India, April 3 -- Last week, the information and broadcasting ministry notified the Television Rating Policy 2026, replacing the outdated 2014 guidelines, to an underwhelming response from the media and entertainment (M&E) industry. Though the new policy is aimed at modernizing and expanding audience measurement to include linear and connected TVs in a household, it achieves too little too late for India's complex and rapidly changing media landscape.

For starters, the policy allows multiple TV ratings agencies to set up shop in India by lowering the entry barrier, with the minimum net worth required for a rating agency reduced from Rs.20 crore to Rs.5 crore. It's seen as an attempt by the government to make it easier for new players to ...