- Mumbai Police have uncovered a TRP racket.
- Mumbai Police commissioner said on Thursday that three channels manipulated TRP data.
- Four people have been arrested in connection with the matter.
Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Prakash Javadekar on Friday October 9 said that the media should not be ‘TRP driven’, but assured action ‘if there is an issue’. Javadekar’s comments came after Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh on Thursday said that three channels, including Republic TV, ‘manipulated’ the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data about television viewership.
Speaking exclusively to Navika Kumar, Group Editor – Politics, Times Network, Javadekar said, “TRP (Television Rating Point) system is managed by BARC, a creation of the broadcasters themselves. So, if there are any problems, they should improve the system by themselves. And we are with you. I say the media should not be TRP-driven… It is not one channel, there are three channels. Whether all three are callous, or if the complaint is true, the court will look into it. Yesterday, the Supreme Court also said that media freedom cannot be absolute. But we cherish media freedom. We are products of Emergency days…”
“I was told that they have changed the algorithm. If there are problems, I will definitely take information from my officers and then whatever is necessary, we will do,” Javadekar stated further.
#Exclusive #Breaking | TRP scam: Union I&B Minister @PrakashJavdekar responds.
Media should not be TRP driven. If there is an issue, we'll definitely look into it: Prakash Javadekar tells Navika Kumar, Group Editor- Politics, Times Network. pic.twitter.com/vwl9I6zMTy
— TIMES NOW (@TimesNow) October 9, 2020
Three channels manipulated TRP data
The Mumbai Police, on Thursday, busted a major fraud of manipulating the TRP system by at least three channels. Police arrested four individuals, including owners of two regional Marathi channels, for the alleged scam and charged them with criminal breach of trust.
