NBA seeks ban on TAM viewership data for the time being

NBA seeks ban on TAM viewership data for the time beingThe News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has confirmed that it has written to the Information & Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni, requesting a directive to prevent Television Audience Measurement (TAM) from reporting viewership data for the time being.

In its letter to the information & broadcasting ministry, the NBA raised concerns over the TAM systems & methodology of measuring TV audiences, and alleged that TAM continued to provide skewed data.

The association of news broadcasters wrote, "Data continues to be skewed and is seriously affecting broadcasters and their business."

The association also asked the ministry to order an independent third-party time-bound audit by some agency of repute to weigh up and measure the TAM systems & methodology of measuring TV audiences.

The move comes after TV news broadcaster New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) dragged TAM to court, alleging that the agency published distorted and tainted data favouring rival news channels.

The NBA also underlined that while the Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) had been involved in the creation of the industry-led Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), it could only be successfully implemented if other industry bodies, such as the ISA and AAAI, were made part of it.