Archive · 12 Nov 2025
India's TV Industry Divided Over Landing Page TRP Calculation Changes
Imagine TV channels are like toys, and ratings are how many kids play with them.
The TV channels sometimes pay to be the first toy kids see when they turn on their toy box (the set-top box).
This is called a 'landing page.'
Some people who buy ads think this makes it look like more kids are playing than really are, so they want to stop counting these 'landing page' views.
They say it will make the ratings fairer for real toys that kids choose to play with.
But other TV channels and people who sell the toys say it's hard to do and could make them lose money.
They also worry that the TV channels might find other tricky ways to get noticed.
Some think this change might help TV compete better with online videos, while others worry it could hurt TV even more.
India's Information & Broadcasting Ministry's proposal to exclude landing-page viewership from TRP calculations has divided the TV industry.
Advertisers and media buyers support the move, viewing it as a necessary step for accurate audience data and effective media spending.
Broadcasters and industry experts warn of technical difficulties and the potential for distributors to create 'second' or 'third' landing behaviors.
Landing pages represent significant revenue for broadcasters and cable operators, with an estimated collective annual spend of ₹250 crore to secure these slots.
The proposal aims to normalize pricing dynamics and encourage ad spends based on genuine content viewership, potentially influencing the shift between traditional TV and digital platforms.
- Who
- Information & Broadcasting Ministry, advertisers, media buyers, broadcasters, distributors, cable operators, and industry experts
- What
- A proposal to exclude landing-page viewership from Television Rating Point (TRP) calculations has created a significant division within India's television industry.
- When
- The proposal is currently under consultation, with discussions on its implementation and impact ongoing.
- Where
- India's television ecosystem.
- Why
- The proposal aims to improve the reliability of TV viewership data by removing artificial inflation caused by landing pages, which can skew audience engagement and advertising rates.
Proponents of Change (Advertisers, Media Buyers, Some Broadcasters)
Opponents of Change (Some Broadcasters, Industry Experts, Distributors)
Data Reliability and Advertising Effectiveness
Proponents of Change (Advertisers, Media Buyers, Some Broadcasters)
Removing landing-page viewership from TRP calculations will provide more reliable data, helping advertisers make better decisions by eliminating artificial inflation of audience engagement.
Opponents of Change (Some Broadcasters, Industry Experts, Distributors)
The proposal is a misdirection from deeper issues in linear TV and may not be technically feasible, as distributors could engineer other 'landing behaviors' or auto-tune viewers to different channels.
Impact on Revenue Streams and Industry Structure
Proponents of Change (Advertisers, Media Buyers, Some Broadcasters)
Credibility of content viewership will be prioritized over tactical placement, leading to fairer value for channels with genuine content strength and potentially normalizing pricing dynamics.
Opponents of Change (Some Broadcasters, Industry Experts, Distributors)
This move could significantly squeeze revenue for distributors and cable operators who rely on landing page placements as a profit center, potentially causing a scramble to repackage visibility through other means.
Technical Feasibility and Enforcement
Proponents of Change (Advertisers, Media Buyers, Some Broadcasters)
Cleaner TV data can restore confidence in broadcast advertising and align it with digital's measurable ROI, potentially slowing the drift to digital by creating a more balanced ecosystem.
Opponents of Change (Some Broadcasters, Industry Experts, Distributors)
The proposal faces technical challenges in enforcement, as landing page firings vary by device and operator. It is unclear how the current measurement infrastructure can handle complete exclusion without a technology demonstrator.
- Proposal Originator
- Information & Broadcasting Ministry
- Proposed Change
- Exclude landing-page viewership from TRP calculations
- Estimated Annual Spend on Landing Pages
- Approximately ₹250 crore
- Potential Revenue Impact for Cable Operators
- 15-20% of revenues
- Recent Ad Volume Trend
- 10% slump in first nine months of 2025 vs. previous year
- Expert Opinion on Impact Size
- Less than 1%