Chrome DM eyes TV ratings licence as India opens door to more measurement players

MUMBAI: Chrome DM is likely to apply for a licence to operate as an audience measurement agency under the TV Ratings Policy 2026 next week, potentially adding another player to India’s television ratings market.

According to media reports, Chrome DM has approached the government seeking clarity on the process and requirements for applying under the new policy. The company is expected to file its application once it receives the required clarification, with the submission likely to come next week.

If it enters the ratings ecosystem, Chrome DM plans to adopt a measurement approach that goes beyond replicating the traditional television panel model. Its proposed framework is expected to combine passive measurement, large-scale behavioural data, representative demographic research and statistical modelling.

The company already operates technology-led audience and consumption measurement systems across Connected TVs, mobile devices, OTT platforms and browsers. Its data is also being used by parts of the industry for various business and measurement requirements.

Chrome DM’s approach is expected to place greater emphasis on combining multiple data sources rather than relying on a single measurement system. Large-scale passive or census-level behavioural data could be combined with a representative panel to provide demographic profiling.

The company has also highlighted the challenges associated with expanding traditional hardware-based panels across India’s diverse television market. People meters require significant installation, servicing and field operations, making large-scale expansion more complex and expensive.

Beyond the number of meters, representation remains a key challenge, particularly across states, languages, socio-economic groups, distribution platforms and an increasingly fragmented screen ecosystem.

Panel identification and leakage are also potential concerns because physical homes need to be recruited, installed with measurement equipment and serviced.

Chrome DM’s proposed approach is therefore expected to focus on a technology-neutral measurement architecture capable of tracking audiences across different screens and distribution technologies.

The potential application comes after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting opened the television ratings sector to multiple audience measurement agencies under the TV Ratings Policy 2026.

The new framework does not cap the number of agencies that can register to provide television rating services. It aims to create a more transparent, independent and accountable ratings ecosystem while allowing multiple players to participate.

The policy has also lowered the entry barrier, setting the minimum net worth requirement for applicants at Rs 5 crore.

The framework requires rating agencies to adopt technology-neutral measurement systems and provides for measurement across platforms including cable television, DTH, OTT and connected television, where feasible.

Chrome DM’s possible entry comes as the industry awaits the return of BARC India ratings under the new regulatory framework. BARC, which has been India’s dominant television audience measurement provider, will also have to operate within the new policy framework.

Meanwhile, TAM India has already applied for a licence. Its reported proposal includes an initial measurement system based on return-path data (RPD), with plans to expand into cross-screen measurement through partnerships.

TAM India has also indicated that it would continue providing backend services to BARC while developing its own broader digital measurement proposition.

The potential entry of Chrome DM alongside TAM India and the expected return of BARC could pave the way for a multi-player television ratings ecosystem, marking a significant shift for broadcasters, advertisers and media agencies.

For the industry, multiple measurement providers could offer greater choice and potentially broaden the data available to the market. However, the emergence of different measurement systems could also bring fresh questions around the comparability, adoption and acceptance of competing ratings currencies.