Prasar Bharati cracks its whip against TAM

Source: MM Network; By: MediaMughals

Date: November 19, 2012

Prasar Bharati has moved the Competition Commissin of India(CCI) alleging the Television Audience Measurement (TAM) agency of abusing its dominant position and carrying out audience measurement in an unfair manner.

It was also alleged that while there were more than 20 million TV households in the country, TAM installed meters in only 8,000 homes and that too in the cities that had a population of more than one lakh. The agency completely kept out rural as well as smaller towns. Prasar Bharati has been alleging the agency of restricting the market by not carrying out technological advancement and thereby abusing their dominant position.

On Friday (November 16) the CCI received information from Prasar Bharati alleging anti-competitive practise by TAM. CCI will consider the matter through the week and if prima facie it makes a case, the Director General (Investigations) will probe the allegations, as reported by PTI. When approached, Prasar Bharati CEO Jawahr Sircar confirmed having filed the complaint, but did not provide details.

The sources said the complaint was filed under section 4 of the Competition Act 2002, which pertains to abuse of dominant position by a market player. The decision to move the CCI against TAM was taken at Prasar Bharati's board meeting in September this year.

Link: http://www.mediamughals.com/News/1/1/Article/11086/Prasar_Bharati_cracks_its_whip_against_TAM.htm