Explained: How the TRP system works

• Mumbai Police Commissioner has said that police are looking into a scam about manipulation of TRPs (Television Rating Points) by rigging the devices used by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

What is TRP?

• It represents how many people and from which socio-economic categories watched which channels for how much time during a particular period.
• Methodology: For calculating TRP, BARC has installed “BAR-O-meters” in over 45,000 empaneled households.
• These households are classified into 12 categories under the New Consumer Classification System (NCCS).
• Significance of TRPs: Television ratings in turn influence programmes produced for the viewers. Better ratings would promote a programme while poor ratings will discourage a programme.
• TRPs are the main currency for advertisers to decide which channel to advertise on by calculating the cost-per-rating-point (CPRP).
• BARC: It is an industry body jointly owned by advertisers, ad agencies, and broadcasting companies, represented by The Indian Society of Advertisers, the Indian Broadcasting Foundation and the Advertising Agencies Association of India.