I&B Ministry
Government rolls out TV Ratings Policy 2026 to boost transparency
New rules tighten audits, expand data tracking and curb rating distortions
NEW DELHI: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has unveiled the TV Ratings Policy 2026, introducing a sweeping overhaul of how television viewership is measured in India.
The new framework aims to bring greater transparency, accountability and credibility to audience measurement, while addressing long-standing concerns around data accuracy and potential conflicts of interest.
Among the most notable changes is the exclusion of landing page viewership from ratings calculations. While broadcasters can still use landing pages for promotion, such views will no longer count towards official audience metrics, a move expected to curb inflated numbers.
The policy also lowers the entry barrier for rating agencies, reducing the minimum net worth requirement from Rs. 20 crore to Rs. 5 crore. At the same time, it tightens governance norms, mandating that at least half of a rating agency’s board must comprise independent directors with no links to broadcasters or advertisers.
To improve reliability, agencies will be required to significantly expand their sample size to 80,000 metered homes within a defined timeline, eventually scaling up to 1,20,000 homes. Measurement will span cable, DTH, OTT and connected TV platforms, reflecting the evolving ways in which audiences consume content.
Transparency is another key pillar. Agencies must publicly disclose their methodologies and anonymised data, while ensuring full compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act 2023 to safeguard viewer privacy.
A dual-audit system has also been introduced, combining quarterly internal checks with annual external audits. In addition, the ministry will deploy its own oversight teams for periodic inspections, adding another layer of scrutiny.
The policy outlines strict timelines for grievance redressal, requiring complaints to be addressed within 10 days, and introduces graded penalties for non-compliance, ranging from temporary suspension to cancellation of registration.
With these measures, the Government of India is looking to reset the rules of the ratings game. The new policy replaces the 2014 guidelines and signals a clear push towards a more transparent and trustworthy broadcasting ecosystem.
I&B Ministry
Prasar Bharati opens AIR to private content under new policy
NIPP introduces revenue share, sponsored and gratis models
MUMBAI: Radio may be the oldest voice in the room, but it’s learning some very modern tricks. In a bid to stay tuned to changing listener habits, Prasar Bharati has opened the doors of All India Radio to private players under a newly rolled-out content framework. The initiative, titled Notice Inviting Programme Proposals (NIPP), marks a significant shift in how the public broadcaster approaches programming moving from a largely in-house model to a more collaborative, market-aligned ecosystem. Issued by Akashvani’s Directorate General in April 2026, the policy invites private producers, content owners and aggregators to pitch programmes across formats, from radio dramas and documentaries to quiz shows, storytelling and music-led content.
At the heart of the framework lies a three-pronged participation model designed to balance creative freedom with commercial viability. The most prominent route is revenue sharing, where advertising and sponsorship income generated by a programme is split between the producer and the broadcaster. The structure tilts in favour of creators offering a 70:30 split when producers bring in advertising, and 65:35 when monetisation is handled by Prasar Bharati.
Alongside this sits the sponsored model, where producers fully fund and monetise their content, subject to compliance with advertising norms and the AIR Broadcast Code. For those less commercially inclined, a gratis route allows content to be submitted free of cost, with Prasar Bharati retaining all monetisation rights effectively turning the platform into a national distribution channel for diverse voices.
The move comes as legacy media grapples with intensifying competition from private FM networks, streaming platforms and digital audio ecosystems. By repositioning AIR as both a public service broadcaster and a content marketplace, Prasar Bharati appears to be recalibrating its role in a rapidly evolving media landscape.
Importantly, the framework does not dilute editorial control. All submissions must adhere to the AIR Broadcast Code, and proposals are evaluated through a layered process that weighs storytelling quality, production capability, audience appeal and revenue potential. Only proposals crossing a defined threshold move forward, signalling that while access has widened, the bar remains firmly in place.
Operational discipline is another cornerstone of the policy. Producers are required to maintain broadcast-ready content, deliver episode banks in advance and navigate a structured approval process. Crucially, all production costs are borne by the content provider, reinforcing Prasar Bharati’s positioning as a distribution and oversight platform rather than a commissioning entity.
What elevates the initiative further is its scale. The framework spans multiple clusters and stations across India, covering both metro and regional markets, with specific language mandates and submission channels. This not only expands the content pipeline but also deepens linguistic and cultural representation, an area where AIR has historically held an advantage.
In effect, NIPP signals a quiet but meaningful transformation. AIR is no longer just broadcasting to the nation, it is inviting the nation to broadcast with it, blending legacy reach with contemporary content economics in a bid to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented audio universe.
