MUMBAI: That the TV broadcasting industry has been incensed with TV ratings agency TAM Media Research is well documented. That two major broadcast networks - Sony Entertainment and Times Television Network - have decided to not renew their subscriptions with TAM was reported by indiantelevision.com late 7 June evening. But that the angst against TAM runs so deep is becoming clearer only now.

Many media industry executives indiantelevision.com spoke to sounded absolutely shocked by the extreme move of the two broadcasters, and hoped it would not spread, with other networks also cancelling their subscriptions.

"We had been hearing that such a move may be underfoot", says Madison Media COO Karthik Lakshminarayan. "But we never thought it would come to pass. We hope it will get resolved soon."

IBF sec general Shailesh Shah says TAM has not been able to address broadcast members issues on TV ratings

"We have been vexed with TAM. The ratings have been so erratic. Last week, as an example, CNBC TV 18 got a rating of zero in Delhi. Do you think that is possible? We have tried to get LV (TAM Media CEO LV Krishnan) to understand our point of view that the market is growing and the growing market should be reflected in the ratings. But we have not got a satisfactory response," says Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) secretary general Shailesh Shah, explaining what may have forced some of the association?s members to take such an extreme step.

Shah highlights that the IBF members have been reading the association the riot act, asking it what it is doing about the problems with TAM?s data and the lack of a proper response from the rating agency?s side.

At around 4.00 pm last evening the IBF did do something about it. It sent out an advisory to its members which read as follows: "After the conference calls of 4 June between board members and TAM on issues with TAM (which had been discussed on 19 March) and various other issues many of our members are contemplating stern action and we suggest you do what is in your best interest." (Whether this email went out before Sony Entertainment and Times TV?s letters to TAM saying they were cancelling their subscriptions or not was not clear at the time of writing.)

And since then broadcasters nationally have been wondering what they should be doing. We spoke to Raj TV national sales & marketing head Sanjay Banerjee and this is what he had to say: "We have yet to take a decision on TAM and re-subscribing to its ratings. I have a meeting with the promoters early next week in Chennai on the issue. We will conclude only after that."

Another Chennai-based newscaster, preferred to stay anonymous while saying that his company would study how the situation develops and only then would any decision be taken.

It probably is going to be a long weekend for TAM Media CEO LV Krishnan, but meanwhile the advertising agency industry body, AAAI, and the advertisers association the Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA) have been trying to organise a meeting or conference call on the issue with the IBF.

At the time of writing, indications were that the IBF would refrain from accepting an olive branch, if offered.

Also Read:

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Why news broadcasters want TAM to defer ratings

Winds of change in India?s TV ratings land

IBF, AAAI, ISA to meet TAM on digitisation issues

News broadcasters ask govt to audit TAM

NEW DELHI: The Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF) has appointed Shailesh Shah as its Secretary General.

With a career spanning three decades, Shah will augment IBF?s efforts in building a robust and profitable broadcasting industry in India.

He has worked with The Hay Group, Price Waterhouse, Watson Wyatt, Satyam Computers and the JSW Group. He was also involved with organisations such as The World Economic Forum, The Economic Development Board of Singapore and Nasscom.

IBF President Manjit Singh said, "Shailesh?s wide experience in delving into industry fundamentals to drive value creation will be of immense value to the foundation. I along with the rest of the members welcome Shailesh to IBF."

Shah is a mechanical engineer, has a master in Operations Research and an MBA in Finance and has read at Bangalore University, Syracuse University, Drexel University and the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.