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Landing pages are bonafide methods of marketing: MK Anand
Mumbai: The landing page is the first channel where the TV viewer lands when anyone turns on the set-top box, which has become a bone of contention in the news broadcast industry. On one side, there are its critics who have criticized its influence on news ratings that are a currency for negotiating with advertisers. On the other hand, there are its advocates who believe that it is merely a marketing tool.
The latter view is held by Times Network managing director & CEO, MK Anand, who unflinchingly states that “Landing pages are bonafide methods of marketing.”
Times Network has been instrumental in securing the order by Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) which recognised the landing page as a legitimate tool for promotion, allowing the broadcasting industry to continue using it.
News broadcasters have argued that channels are paying ‘astronomical sums’ for placement on the landing page. The cost of placement on the landing page amounting to several crores cannot be matched by the revenue potential of the news genre that is heavily reliant on advertising.
Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) has attempted to mitigate the impact of the landing page on TV viewership in the past. In September 2020, it introduced algorithms into its data validation method to mitigate the impact of landing pages on viewership data across all genres of channels.
More specifically, after an extensive review by the Barc oversight committee, it improved or replaced its existing method based on symptomatic statistics with a method that directly uses inferential statistics.
The viewership data for individual news channels have once again become available after a ‘ratings dark’ period of 18 months and with-it complaints about the accuracy of the ratings. Barc is unable to completely exclude landing page data from its viewership estimates.
Can the news broadcast industry come to a resolution on the landing page issue? Industry leader MK Anand responds to questions by Indiantelevision.com.
Do you agree with the view that landing pages are a marketing tool? If yes, should Barc include a disclaimer on news channel data that has been influenced by landing pages?
Landing pages are bonafide methods of marketing. Every product you purchase has some element of promotion in it. Do we need disclaimers to know that the toothpaste we use has been promoted?
Does the landing page significantly influence ratings even after Barc’s efforts to mitigate its impact? How much does it influence advertiser spending as they consider looking at 13 weeks’ data to plan budgets? Barc itself is looking at four-week rolling average data for all genres.
Landing pages provide the viewer with a window to watch when he puts on the set-top box. It does not automatically convert to viewership unless the viewer has spent more than a minute on the channel. This means the content has to be compelling enough. Imagine you put your TV set on and a blank screen comes on and you have the remote in your hand. Would you keep watching the screen for one whole minute or more?
News broadcasters claim that the landing page leads to un-competitiveness in the news genre as bigger marketing budgets and not content is influencing the ratings which are a representation of authentic TV viewership. Do you agree with this claim?
That’s a spurious argument. As explained above, viewership is registered only if the viewer continues to stay on the channel. Also, there is nothing unauthentic or otherwise about promoted viewership. These are arguments put forth by players who are unwilling to or unable to spend and compete. This campaign against landing pages is just another form of protectionism.
What can news channels do to resolve the landing page issue? Should the industry collectively bar itself from using landing pages?
In a free market, competition takes care of such issues. Collective behaviour is akin to cartelisation.
What can Barc do to resolve the landing page issue?
Barc should continue to report what India watches on TV channels that employ bonafide and legal means of content development & distribution.
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.
