Can set-top boxes become TV’s new ratings meter

The suspension of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) ratings has opened a potential door for cable and Direct-to-Home (DTH) operators to provide an alternative source of television viewership data, according to industry experts. GTPL Hathway has already taken the lead by releasing data from its return-path-data (RPD)-based service. However, the key question remains whether operator-led measurement can become a credible industry-wide alternative to BARC ratings.

The viability of this alternative approach hinges on several factors, including the amount of data collected, the representativeness of the sample, and the ability to establish credibility among broadcasters and advertisers. Unlike BARC's panel-based system, which relies on people meters and information about household members to estimate individual viewing, RPD typically tracks viewing at the household or device level.

According to industry sources, GTPL is currently monitoring viewing through 10,000 STBs and aims to expand this number to 50,000. They are collaborating with TAM India to generate the data. Tata Play has also utilized RPD for years, primarily for internal content planning. However, BARC ceased publishing ratings in June after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting requested compliance with the TV Ratings Policy 2026. Both BARC and TAM India's registration applications are still pending.

The renewed interest in RPD stems from a 2021 recommendation by an MIB-appointed committee to make it a mandatory feature in future STBs deployed by distribution platform operators. While RPD can provide channel rankings within an operator's territory, it cannot replace BARC ratings as the industry's "trading currency" because it does not offer individual-level or demographic data.