People are frequently seen talking about the Television Rating Point (TRP) of a particular channel or program. TRP stands for "time-per-view," which measures how popular a television channel or show is. Considering how popular this term is, it's critical to consider what TRP rating means, how it affects a show or channel, and the complexities of how it's calculated. Also, have you ever pondered the methodology behind calculating the TRP for a television channel or program? Numerous factors contribute to the TRP of a TV channel or program, making it a recognized benchmark for television viewership. In this article, we shall delve into the mechanics of TRP calculation, its impact on a channel or program, and other pertinent aspects surrounding it. In this article, we will look into what TRP is and how it is calculated.
The Television Rating Point (TRP) serves as a metric to determine the viewership of a television channel or program, indicating its level of popularity. It gauges the frequency with which individuals tune in to a channel or specific program. The TRP system allows advertisers and investors to gauge public sentiment, enabling them to make informed decisions about their investments.
Based on the TRP of a TV channel or program, advertisers strategically allocate their advertisements to optimize their reach and engagement with the target audience. Similarly, investors leverage TRP data to assess the potential of a channel or program to draw viewership, which ultimately influences their investment decisions.
The TRP rate plays a significant role in evaluating the popularity of a TV channel, which varies based on the program displayed. For instance, when a prominent film star appears on a program to promote their movie, the TRP of that program tends to surge as viewers are likely to be drawn in by the star's appeal. Hence, TRP acts as a Television Rating Point that effectively measures the audience and popularity of any particular program or channel.
The computation of TRP in India is facilitated by two entities, INTAM and DART. INTAM, an acronym for Indian Television Audience Measurement, is responsible for overseeing the measurement process. In the past, Doordarshan Audience Research TV Ratings (DART) was responsible for calculating TRP, as Doordarshan was the only channel available at the time. Despite the evolution of the industry, DART continues to operate and conduct research on TV viewing patterns in rural areas. They employ both conventional survey methods and electronic tracking techniques to gather viewership data, randomly selecting individuals and inquiring about their channel and program preferences.
The following two electronic methods are available for calculating TRP:
In certain locations or selected households, people meters are installed to measure the TRP. Through sampling and fairness, a few thousand viewers are surveyed, and these devices record data on the channels or programs watched by family members or selected individuals. Indian Television Audience Measurement (INTAM) monitoring team then uses this meter to gather information on the TV channel or program watched for one minute. After analyzing this information, the team determines the TRP of the channel or program. In other words, the agency later analyzes this data to produce national TRP data for various TV channels and programs.
The second method of measuring TRP is called picture matching. The people meter records a small portion of the picture being watched on the TV. This data is then collected from a set of homes in the form of pictures, which are subsequently analyzed to calculate TRPs.
The financial fortunes of a TV channel are closely tied to the fluctuation of its program's TRP. For instance, Sony, Star Plus, and Z Channel, all generate their revenue through advertising. The number of ads and their monetary value are heavily influenced by the popularity of a program or channel. If the TRP rating is low, indicating a lesser viewership, advertisers may choose to reduce their ad spend. Conversely, if the TRP rating is high, advertisers are more likely to invest more heavily in the program and the channel, resulting in increased revenue. Therefore, it is apparent that the TRP rating depends not only on the channel but also on the individual programs. For instance, if a program, such as "Rising Star," receives a higher TRP than other programs, advertisers will likely opt to advertise during that time slot and pay a premium for the privilege.
