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JioStar urges immediate restoration of BARC ratings and a roadmap for linear TV
Our read
A ratings restoration could steady festive TV ad bookings, but advertisers are likely to keep digital alternatives in the mix until measurement credibility and regulatory costs improve.
For operators
Prepare for continued advertiser uncertainty ahead of the festive season while monitoring any restoration of BARC ratings.
Watch
BARC's timing and scope for restoring ratings, including whether historical data is revised or comparable.
Ask next
The report,
JioStar CEO Kevin Vaz said India's media and entertainment industry grew 9% in 2025 to ₹2.78 lakh crore and urged immediate restoration of BARC ratings. He said the ratings gap creates uncertainty for advertisers ahead of the festive season and sought lower linear-TV regulatory costs.
- Media and entertainment industry size, 2025
- ₹2.78 lakh crore
- up 9% in 2025
Reported figures
From the report. Source details below
| more than | 200 million viewers |
|---|---|
| more than 50% annually by | 2028 |
| more than | 50 production houses |
Other figures
- ₹1.1 lakh crore
- 47%
- more than 80%
- TATA IPL 2026
Why it matters to operators
Track potential changes to audience measurement and linear-TV regulation for their implications on media partnerships and deal assumptions.
What to watch next
- Advertiser and agency guidance on TV bookings ahead of the festive season.
- Changes in TV ad rates, inventory discounting, or make-good terms.
- Government or regulator responses to broadcasters' requests for lower linear-TV compliance costs.
- Evidence of shifts in retail-sector ad spend between television, digital video, and other media.
Likely next moves
Our read of what comes next — analysis, not reported by the source.
- Advertisers are likely to seek audience guarantees, make-goods, or flexible cancellation terms on linear TV commitments until ratings reliability is established.
- Broadcasters may use interim reach data and first-party audience evidence to defend festive inventory pricing.
- Retail brands could split incremental festive budgets across TV and digital, then shift allocation as comparable performance data emerges.
- Smaller channels may face greater pricing pressure if buyers concentrate spend on platforms with stronger measurement or scale.
The counter-case
The case against this reading — not reported by the source.
This is an interested broadcaster's policy advocacy, not evidence that the ratings gap is materially shifting ad spend or that lower regulatory costs would benefit viewers. The festive-season timing may amplify urgency, while restoring ratings alone may not resolve advertisers' concerns about measurement quality.
The source
Published
First seen