The Media Research Users Council (MRUC) has suspended the hotly contested findings of the latest Indian Readership Survey (IRS) 2013 after a meeting with the Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI) in Mumbai on Wednesday.
The meeting between the RSCI Managing Committee and the MRUC Board was called to discuss the way forward for IRS 2013 with all its stakeholders. “The IRS will be held in abeyance until March 31, 2014,” said a statement released by MRUC.
This decision was taken after 18 major news publishers questioned the findings of IRS 2013 and pointed out a number of anomalies. They had also asked for the withdrawal of the data with immediate effect
Earlier this month, the Indian Newspaper Society had also rejected the findings and several of its members sent letters withdrawing from the IRS.
The RSCI has asked MRUC to develop a process of re-validation. “A process of re-validation is being developed. This process shall be finalised by February 24,” the statement added. The exercise is expected to be completed by March 31.
MRUC said that the observations and recommendations from this process will be presented to the RSCI by early April. “Once adopted, the recommendations will be formally incorporated into the future architecture of the IRS,” the statement added.
It also said that all subscribers and members will be immediately contacted by RSCI, MRUC and the Audit Bureau of Circulations to hold off usage of the study until the re-validation process is completed.