TRPs of news channels are once again under questions. This time there is no news of coverage for TRP in any strange way, it is news that TRP is being purchased. Nowadays in the case of TRPs of news channels, Arnab Goswami, running on number one, has serious allegations on channel Republic TV. The Mumbai Police has alleged that people were asked to keep the channel in their homes and for this, people were also given Rs 500 per month. People from two other channels have also been arrested in the case. A total of four people have been caught. Now in such a situation, let understand this TRP is what? After all, why are TV channels adopting all the way to get TRP.
What is TRP?
TRP, ie television rating point, is a way to find out which channels or programs are liked by people who have TV sets in their homes. Meaning which channel or program is so popular and how much time people are giving to watch those channels and programs. Now, in easy language, the higher popularity the higher TRP.
How is TRP rating determined?
Now there will be crores of TV sets all over India, so how will the TRP be fixed? For this, ‘People Meters’ measuring TRPs are installed in the homes of some designated cities and towns as samples. This device is fitted with a TV in sample homes. With the help of this, it is known what is being seen on that television set and for how long. Apart from this, techniques like picture matching and audio watermarks are also used to collect samples. TRP is decided only by these tools installed in a few thousand homes. In which two things are specially taken care of.
- Where the channel / program is being viewed
- How long is being watched
It means to say that if a channel is being watched for a long time on less sets, then its TRP may be higher than other channels seen on more sets.
How was manipulation, understand with the latest example
While exposing the TRP racket, the Mumbai Police Commissioner said that where such TRP measuring devices are installed, its data is confidential. But with the connivance of some people, this data was being shared from TV channels. After this, the channels were buying money from those houses from where TRP data was being taken.
Those houses were said that you will keep this channel. Whether you see it or not. Also, it was said that if you are going out somewhere, then go on but let the channel on. In some cases, English channels were kept on in the homes of uneducated people. For this, every family was given money.
Who calculates and decides all this?
The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) determines the TRP. This is an industry run by advertisers, ad agencies and broadcasting companies.The same BARC measures television viewership in the country through TRP. BARC has installed BAR-O-meters samples in 45000 houses across the country. While watching a show, who has this device in his house, he has recorded his presence through a viewer ID button. In this way, it is decided which channel is watching and for how long. These data are distributed on different communities, ages and other parameters and the list of TRPs is prepared.
Why is TRP a race?
Race in TRP is directly connected with revenue. Most of the revenue of a channel is earned by advertisements, now the chances of seeing advertisements on that channel or on the program on which people are spending more time, or more people are watching any program or channel, will also increase. In such a situation, advertising companies give importance to such channels. The channel’s revenue increases. In such a situation, channels continue to be number one in this round of fierce competition. There are different experiments to draw attention to the audience.
Many times the drama of TRP forgets the important issues and creates a drama. Recently, the news channels had left the entertainment channels behind in terms of TRPs.
According to a report by FICCI-EY on the media and entertainment industry for the last year, the size of the Indian television industry was 78,700 crore and TRP is the main currency for the advertiser through which to decide which channel to advertise on.