Putting audiences centre stage

WHY STAKEHOLDERS REMAIN DIVIDED OVER DECOUPLING LANDING-PAGE VIEWERSHIP AND TELEVISION RATINGS

- GEETIKA SRIVASTAVA

THE INFORMATION & Broadcasting Ministry's proposal to exclude landing-page viewership from television rating point (TRP) calculations has the TV broadcast ecosystem split right down the middle.

While many advertisers and agency partners treat this as "overdue hygiene", many broadcasters and industry experts warn of technical difficulties that could potentially disrupt the TV industry, which has seen at least a 10% slump in ad volumes in the first nine months of 2025 versus a year earlier.

For media buyers, the attraction is simple. Landing-page spikes often distort audience engagement, misrepresenting true viewership. By removing this artificial inflation, the industry can expect more reliable data, allowing advertisers to make better-informed media decisions.