IRS 2018: Two publications under scanner for data violation
MRUC has received several informal complaints of ‘inappropriate use of data’, however, in two cases the matter has already gone to the committee for scrutiny.
Within two weeks of IRS data being out, the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) is already looking into cases of data being misused by a few publications. As per highly placed industry sources, the body has received several informal complaints of ‘inappropriate use of data’, however, in two cases the matter has already gone to the committee for scrutiny.
Sources claim that despite strict rules and regulations, most publications began to ‘pick and choose’ the data that suited them for marketing purposes.
When contacted for comments, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman , MRUC said, they are looking into the data used in mailers and ads issued by a few publications. However, no formal case has been registered against anyone yet.
“It’s an elaborate process, we have a committee that is looking into these issues and corroborating the claims and the data. If we find it is a case of violation, we will definitely issue notices. No one who violates the code or the terms of usage will be let off the hook and any use of IRS data by non subscribers will also be dealt with strongly, as data piracy cannot be tolerated, ” Bhasin told e4m.
In a first of its kind, the MRUC has given out a code of conduct for publicity of the IRS 2017 results. “The Subscriber may not compare the IRS 2017 data with any previous IRS rounds,” the code of conduct reads.
The Code of conduct also says that “Any claim for “leading”, “No.1” or to establish top position by any parameter/s should ONLY be based on a like to like comparison, i.e. the same set of readership/listenership/ viewership data to be compared amongst publications/radio stations/ TV channels/ any other media, sourced only from IRS 2017.”
However, soon after the survey result was out, competing for supremacy, it was interesting to note that most publications used ads comparative advertising strategies.
(with inputs from Nishant Saxena)
Sources claim that despite strict rules and regulations, most publications began to ‘pick and choose’ the data that suited them for marketing purposes.
When contacted for comments, Ashish Bhasin, Chairman , MRUC said, they are looking into the data used in mailers and ads issued by a few publications. However, no formal case has been registered against anyone yet.
“It’s an elaborate process, we have a committee that is looking into these issues and corroborating the claims and the data. If we find it is a case of violation, we will definitely issue notices. No one who violates the code or the terms of usage will be let off the hook and any use of IRS data by non subscribers will also be dealt with strongly, as data piracy cannot be tolerated, ” Bhasin told e4m.
In a first of its kind, the MRUC has given out a code of conduct for publicity of the IRS 2017 results. “The Subscriber may not compare the IRS 2017 data with any previous IRS rounds,” the code of conduct reads.
The Code of conduct also says that “Any claim for “leading”, “No.1” or to establish top position by any parameter/s should ONLY be based on a like to like comparison, i.e. the same set of readership/listenership/ viewership data to be compared amongst publications/radio stations/ TV channels/ any other media, sourced only from IRS 2017.”
However, soon after the survey result was out, competing for supremacy, it was interesting to note that most publications used ads comparative advertising strategies.
(with inputs from Nishant Saxena)
