TV ad demand weakens as ratings blackout hits festive season

MUMBAI: Television’s festive cheer may be losing some volume, with ad demand weakening as the industry’s ratings blackout stretches into the crucial festive advertising season.

Broadcasters are already dealing with softer advertising demand amid macroeconomic pressures, reduced spending by fast-moving consumer goods companies and the continued migration of budgets towards digital video and connected TV. The absence of fresh television ratings is now adding another layer of uncertainty.

According to data from Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), TV reach stood at 732 million and weekly impressions at 27.1 billion during the June quarter through week 24. A year earlier, the corresponding figures were 748 million and 28.4 billion.

BARC released television ratings for the April-June quarter only up to week 24. It has since withheld ratings following a directive from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, which has asked the measurement body to stop publishing ratings until it receives registration. BARC’s registration expired in July last year.

The impact is already showing up in advertising consumption. Industry data cited by The Economic Times shows that TV free commercial time (FCT) consumption fell to a three-year low in July 2026 compared with July 2025 and July 2024.

FCT consumption declined by around 10-12 per cent across both Hindi-speaking markets and southern India.

The pressure was sharper for individual genres. Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam general entertainment channels recorded declines of around 20-24 per cent, pointing to a particularly difficult environment for broadcasters that rely heavily on audience measurement to sell advertising inventory.

TV news channels are also feeling the pinch. Industry estimates suggest advertising revenue for the segment could decline by 4-7 per cent, with Hindi news channels facing a steeper drop.

The ratings gap is particularly awkward ahead of the festive period, when broadcasters typically look to stronger consumer spending and higher advertising commitments from brands. Without current audience data, advertisers have less visibility into where audiences are moving and broadcasters have less evidence to support rate and inventory negotiations.

A senior broadcast executive cited by ET said the TRP blackout is weighing on the broader television broadcasting ecosystem.

The pressure comes at a time when television is already competing with digital video and connected TV for incremental advertising budgets. With the festive season approaching, the longer the ratings blackout lasts, the harder it could become for broadcasters to make a strong case for TV ad spends.