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Cable TV
Mumbai: The Kerala High Court on Friday stayed a key provision of the Centre's new TV ratings policy that excludes "landing page" viewership from Television Rating Points (TRP), giving interim relief to cable operators who argue the move threatens a crucial source of revenue.
In an order dated May 22, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas of the Kerala High Court directed the Centre and other respondents not to implement the proviso to Clause 5.4.1 of the TV Ratings Policy, 2026, until further orders. The matter will next be heard on June 19.
Also Read: Cable, DTH vs streaming: Battle lines drawn at Trai over FAST TV rules
The petition was filed by the All India Digital Cable Federation and another petitioner challenging the Information & Broadcasting ministry's TV Ratings Policy notified on March 27 and the operational guidelines issued by BARC on May 13. The dispute centres on "landing pages", the default channel shown when a viewer switches on a set-top box. Landing pages are primarily provided by cable operators and not direct-to-home (DTH) platforms. Cable operators often monetise this placement through carriage and placement agreements with broadcasters, making it an important revenue stream for the sector.
Under the new policy, all landing page viewership will be excluded from TRP calculations, with regulators treating such exposure as a marketing tool rather than actual viewing. The issue has long been contentious, particularly in the television news industry.
Also Read: Distributors turn to connected TV as pay TV users shrink to 84 million
Since TV news accounts for a relatively small share of India's overall television universe, even small external interventions such as landing page placement can significantly alter channel rankings and viewership shares. News broadcasters have frequently argued that such placements artificially inflate ratings and distort competition. Cable operators, however, have argued that the policy unfairly ignores genuine consumer behaviour.
In an order dated May 22, Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas of the Kerala High Court directed the Centre and other respondents not to implement the proviso to Clause 5.4.1 of the TV Ratings Policy, 2026, until further orders. The matter will next be heard on June 19.
Also Read: Cable, DTH vs streaming: Battle lines drawn at Trai over FAST TV rules
The petition was filed by the All India Digital Cable Federation and another petitioner challenging the Information & Broadcasting ministry's TV Ratings Policy notified on March 27 and the operational guidelines issued by BARC on May 13. The dispute centres on "landing pages", the default channel shown when a viewer switches on a set-top box. Landing pages are primarily provided by cable operators and not direct-to-home (DTH) platforms. Cable operators often monetise this placement through carriage and placement agreements with broadcasters, making it an important revenue stream for the sector.
Under the new policy, all landing page viewership will be excluded from TRP calculations, with regulators treating such exposure as a marketing tool rather than actual viewing. The issue has long been contentious, particularly in the television news industry.
Also Read: Distributors turn to connected TV as pay TV users shrink to 84 million
Since TV news accounts for a relatively small share of India's overall television universe, even small external interventions such as landing page placement can significantly alter channel rankings and viewership shares. News broadcasters have frequently argued that such placements artificially inflate ratings and distort competition. Cable operators, however, have argued that the policy unfairly ignores genuine consumer behaviour.
