IRS—Why India’s media measurement must catch up with the attention economy

(Views expressed in this column are personal.)
When the first Indian Readership Survey (IRS) was conducted in 1995 by MRUC, the Indian advertising industry was almost unrecognizable compared to today. The sector then was worth just ?3,000–4,500 crore, with 70% of ad spend going to print. Television was still emerging, and cable TV was just a whisper on the horizon. Fast-forward to today: the industry has exploded to over ?1.1 lakh crore, and the transformation in the way we tell our stories has been profound. The IRS has journeyed alongside these changes for 30 years—it’s now time for an upgrade. The first Indian Readership Survey (IRS) in 1995 reflected that reality—a world where print media was king, and everything else played catch-up.

Today, the landscape couldn’t be more different. The industry has soared to over ?1.1 lakh crore, its growth engine powered as much by algorithms and screens as by stories and formats. Print’s share, once dominant, now sits at around 17%–19%. Digital advertising leads the charge, accounting for nearly half of all ad spends, while television claims less than a third. We live in the age of the scrolling thumb and split-second attention, of OTT shows watched on demand, of news consumed through apps like “In Shorts,” of shopping that starts with a search and ends with a tap on a smartphone.

What’s Changed—And Why Measurement lags Behind
But here’s the catch: despite this seismic shift, the tools we use to track, understand, and plan our strategies have not kept up. The IRS remains heavily focused on print, a relic from the analogue era, even as the industry itself has embraced digital transformation. The last time the IRS served every stakeholder well, digital and broadcast channels played a comparatively minor role (Year 2019).

The truth is, advertising success has outgrown “opportunity to see”. Today, brands and agencies care less about mere exposure and more about capturing—and holding—real consumer interest. First-party data signals, gathered directly from consumer interactions, are now the bedrock of campaign strategy. These direct signals allow brands to truly personalize communication, making ads more relevant and increasing conversions.

Beyond data, consider the power of consumer cohorts—groupings based on interests, habits, or behaviors—enabling laser-focused messaging, hyper-personalisation at scale. Or the programmatic platforms that use machine learning to place ads right where they’ll matter most, in real time. Starting with IPL 2023, for instance, advertisers saw the dramatic impact of these new tools first-hand: interactive ads on CTV platforms generated engagement—not just reach—is now the gold standard.

The Call for a Future-Ready, Holistic Media Survey
Given this reality, it’s urgent we reimagine how India measures its media universe. Imagine a next-gen survey with a sample size of over a million respondents, sampling every format, region, age group, and demographic. Recruitment, interviews, and results could be powered by AI agents, making surveys more structured, efficient, and auditable—and ensuring our data is transparent and trustworthy.

This survey wouldn't just count impressions. It would span Print, TV, Magazines, social, short-form video, OTT, digital news, e-commerce, and will comprehensively cover the full shopper journey, capturing the cross-channel routes that Indian consumers truly travel today. It would be dynamic and always on, not a dusty annual publication, offering actionable insights accessible in real time. It will truly be a cross channel-cross platform-cross devices survey.

Industry Collaboration: Who Should Be Involved
For such an ambitious measurement system to become reality, it cannot be built in silos. We need an industry-wide coalition—agencies, advertisers, media owners, broadcasters, tech giants, programmatic and e-commerce platforms, streaming players and beyond. If the entire ecosystem participates, the result is a panoramic, integrated view of India’s fast-changing media habits.

A practical step would be forming an independent task force with representatives from every key segment—advertisers, publishers, agencies, and technology companies. This body would define robust measurement standards, guarantee transparency, and troubleshoot integration challenges. As we leverage more data sources, we must also prioritize user privacy, ensure diverse voices are represented, and keep pace with technology shifts.

Funding: A Shared Investment in the Industry’s Future
A survey that serves all cannot be funded by just a few. Traditionally, print publishers have shouldered much of the cost burden—a structure that no longer reflects where value is created in today’s landscape. Instead, funding must be collective.

• Publishers and broadcasters, who want relevance and growth

• Advertisers and agencies, desperate for accuracy and actionable intelligence

• Tech companies and digital platforms, whose platforms, algorithms, and ad products depend on robust and credible reach and engagement data

Only when everyone who benefits also invests do we get truly fair governance, broad-based participation, and outcomes that are trusted across the board.

Why It Matters for India—Now and for the Future
A modern, unified measurement system isn’t just a technical upgrade—it's the foundation for smarter campaign planning, creative innovation, and industry credibility. With it, marketers gain sharper clarity, agencies can allocate spends with confidence, and the public receives more relevant, less intrusive messages. It’s not just about keeping up—it’s about leading.

Having witnessed the industry’s evolution from its ink-stained print beginnings to its dynamic digital present, I am certain: the time is now. India must set the benchmark, not just catch up. Let’s build the measurement system the world will one day want to copy.