India CTV measurement has no unified currency. The core problem: each major platform self-reports audience numbers, BARC India's panel covers only participating platforms, and cross-platform reach cannot be independently deduplicated. Here's what's missing and why it matters:
- No cross-platform deduplification: A viewer who watches JioCinema and Hotstar on the same day is counted twice when you add up platform-reported figures. Advertisers buying across platforms have no way to know true unduplicated reach.
- BARC covers only some platforms: BARC India's TV-screen streaming measurement includes Hotstar, SonyLIV, and Zee5. JioCinema, YouTube, and Netflix are not independently verified by BARC. These unverified platforms account for a substantial share of India CTV viewing.
- Self-certified numbers: JioCinema reports its own MAU, DAU, and concurrent viewer figures. These are not third-party audited. IPL viewing numbers in particular cannot be independently verified.
- No standardised viewability or completion metrics: Unlike digital display (where MRC standards exist), CTV viewability definitions vary by platform in India. What counts as a completed view differs across JioCinema, Hotstar, and YouTube CTV.
- Connected TV vs mobile conflation: Platforms often report app-level numbers that combine mobile, tablet, and TV-screen viewing. TV-screen CTV viewing cannot always be isolated from total streaming figures.
For planners, the practical implication is to treat platform-reported numbers as directional inputs rather than verified currencies. Use BARC data for relative platform rankings on participating platforms, and apply reach discounts when estimating cross-platform unduplicated reach.
Full guide
For a complete explanation, read: India CTV measurement gaps: what planners need to know and how to work around them