Better times ahead for PayTV as advertisers rejig marketing strategy

The development has generated mixed reactions within the media fraternity. It is believed that there may be little to no impact on the viewership of the channels, in spite of being reported independently; however, this segregation is likely to affect advertising interest, especially for FTA channels. Advertisers queuing up to buy inventory across prime TV shows may have to rethink their media buying strategies, keeping in mind Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India’s latest initiative to measure viewership of free-to-air (FTA) and pay television separately, starting from week 27 (June 29-July 5). This has been done with an aim to “get a better understanding of viewership habits, enabling focussed targeting for both broadcasters and advertisers”, according to the measurement agency. Thus far, the only segmentation offered up to advertisers was in terms of urban and rural viewership.