtatious: Certain homes being very upbeat initially and flirting with a lot of channels. Then changing tack and going back to a tighter list of channels
-The Unsure: Homes which take longer to take a decision
-The Drop-outs: Homes that prefer to be happy with only the FTA channels and convert only if there is a big event or a scheme to convert to CAS
The CAS propagation is not likely to be uniform – across markets
*Mumbai, Delhi – Penetration of C&S was very fast in these markets. Also, their staple diet on TV is all pay. We see highest growth for CAS in these two markets.
*Kolkata – Was one of the slowest to catch the C&S train. We see this market very slow in responding to CAS.
*Chennai – Their main channels like Sun TV, Raj TV and Jaya TV are all only about to go pay (Star’s Vijay TV is the only pay driven channel at this point). Hence, most of the potential CAS users will be fence sitters – Across the population strata.
*CAS homes may move primarily to an analog set top box (cost reasons) rather than a digital set top box enabling only a one way communication between the cable room and the CAS home.
*This information from the cable operators’ end will indicate:
-Penetration for each of the pay channel (presently available in NRS)
News Broadcasting
Times Network to air JVC Exit Poll across 5 regions on April 29
Four-hour broadcast spans states and Puducherry with data-led analysis
MUMBAI: Times Network is set to roll out what it calls one of its most expansive election programming efforts yet, culminating in the JVC Exit Poll on 29 April, with a multi-hour broadcast spanning key poll-bound regions.
The exit poll will air across Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, beginning at 5pm and 4pm respectively. Co-powered by Vedanta and Jindal Stainless, the programming aims to combine on-ground reportage with data-driven projections across West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and Puducherry.
The network has deployed over 50 journalists across these regions, gathering voter sentiment and local insights in the run-up to polling. The effort builds on its ongoing election formats such as Election Yatra and Election Premier League, which have tracked campaign narratives and community-level issues.
In parallel, Times Now Navbharat has focused on constituency-level reporting in West Bengal through its Jan Gan ka Mann series, capturing voter opinions across diverse segments.
The coverage has also featured interviews with prominent political leaders. Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Congress leaders Ramesh Chennithala and V D Satheesan have appeared on the network’s election specials. From Tamil Nadu, voices including deputy chief minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran, BJP leader K Annamalai and NTK’s Seeman have also featured in discussions.
On the day of the exit poll, the network’s primetime anchors, including Navika Kumar, Zakka Jacob and Sumit Awasthi, will lead the coverage. They will be joined by a panel of political analysts, psephologists and senior journalists offering real-time insights and interpretation of trends.
The programming will integrate grassroots reportage with analytics from the JVC Exit Poll, aiming to give viewers an early sense of electoral outcomes ahead of the official results on 4 May.
With its combined English and Hindi broadcast reach, Times Network is positioning this effort as a comprehensive look at voter sentiment, blending field reporting, data and debate to decode what could lie ahead when the final mandate is revealed.
