TV Ad Slump: Festive Season Hit by Ratings Blackout

Television broadcasters are bracing for a difficult festive advertising season as a prolonged blackout of TV ratings continues. This situation directly impacts ad demand, creating significant challenges for the industry.

The root cause of this ratings freeze is a directive from the Information and Broadcasting Ministry, which mandated the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to withhold data. This order remains in effect until BARC’s registration, which lapsed in July of the previous year, is officially renewed.

Broader Economic Pressures and Shifting Budgets

Beyond the ratings issue, the industry is already contending with a general decline in advertising demand. This downturn is exacerbated by wider macroeconomic difficulties and reduced spending from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies.

Furthermore, there is a clear trend of advertising budgets migrating. Advertisers are increasingly allocating funds towards digital video platforms and connected TV, further diverting revenue from traditional television.

Quantifying the Advertising Decline

Industry data reveals a significant drop in commercial airtime consumption. This underscores the severe challenges currently confronting television broadcasters across various markets.

• Free commercial time (FCT) consumption on TV hit a three-year low in July 2026, compared to July 2025 and 2024.
• Hindi-speaking markets and southern India collectively saw a 10-12% decrease in FCT consumption.
• Individual TV genres, including Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam general entertainment channels (GECs), experienced an even steeper decline of 20-24%.

Impact on News Channels

The financial ramifications are particularly acute for news segments. These channels are facing considerable pressure on their advertising revenues due to the ongoing market conditions.

• TV news channels could face an estimated 4-7% drop in ad revenue.
• Hindi news channels are noted to be particularly affected by this downturn.

A senior broadcast executive confirmed that the persistent TRP blackout is profoundly impacting the entire television broadcasting ecosystem. This situation creates an uncertain outlook for broadcasters as they navigate the crucial festive period without essential audience data.