Question : TRP Manipulation

(a) whether the Government has suspended Television Rating Points (TRP) due to an alleged manipulation by certain employees of media houses and Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the Government has taken any measures against such television channels, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
(c) Whether the Government has recently directed BARC to immediately resume TRP, if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether BARC Board has sought more time to start such rating after consultations with stake holders, if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
(e) the other measures taken by the Government against such news channels who are involved in TRP manipulation?

THE MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING; AND MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS AND SPORTS (SHRI ANURAG SINGH THAKUR)

(a): Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC),on 15.10.2020, had released a press statement stating that as per the directions of its Board, BARC would cease publishing the weekly individual ratings for all the channels of News and Niche genres with immediate effect for an initial period of 8-12 weeks. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, on 15.02.2021, had directed BARC to maintain status quo in the matter of ratings in view of the alleged reports of manipulation of publishing of ratings.
(b) It is informed that some concerns relating to Television Rating Points were expressed in the news reports published in October, 2020. BARC had responded to these concerns by stating that it had actively pursued action against those involved in tampering the samples and had filed 11 FIRs through its vendors across many States. The issue, thus, is a matter of investigation by the concerned police / judicial authorities of the respective jurisdictions.
(c) & (d) : Subsequent to the aforesaid developments, steps were taken by BARC on corporate governance and on streamlining of its processes and their transparency, institutional removal of management involvement in the ratings generation process.Further, the Oversight and Technical Committees within BARC have been strengthened for data validation and methodology. The access protocols for data have also been revamped and tightened.Accordingly, BARC has been askedon 12.01.2022 by this Ministry to release the News ratings. BARC has apprised that it is reaching out to all theconstituents to sufficiently inform and educate them about the details of the revised and augmented Data Reporting Standards of BARC.
(e) As stated against answer to part (b) of the Question, BARC had actively pursued action against those involved in tampering the samples and had filed 11 FIRs through its vendors across many States.

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