Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies

❖ Incorporated in India under the Companies Act, 2013, with a minimum net worth of INR 5crore certified by a statutory auditor.

❖ The MoA must specify “rating services or market research” as a main objective.

❖ No single entity or its associates (including individual promoters) can hold 10% or more ofpaid-up equity in: (i) both a rating agency and any broadcaster / advertiser / advertisingagency; and, or, (ii) in more than one rating agency operating in the same segment.

❖ At least 50% of the board must comprise independent directors with no ties to broadcastersor advertisers.❖ Prior permission from MIB is to be obtained for appointment of directors and KMPs.

❖ The company, its directors, and KMPs must obtain security clearance from the Ministry ofHome Affairs.

❖ Prohibition on undertaking any activity (eg. consultancy or any advisory role) that would leadto a potential conflict of interest with the main objective.

❖ Any changes to shareholders or loan agreements must be disclosed to the MIB within 15days. 

❖ The registration is valid for 10 years and requires a fee of INR 10 lakh. The agency mustfurnish 2 bank guarantees of INR 25 lakh and INR 75 lakh, valid for 10 years.

❖ Existing agencies must register under the guidelines within 30 days of notification.

❖ Registration can be cancelled if the agency fails to generate and publish ratings continuouslyfor more than 180 days, or if it furnishes false information to the Government.

❖ TV distribution platforms and OTT platforms may publish periodic viewership data ofbroadcasters / channels being played on their platforms, on their websites, without obtainingregistration or permission

❖ The agency must appoint a Nodal Officer and establish an Appellate Authority to handlestakeholder complaints.

❖ Complaints must be acknowledged within 3 days. The Nodal Officer must resolve grievanceswithin 10 days, and the Appellate Authority must dispose of appeals within 15 days. 

❖ New agencies must deploy at least 80,000 metered homes within 18 months of registration.Existing agencies must reach this target within 6 months of the notification. Thereafter, thenumber must increase by 10,000 annually until it reaches 1,20,000.

❖ 25% of metered homes must be rotated each year on a staggered basis (by rotating meteredhomes every month) and updated periodically per developments in delivery platforms, growthin viewership etc.

❖ Any officer, employee or representative of broadcasters, advertisers and advertising agenciescannot be included in the metered households.

❖ Ratings must be technology‑neutral and cover viewership across cable TV, DTH, terrestrialTV, OTT, and connected TV.

❖ Annual establishment surveys must be conducted to determine the TV universe anddemographic distribution.

❖ Agencies must use consistent methodologies for weighting and data adjustment, identify andremove outliers/manipulated data, and disclose system limitations.

❖ Viewership from landing pages cannot be counted in the measurement.

❖ The agency must publish transparent, non‑discriminatory rate cards and clearly list allcategories of rating data/reports along with applicable terms and conditions, ensuring datagenerated by it is available to all stakeholders on a paid, equitable basis.

❖ Data sharing or onward publication is permitted subject to the agency’s fair usage policy, whichmust be publicly available on its website.

❖ Transparency requirements include public disclosure of methodology, coverage, ownership,rate cards, audit reports, grievance data, conflicts of interest, and submission of anonymizeddata to the Government.

❖ Mandatory oversight includes quarterly internal audits, annual independ

❖ Compliance with the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and rules thereunder.

❖ Transfer of databases outside India is restricted, unless permitted by applicable law.

❖ 1st violation: Suspension of ratings for 1 month.

❖ 2nd violation (within 1 year): 2-months suspension + forfeiture of INR 25 lakh bank guarantee.

❖ 3rd violation (within 1 year): 3-months suspension + forfeiture of INR 75 lakh bank guarantee.

❖ 4th violation (within 1 year): Cancellation of registration.

The Government reserves the right to restrict operations in sensitive areas, take over the agency’sservices, or suspend operations without prior notice in the interest of national security or duringemergencies.