Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India

Background

The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India is a joint industry body established in 2010 by the Indian Broadcasting & Digital Foundation (IBDF), the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), and the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI). It serves as the world's largest television measurement science industry body, providing transparent, accurate, and inclusive TV audience measurement systems. BARC India's mission is to design, commission, supervise, and own a reliable television audience measurement system for India, thereby empowering broadcasters, advertisers, and agencies with data-driven insights.

Key Strategic Focus

BARC India's strategic focus encompasses:

Comprehensive Audience Measurement: Utilizing audio watermark technology to measure viewership across over 210 million TV households, covering both urban and rural areas.

Technological Advancement: Implementing advanced technologies like audio watermarking and BAR-O-Meters to capture and analyze viewership data accurately.

Market Expansion: Continuously expanding its panel size, aiming to increase from 50,000+ panel homes to 55,000 by 2023, to enhance data granularity and representation.

Financials and Funding

As a joint industry body, BARC India is funded by its founding organizations—IBDF, ISA, and AAAI—based on a 60:20:20 formula. This collaborative funding model ensures that BARC India operates independently and maintains the integrity of its audience measurement services.

Pipeline Development

BARC India has developed and launched several key products and services:

BIO News: A visualization tool for news broadcasters, providing performance metrics for news channels, stories, anchors, and other personalities.

BIO Advision: A tool for advertisers and media agencies to understand brand performance relative to competitors.

PreView: A service allowing subscribers to access data for specific events or shows three days post-telecast.

TV + OOH: Measures and reports TV viewership in social hotspots like restaurants, pubs, and bars across 120+ urban towns and cities.

Spot Trek: Provides reports on monitored advertising spots to agencies.

Technological Platform and Innovation

BARC India's technological innovations include:

Audio Watermarking: Embedding inaudible audio watermarks in content to track viewership accurately.

BAR-O-Meters: Devices installed in panel homes to capture viewing data, ensuring precise measurement.

YUMI Software: A desktop application for reporting and analyzing audience data tailored to customer needs.

Leadership Team

Shashi Sinha: Chairman of BARC India, succeeding Punit Goenka.

Nakul Chopra: CEO, appointed in August 2021, returning to the organization after previously serving as chairman.

Leadership Changes

Shashi Sinha: Elected as chairman, succeeding Punit Goenka.

Nakul Chopra: Appointed CEO in August 2021, succeeding Sunil Lulla.

Competitor Profile

Market Insights and Dynamics

The Indian television audience measurement market is critical for broadcasters and advertisers, influencing content creation and advertising strategies. Accurate and reliable data is essential for effective decision-making in this dynamic industry.

Competitor Analysis

TAM Media Research: A joint venture between AC Nielsen and Kantar Media Research/IMRB, TAM was the primary audience measurement firm in India until BARC India's establishment. It operates one of the largest Peoplemeter TV panels globally, with approximately 30,000 sample individuals.

Strategic Collaborations and Partnerships

BARC India collaborates with various stakeholders, including broadcasters, advertisers, and media agencies, to enhance its measurement systems and services. These partnerships ensure the delivery of comprehensive and accurate audience data.

Operational Insights

BARC India's competitive advantages include:

Extensive Panel Size: Managing the world's largest and most diverse TV measurement system, providing granular, minute-by-minute reports of TV viewing across 210 million TV homes in India.

Technological Innovation: Utilizing advanced technologies like audio watermarking and BAR-O-Meters to ensure accurate data collection.

Industry Collaboration: Being a joint industry body, BARC India benefits from the collective expertise and support of broadcasters, advertisers, and agencies.