GTPL Hathway Offers Set-Top Box Ads on CPM and Daily TV Rankings From 10,000 Homes

GTPL Hathway has launched a television audience measurement framework built on return path data (RPD) from more than 10,000 set-top boxes, and will let advertisers buy ad slots on those boxes on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis, Storyboard18 and Indian Television reported on 24 October 2026. The cable operator has also started publishing daily channel rankings.

The move matters because the industry-wide ratings published by BARC India remain frozen, leaving broadcasters and media buyers short of a common currency. PressRoom reported last week that TV ad activity fell 8.6% during the ratings blackout. GTPL is offering advertisers impression-based pricing similar to what Google and Meta sell, on inventory that has until now been sold largely without performance data.

What GTPL is measuring

According to the company's announcement, as reported by both outlets:

• More than 10,000 RPD-enabled boxes across over 200 towns and about 3,000 PIN codes, to be expanded to about 50,000 households over the next few months.
• Nearly 1,000 channels, pay and free-to-air, national and regional.
• A base of more than 11 million active digital TV homes, with an estimated 50 million viewers.
• Early data showing measured households watch linear TV for more than 7.5 hours a day.

Figures from the sample are extrapolated to the wider subscriber base using statistical methods. GTPL says a baseline study was run by an independent research agency, which it has not named, and that viewing data is anonymised and aggregated at household level.

The ad offer: banners, volume bars and boot screens

The CPM inventory covers the box's own screens: information banners, volume bars, on-screen displays, boot screens and the programme guide, BestMediaInfo reported. Its dashboard for 22 October estimated about 1,054.84 million impressions for the information banner alone. BestMediaInfo cautioned that these are estimated exposures, not verified campaign results. CPM rates have not been disclosed. Sister companies Hathway and DEN Networks already sell ads on similar set-top box properties, the outlet said.

Rankings, but no audience numbers

The daily rankings use a rolling seven-day average and are published under the Television Rating Policy 2026, which allows distribution platforms to publish viewership information from their own networks. For 22 October, Star Plus ranked first nationally, followed by Sony SAB, SET, Sun TV and Maa TV, according to BestMediaInfo. The public dashboard shows only ranks and languages, not reach, share or viewing minutes.

That limits its value as a ratings substitute. BestMediaInfo, citing a ministry official in its earlier reporting, said the policy does not let unregistered platforms sell audience data commercially; only registered ratings agencies can. GTPL's nearer-term opportunity is therefore ad sales on its own boxes rather than a rival ratings product. The rules on opening TV measurement to distribution platforms have been debated since the draft stage.