TV Ratings Suspended Since Early July as BARC Awaits Registration; No Return Date Given

India's television ratings are suspended while the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) waits to register under the Television Ratings Policy 2026. Trade publication Indian Television reports that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has reportedly directed BARC to stop publishing ratings across all genres. Weekly ratings, known as TRPs, are expected to resume only after BARC secures a fresh licence.

The Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting confirmed in July that no measurement entity had secured registration under the new policy, according to Adgully. Officials have given no definitive timeline for a return, according to Adgully, and the suspension has run since early July 2026, according to Storyboard18.

How Far the Freeze Reaches

Storyboard18 reports that the ministry directed BARC to halt the publication of ratings in early July 2026, until it completes registration under the new policy. Indian Television reports that by July the suspension had been widened to cover all genres, which brings entertainment channels into the pause alongside news.

The freeze has a precedent. Storyboard18 reports that the earlier suspension of news ratings lasted about 15 months, from October 2020 to January 2022.

TRPs are the measure broadcasters and advertisers rely on to compare channels and programmes. Officials have given no definitive timeline for public ratings to resume, Adgully reports.

Why the Ratings Are Paused

The pause is tied to BARC's registration status. Indian Television reports that BARC's earlier registration has expired and that the council has applied for renewal, but approval is yet to be granted.

Storyboard18 reports that the ministry acknowledged BARC's registration application on 3 July 2026.

As of late July, no entity had registered under the new policy. That confirmation came from the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, as reported by Adgully.

A government committee, reported on 9 October 2026, was set up amid the suspension and unresolved issues under the Television Ratings Policy 2026, according to Broadcast & Cable.

What the Television Ratings Policy 2026 Changes

The policy raises the number of metered homes from 50,000 to 80,000, according to Broadcast & Cable. Storyboard18 reports that agencies can expand to 1.2 lakh homes, and may deploy more than 80,000 based on business needs.

The timelines differ by agency. Storyboard18 reports that existing agencies must reach 80,000 metered homes within nine months of notification, and new agencies within 18 months of registration. Medianama reports that the existing-agency deadline was originally six months and was extended to nine by the May 8 amendment. New agencies must then add 10,000 homes a year until they reach 120,000, Medianama reports.

Measurement must be technology-neutral across cable TV, direct-to-home (DTH), terrestrial TV, OTT, connected TVs and other platforms wherever feasible, Medianama reports. Agencies must capture data from every TV viewing screen in metered homes. Medianama reports that the policy does not prescribe a single industry-wide method for preventing the same viewer from being counted more than once across platforms.

The minimum net worth for a rating agency falls from ₹20 crore to ₹5 crore, according to Adgully. Broadcast & Cable reports that the policy requires independent audits, restricts cross-holdings, excludes landing-page viewership from ratings and sets graded penalties.

Storyboard18 reports that the 8 May 2026 amendment requires at least 33% of an agency's board to be independent directors with no direct or indirect association with broadcasters, advertisers or advertising agencies. Agencies must also run establishment surveys every three years, with household samples at least ten times the number of metered homes.

Who Has Applied and Who Has Been Asked

TAM applied for a licence in September, proposing a return-path-data methodology, according to Broadcast & Cable. Storyboard18 also reports that TAM has applied for a licence under the policy.

The two reports describe Chrome Data Analytics and Media (Chrome DM) differently. Broadcast & Cable says the ministry has asked Chrome DM about its connected-TV measurement capabilities. Storyboard18 says Chrome DM may apply for a licence.

Medianama and Storyboard18 report that the policy places no restriction on how many agencies can register, and Medianama reports that distribution platforms and OTT services can publish viewership data without registering as rating agencies. BARC, the incumbent, is the only agency Adgully names as engaged with the ministry on implementation. Storyboard18 reports that existing agencies must register under the new policy within 60 days of notification.

As of late July, no entity had registered under the new policy.

The Government Review and Open Timelines

The government has formed a committee of senior representatives from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and other ministries, according to Broadcast & Cable. It is expected to examine how television ratings should operate under the new regulatory framework.

The suspension remains in place, according to Broadcast & Cable. The panel's deliberations could help determine whether BARC is permitted to resume ratings, whether it faces additional conditions, or whether the disruption paves the way for a wider, multi-player measurement framework.

Storyboard18 reports that broadcasters have asked for BARC ratings to be restored, citing revenue visibility, advertiser confidence and media planning. The report links that request to an industry body's annual general meeting on 21 September 2026.

What the Freeze Means for Broadcasters, Advertisers and Shows

Broadcast & Cable reports that industry bodies say the lack of a common television ratings currency is affecting media planning and revenue visibility for broadcasters, advertisers and agencies.

Storyboard18 reports that television typically sees a concentration of advertising demand in the festive period, which makes current audience data important for campaign planning and pricing. The suspension has run from early July into October 2026, so it overlaps that period.

Indian Television's 22 July report cites industry estimates of around ₹40,000 crore a year for India's television advertising market. It also cites the FICCI-EY media and entertainment report: linear TV advertising revenue fell 10.3% in 2025, advertising volumes fell 11.5%, and Hindi general entertainment channels recorded an 18% fall in advertising revenue.

The same report describes August to December as one of the busiest advertising windows for television. It expects tougher negotiations between broadcasters and advertisers, delayed media commitments and pressure on advertising rates while ratings are absent, and says the lack of ratings is expected to strengthen the role of direct negotiations between broadcasters and advertisers. The number of television advertisers fell 3% year on year to 7,275.

For shows and channels, the pause means no published weekly figures are available for industry comparison while the registration question is open.