TRP likely to be replaced: Dasmunsi

Days after Information and Broadcasting Minister PR Dasmunsi said in the Parliament that Television Rating Points TRPs used by TV channels to claim popularity was a 8220;gameplan8221;, he said new regulations might soon come in. The Government has requested the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India TRAI to give its recommendations for formulating policy guidelines regarding Television Audience Measurement TAM/TRP to widen the sample size and bring greater transparency into it.

While TRAI has already floated a consultation paper on policy guidelines for TAM/TRP, the Government has held a series of meetings with various stakeholders. No other action is proposed without the receipt of TRAI8217;s recommendations, said the minister.

A few days ago, the minister had said TRP was a gameplan because in a nation with 100 crore population, only 6,000 households were taken as a sample, ignoring large areas like entire Bihar and the northeastern region. Dasmunsi was speaking at a discussion on Demand for Grants of his ministry for 2008-09.