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MRUC to work towards bringing adequacy & accuracy in TV measurement
MUMBAI: While television channels in the country are increasing by leaps and bounds, so are television homes. As a result of this, television consumers are also getting diverse. In order to understand the television consumer in a better way, Media Research Users Council (MRUC) held the first TV User Body Meet on 9 September in Mumbai.
The meet was presided over by Lintas India Media Services director Lynn de Souza, Leo Burnett India chairman and CEO Arvind Sharma, MRUC technical committee chairperson Roda Mehta and Raymond member of board of advisors Nabankur Gupta.
The User Body Meet was attended by Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea, Hawkins Cookers Ltd chairman and CEO Brahm Vasudeva, Hindustan Lever Limited group media manager Central Asia Rahul Welde, MRUC director general N P Sathyamurthy, MRUC technical committee member Amit Ray, MediaCom South Asia president Jasmin Sohrabji and Intellect head Premjeet Sodhi among others.
Keeping in mind the ever changing television landscape in the country and with addressability likely to increase in the coming years with DTH coming in, MRUC is of the opinion that access to television – for both advertisers and viewers – is likely to undergo significant changes in the coming year. Also, revenue and delivery models of the networks are also likely to explore hitherto unfamiliar territory.
As a result of this, the MRUC committee is looking at bringing about some major changes in the way television ratings are measured as the current television ratings are no longer an adequate indication of how viewers relate to the medium.
Considering the fact today there are two ratings measurement bodies – Tam and aMap; de Souza started her presentation by saying, “We are not here today to play a ‘rate the ratings’ game.”
MRUC’s directive was to see what can be produced to get accuracy in the ratings and evaluate the present systems and see of there is a way to find the right solution. “MRUC’s mandate is to see what users want and today neither of the ratings systems is good enough as they are not covering the entire country. We are here to find what is the new thing that we can come up with?” said Mehta.
She further added that what was needed was a system that would cut costs, speed up the process, provides accurate data than what is currently available.
The next MRUC User Body Meet will be held in Delhi on 16 September, wherein these issues will be discussed with a different set of representatives from the broadcast, advertising and media industries will be present.
De Souza assured that once that was done, MRUC will be forming two new committees – the technical committee and the business committee and act on the suggestions that were presented by the industry and work towards bringing about adequacy and accuracy in the television measurement systems in the country.
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.
