In the theatre of television, where numbers shape narratives, a new rule redraws the line between influence and integrity.
Breaking the Ratings Illusion
In a major reform aimed at ensuring fairness in television viewership measurement, the government has banned the use of landing pages in ratings under the new TV Rating Policy 2026, introduced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. The move is designed to enhance transparency and curb practices seen as artificially inflating audience numbers.
Landing pages—often used as promotional tools to boost visibility—will no longer count toward official viewership data. This marks a significant shift, favouring channels driven by content rather than aggressive marketing strategies. The policy also establishes clearer norms for the registration, functioning, and oversight of TV rating agencies, with a strong emphasis on independence and accountability.
The reform has been welcomed by several industry voices. Arnab Goswami openly supported the decision, stating, “It can’t be that you have a lot of money, so you put your money to buy viewership. And most important, the rating agency…will now be compelled not to measure landing pages. And I hope that after this, this will introduce a new wave of democracy in the news broadcasting business in our country. This will allow fresh talent to do well. This will encourage journalists to focus on content. And this will, most importantly, restore the importance of the editors. Eventually, it is the editors who must control the destiny of news organisations. And the government’s decision is fantastic. More than that, I think there will be many more rating agencies which will happen. Multiplicity is good. Monopoly is bad,” Goswami added.
Rewriting the Rules of Viewership
Beyond banning landing pages, the policy introduces sweeping structural changes. Entry barriers for rating agencies have been lowered, with net worth requirements reduced from ₹20 crore to ₹5 crore, encouraging more players and reducing monopolistic tendencies.
To ensure neutrality, at least 50% of board members must be independent, with strict rules against conflicts of interest. Data accuracy will also improve, as agencies are required to expand their sample size to 80,000 metered homes within 18 months, eventually reaching 1,20,000 homes, while capturing viewership across cable, DTH, OTT, and connected TVs.
Transparency is another cornerstone. Agencies must disclose methodologies and anonymized data, while adhering to the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 to safeguard user privacy. A dual-audit system—quarterly internal and annual external—along with government oversight, aims to ensure accountability.
The policy also mandates grievance redressal mechanisms, strict penalties for non-compliance, and allows platforms to publish their own viewership data without prior approval.
Together, these measures signal a shift toward a more transparent, competitive, and content-driven broadcasting ecosystem.
As the glare of inflated numbers fades, what remains is the true measure of television—stories that earn their audience, not buy it.
Summary
India’s TV Rating Policy 2026 bans landing pages from viewership measurement to ensure transparency and fairness. Introduced by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, it lowers entry barriers, strengthens audits, expands sample sizes, and enforces stricter data rules. The reform aims to curb monopolistic practices and shift focus toward content-driven broadcasting and accurate audience measurement.
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