The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) yesterday constituted a Joint Working Group to study different aspects of data capturing capabilities in Set Top Boxes for audience measurement sampling. The group will study data capturing including Return Path Data (RPD) in the context of audience measurement with international practices and security of the viewership data etc among others to be taken into consideration.
The Joint Working Group is likely to study successful global best practices in RPD like that of Canada, models/pilots undertaken in India by BARC and other independent experiments by DTH operators and other relevant stakeholders. The group will formulate a mandate for combining the data sources including RPD, if so decided with the existing sampling methodologies.
The Joint Working Group includes S.S Vempati, CEO, Prasar Bharati, Harit Nagpal, President, DTH Association, and one representative each from AIDCF, BARC, BIS, and MeitY.
The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) recently recommended combining traditional sample based statistical approaches with big data approaches such as Return Path Data (RPD) in STBs to address the system. TRAI’s recommendation on audience measurement and the report of the TRP committee headed by Prasar Bharati Chief Executive Officer allayed concerns over representatives of traditional samples and further strengthening of the procedures for a credible and transparent rating system.
The Joint Working Group will work broadly to specify minimum standards for RPD capable STBs, SOPs for the certification and audit of the same, specify common protocols, data standards, and modifications to current ratings methodology to integrate data from RPD capable STBs into current TV ratings system.
The group will further work to specify minimum standards for any smart phone based apps to augment above proposed RPD system for integration into the current TV ratings system, specifiy SOPs for certification and audit of the same, and specify consent-based privacy framework to govern all such data collection and use within TV ratings.
The group will establish timelines for rollout of the above with a clear roadmap to guide all stakeholders while laying out points of responsibility for the same, evolve consensus for pricing of different data sets including RPD/smart phone-based data collection and the cost sharing within the framework of TV ratings system.
Prasar Bharati will provide the secretariat for the Joint Working Group with the group allowed to invite any domain experts, and stakeholder representatives for its deliberations if required. The group has to submit its report to the Ministry for Information and Broadcasting within four months from the date of issue of the order.
