Digitization brings television industry into a 'no TRP phase for two months'

‘Digitization’ is the order of the day when it comes to television in India!! In simple words, every house in India must possess a Set Top Box post the deadline provided by the Government of India to be able to view Satellite TV. Well, as per the deadline, viewers will be facing a black out of analog signals in the four major metros Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Chennai post 31 October 2012, while cities like Pune, Ahmedabad, Bangalore will face the black out from 31 March 2013. So what are the measures taken by TAM to cope up with digitalization? Will this affect the Television Rating Points (TRP)? In accordance to this, TAM has released an official confirmation according to which the weekly TAM ratings will not be released from the present week (Week 41) till 19 December 2012. Here is the release sent out by TAM – “As jointly agreed by the three industry bodies IBF (Indian Broadcasting Foundation), ISA and AAAI, due to impending Digitalization, TAM viewership data release for all markets for the week starting from 7 October 2012 (Week 41) till 8 December 2012 (Week 49) has been deferred for release on 19 December 2012 along with data for 9 December to 15 December 2012 (Week 50). Thank you. Hence no ratings for two months.” This means the TV industry will for the very first time will witness a phase wherein they will not be waiting for their weekly mark sheets (TAM ratings) to get released every Wednesday. This is surely a joyous and different scenario, given the cut-throat competition that GECs experience every week. Is this a boon or a bane? Tellychakkar.com will surely talk to the biggies of the television industry to know their views on this. For now, we enter a TRP-free zone…and all is calm!!