MIB extends suspension of TV news ratings by another month

Television news broadcasters will remain without audience ratings data for at least another month after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) extended the suspension on the publication of TV news channel ratings.

The latest directive, communicated by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India to its subscribers, pauses the release of weekly news channel ratings for an additional four weeks, or until further instructions are issued by the ministry.

The extension follows a similar suspension announced in May, delaying the resumption of ratings reporting for the television news industry.

According to BARC, the suspension takes effect from the ratings release scheduled for June 4, 2026, which would have covered Week 21 of the television audience measurement cycle. As a result, viewership data for Hindi, English, regional and business news channels will remain unavailable during the period.

The ratings body clarified that the directive applies to all channels categorised under television news genres as per its existing classification framework. Ratings publication will remain on hold until the completion of the four-week period or until fresh directions are received from the ministry.

The continued absence of audience measurement data is likely to impact stakeholders across the broadcast advertising ecosystem. Television ratings are widely used by advertisers, media agencies and broadcasters to evaluate channel performance, allocate advertising spends, negotiate partnerships and measure campaign outcomes.

For news broadcasters, the suspension removes a key benchmark used to assess audience reach and market positioning. Advertisers and media planners, meanwhile, will have limited access to one of the industry’s primary currencies for television buying and planning decisions.

While BARC has not specified the reasons behind the ministry’s latest directive, the move indicates that restrictions on the publication of television news ratings are set to continue in the near term.

The industry is now awaiting further clarity from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on when ratings reporting for news channels will resume and under what conditions it may be reinstated. BW Marketing World