AAAI's Sharma: "Use BARC to improve TAM now"

AAAI's Sharma: "Use BARC to improve TAM now"

BARC

MUMBAI: Even as the day saw a couple of more notices to unsubscribe from TAM‘s TV ratings. The Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) president Arvind Sharma proffered what could be the way out of the TV ratings crisis the industry is currently grappling with.

"I understand broadcasters have shown a lot of dissatisfaction with TAM," he said speaking to indiantelevision.com. Let us address the problems that they are having with TAM to a body which is mandated to do TV ratings in India going forward - that is the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). It is an existing body with a CEO and a chairman. It has a strong technical committee and has representation from the IBF, the AAAI and the ISA."

Sharma highlighted that three constituents - advertisers, broadcasters and agencies - should filter down the various problems broadcasters are having with TAM to three or four issues of broad priority first.

"The collective technical and business leadership of the industry under BARC will definitely find solutions. After all, BARC has developed an expertise and overview of what‘s happening in the world in terms of technology, methodology and what have you. They have gone through various requests for information. They are up to date," Sharma said.

And what about broadcasters‘ complaints that TAM has not paid heed and addressed their problems in the past? "Any player will listen to collective direction that is given in the interest of industry and business," pointed out Sharma.

Sharma once again reiterated that there is no question of a ratings blackout scenario becoming a reality in the industry. "We are reaching out to other BARC directors and other players," he said. "I am optimistic that a solution is going to be found sooner before a situation of a total TV ratings blackout arises."

Are advertisers and broadcasters going to toe the same line?

Watch this space for further developments!