Reality shows, cricket turn advertisers' safe bets

Media--istock — The growing integration of television and digital is also helping brands assess content performance

MUMBAI: With the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) barring the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) from releasing TV ratings until it complies with the new guidelines, advertisers are gravitating towards established properties, with reality shows and cricket emerging as key beneficiaries, TV executives and marketers said.

Established non-fiction shows such as Bigg Boss and Kaun Banega Crorepati have continued to attract advertisers despite the blackout. Bigg Boss has roped in 95 sponsors across its language editions, while KBC has secured 25 sponsors.

At the time of the ratings blackout, some marketers had expected reality shows to be more affected. However, established non-fiction shows have continued to attract advertisers.

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Cricket is also drawing advertiser interest, with India matches providing an opportunity to reach large audiences in a second half of the year largely devoid of marquee events such as the IPL or ICC tournaments. The India-West Indies series has drawn a strong response from brands, while the India-New Zealand series is also expected to see strong traction.

The MIB barred BARC from releasing viewership data from June after the ratings agency failed to comply with key provisions of the new TV Ratings Policy 2026. BARC has since increased the share of independent board members to 33% and expanded its viewership meter count to 77,596, against the stipulated target of 80,000. Cross-media measurement remains an outstanding requirement.

"During periods of uncertainty, such as a ratings blackout, brands have prioritised established properties with proven benchmarks to mitigate risk. High-impact properties such as non-fiction shows and cricket have historically commanded premium ad rates, and advertisers' reliance on these properties has increased further, particularly during the festive period," said a TV broadcasting executive.

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The executive added that the absence of viewership data had complicated content planning, making it difficult for broadcasters to assess new shows' performance and demonstrate their potential to advertisers.

"In a market navigating measurement uncertainty, the long-standing equity of television channels and properties becomes an important source of confidence for advertisers," said Mahesh Shetty, head, entertainment sales, TV, JioStar.

Another executive said the blackout was disproportionately affecting smaller broadcasters, contributing to a decline in ad volumes. Larger networks, meanwhile, are offering advertisers additional inventory and other benefits to help justify their spends.

The growing integration of television and digital is also helping brands assess content performance, said a marketer. Even when BARC ratings were available, advertisers relied on multiple metrics to allocate budgets and measure returns, the marketer added. These included the brand profile of the channel and the quality of content.

However, the pressure on television advertising predates the ratings blackout. A shift in audience attention and ad spends towards digital, alongside lower FMCG advertising expenditure on television, had already weighed on the medium. TV ad volumes fell 7% in January-July 2026, according to TAM.

Datum India's Advertising Forecast 2025-2030 projects festive advertising expenditure at Rs 60,000-62,000 crore in 2026, up 13-17% from Rs 53,000 crore last year. This would account for roughly a third of the total advertising market, estimated at Rs 1,75,782 crore.