NDTV Returns to BARC Ratings After Two-Year Exit

NDTV has officially returned to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) television ratings system after remaining absent for over two years. The broadcaster had exited the measurement system in March 2022, shortly before BARC resumed publishing TV news ratings following an 18-month suspension linked to alleged TRP manipulation controversies.

Back in October 2020, BARC halted news channel ratings after allegations surfaced that certain broadcasters were attempting to manipulate television viewership data. During this period, several major networks questioned the credibility of the measurement process, leading NDTV to become one of the first news broadcasters to withdraw from the system.

Following NDTV’s exit, Zee Media and iTV Network also pulled out of the BARC ratings framework later in 2022. NDTV’s return now signals renewed participation in India’s television audience measurement ecosystem as competition among news broadcasters continues to intensify.