Key Points :
- Televisions rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has decided to temporarily suspend news channels’ weekly rating amid the ongoing investigation into the fake TRP scam.
- The agency is reviewing its system during the suspension period to improve their ‘statistical robustness’ and it is estimated that the exercise will take eight to twelve weeks.
- The News Broadcasters’ Association welcomed this decision and said this time will be used to bring about important reforms at BARC.
In a statement released on Thursday, Rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) announced that it has decided to temporarily suspend news channels’ ratings following the fake TRP scam. Three channels are being investigated over reports of alleged rigging of viewership ratings. The suspension of ratings applies to all English, Hindi, regional and business news channels.
The agency announced this action is being taken in order to “review and augment the current standards of measuring and reporting the data of niche genres, to improve their statistical robustness and to significantly hamper the potential attempts of infiltrating the panel homes”.
“…starting with the ‘News Genre’, BARC will cease publishing the weekly individual ratings for all news channels during the exercise. This exercise is expected to take around 8-12 weeks including validation and testing under the supervision of BARCs Tech Comm. BARC will continue to release weekly audience estimates for the genre of news by state and language,” BARC said.
Republic TV is among the three channels being probed for allegedly rigging ratings to spread fake reports and to bring in ad revenue with viewers testifying they were paid to keep the channel on even when not watching. Along with Republic TV, two local channels in Maharashtra named Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema are being investigated. Two TV channel owners have been arrested and the directors and promoters of Republic TV are being questioned in the matter.
The News Broadcasters Association has welcomed the decision to suspend ratings saying this time “will be utilised to implement important reforms at BARC”.
“Recent revelations have brought disrepute to the measurement agency and by extension the broadcast news media. The corrupted, compromised, irrationally fluctuating data is creating a false narrative on What India Watches and has been putting pressure on our members to take editorial calls that run counter to the journalistic values and ideals of journalism,” said Rajat Sharma, president of News Broadcasters Association.
