New Delhi: Two organisations representing news broadcasters in India — one led by journalist Rajat Sharma of India TV and the other by Arnab Goswami of Republic TV — have issued divergent reactions on the decision of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to temporarily suspend publishing of weekly ratings for individual news channels.
While the Rajat Sharma-led News Broadcasters Association (NBA) has welcomed the decision, the News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), headed by Goswami, has objected to the decision.
BARC, which keeps a watch on television viewership trends in India across different genres, took the decision after Mumbai Police accused three news channels — Republic TV and two Marathi channels — for allegedly manipulating viewership ratings in their favour. BARC will now review and augment the current standards of measuring and reporting the data of “niche genres” in an exercise likely to take 8-12 weeks.
The NBA and the NBF represent different blocs of news channels. While the NBA’s members include India Today and India TV, the NBF largely comprises regional channels like First India Rajasthan and Gulistan News, besides Republic TV.
Also Read: Why TRPs are important for broadcasters, and are also prone to ‘manipulation’
Divergent takes
In a statement Thursday, the NBA said it believes the suspension is an important step in the right direction.
“BARC should use these 12 weeks to completely overhaul its systems and restore the credibility of the information it collects about What India Watches,” it added.
The statement quoted Sharma as saying that 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,” it said.
Sharma said that human intervention should be completely eliminated in collection and processing of viewership data to safeguard its integrity.
The NBF, meanwhile, said in a statement that it “strongly objects” to BARC’s decision.
“The decision is unilateral, one-sided and undemocratic, impacting and targeting one single genre within the broadcasting ecosystem,” NBF general secretary R. Jai Krishna was quoted as saying in the statement.
“The decision will severely impact news broadcasters, who have seen a surge in ratings despite the challenges of a lower-than-expected economic growth that has impacted their revenues already, in addition to the financial impact created by the lockdown to prevent spread of Covid-19,” he added.
Also Read: Supreme Court asks Republic TV to approach Bombay High Court in TRP scam case
It’s time to reform or reframe the jurisdiction of journalism to improve positive mindset of the viewers,
Arnab should be put behind Bars till 100 Years as he gave false news about Sushant Singh Rajput…. Police should use Third Degree to Arnab Goswami….
Do post rubbish comments
Mr.Rajat Sharma ji,now loving brother ARNAB ji came out with clean hands,would you like to say something.?
Arnab Goswami is revealing the truth and the people of india wants the truth as it with Palghar sadhus issue or with Hathras issue or the drugs issue or the SSR issue let the reality comes out don’t bury the truth and think Republic channel is bringing the truth to public and I am always with the truth
In palghar lynching nothing is done to save poor sadhus by maharashtra police,
In disha mysterious suicide case nothing is investigated by mumbai police
Lakh of people gather outside bandhra when lockdown by country is serious
In ssr death probe not even registered case for 72 hours and no proper evidence taken at scene and finally improper post mortem after a week great
Mumbai muncipality collapses illegal construction of kangana after giving notice with in 24 hours
Shiv sena gundas beat ex navy officer like adog great administration in maharashtra never ever
Indians are basically short-sighted, self-centred, tolerant and indifferent. These basic traits have facilitated many invasions and attendant problems. There is no single solution to various issues we have inherited. Of late people want their targets are achieved overnight. This approach pave way for manipulations. Nothing gets monitored effectively 24×7. There will be slippages inherent in the system, more so in India. We can recollect umpteen number of cases where we react hy-perly, having been casual to our surroundings. TRP is a small tip of an iceberg. Any system can work when there is eternal vigilance from various stakeholders namely, Government, regulating Authorities, general public more so who have direct stakes. Objective and dispassionate media can play a vital role in this direction. But hardly there are journalist who …..
One fact which no one can deny is that Mr Arnab has definitely brought a new dynamism in media reporting. OK. Does it mean that Republic channel reporting must be accepted.?
The answer is No. The reason is both Republic and Times Now, instead of reporting SSR case, slowly started becoming juries, and concluded that it is murder. That is dangerous. Further both the above channels not even reported the other side views, since they have already not only concluded but made the viewers to believe that it is murder.
So let the channels bring activism or investigative journalism but they should keep away from becoming juries.
Now when so many methods of measuring viewership is available, which ever be the Federation or Association, let them bring rating through viewers by posing some online methods covering a large set of population instead of fixing dubious instruments in the houses.
Since it involves crores of spending in advertisement a centralised structure covering key channels, is what is required instead of the channel heads themselves running the same.
Anyone who is hellbent upon spreading hate is a criminal and is doing disservice to the society and the nation.
I have more faith in Arnab than other media bosses.. He shouts but tries to expose the dirty nexus of various wings of mafias…
And ultimately his own nexus got exposed in trp rating scam.
Honest journalism is a misnomer. In India the Elites of Lutyens drove the editorial policy and narrative of most media till recently.
We need more people like Arman to voice the truth and reveal actual facts.He is fearless because he speaks truth and truth alone.
Rating is not the absolute method of popularity & viewership of any channel. It can be manuplated with a small group of viewers, but the fact is that one can not ignore the popularity or viewership of channel by the support it gets through other medium that is social media. Republic tv don’t require any cirtificate from M_m_ai p_l_ce or Ma_a_a_h_ra g_vt.. for its popularity but the act they are doing in Vendetta is realy shocking for common people… Though this is a temporary phase but still it is big mockery of power
News should be news.l love to see and hearBBC news and doordarshan.
Its high time investigative journalism is encouraged and the whole nation supports this. Too many issues are hidden under the carpet. With the next issue the previous issue is being buried.
Police in all the states are made to adhere to the ruling govts whims and fancies.
For long the people have been taken for granted. Tax payers money is not accounted for and is misused.
As for debates, there has be basic discipline, only one person should speak at a time, the others must wait for their turn. pointing fingers and speaking,what kind of low culture is that? The moderator needs to bring about this discipline before the persons are brought for debate. Shouting is another sickening part of the debate. Evasive answers and talking irrelevant points to be strictly avoided.
Yes, i agree we can have two more rating companies to scientifically evaluate the broadcasting companies on their content and depth and above all the objective.
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All our freedoms fighters and soldiers can hardly be proud of democracy existing in India which is under shelter of parliament and courts. Being a citizen of India I feel sometimes it was worthless to get independence. Country has passed is gimmicks of few rich and powerful politicians who can plays easy and mould law and government agencies anytime. Severity of crime is setting bar high and challenging itself to make another new records.
Hopeless parliament, courts and top most govt. agencies is the reverberation anyone can hear in public today .
You are right anand. Thanks.
Republic channel should be ban.. …….kaheta hai Bharat……..
What kind of article is this… even we all know through the fir report,Hansa report and BARC report that the channel was India Today and not republic still this article says republic tv even after so much explanation…this make us all know what this article is trying to do. Everyone supports Arnab and SSR
India’s democracy and secularism is in great danger due to BJP’s deliberate anti Muslim activities just garner the votes of hindu majority. The spine less press refused to talk about Modi’s wrong policies. From demonetization to anti farmers legislation media didn’t open its mouth. The result is India is suffering.
I hardly watch Arnab too much noise very little news never followed Susant case on TV news…… But now with these attacks Arnab is becoming a Hero for me
It is seen since the establishment of Republic TV. They are bringing before the public intrinsic truth in any incident happening in the country which is a potential threat to our national integrity which is not tolerable by our double faced politician. Maharashtra Govt under present leadership has resorted to revenge politics which should not happen. The people of India believes Republic TV because of its telecasting of truth.
They didn’t allow me to comment what i want to say .If i used words like bi##ed f##e they didn’t allow me to comment. That’s clearly show’s how this gut#ter broadcast is running.
You guy’s are so Fake and always running an biased news propaganda. Why you guy’s knowingly didn’t name India today . And if we talk about FIR there is no mention of Republic in it.
Our collective thought process have become so polarised, people may demand soon a dictatorship. The reasons of India overtaken by fewer forces is unfolding. The arrogance. Aham and prejudice is so deep rooted in our DNA we are running behind bangladesh. Even enemy at our doors has no effect on us. History repeats.
Freedom of speech and press are to be protected.Press is free to highlight and expose the truth what Aranab is doing. If Maha Govet want any action against him let him do in a justifiable manner.Aronanb we stand for justice.Please fight for it.
So now advertisers will shoot in the dark, place their advertisements in random news channels and hope for best in the times of forthcoming festivities. Such ads may or may notreach the target audience. Some not so popular channels will benefit by advt revenue during such period. Such tactics/decision will not impact popular channels and hopefully truth will prevail. R. TV & Republic Bharat are Free to Air and are much popular and will continue to be most popular despite all controversies.
Republic TV is manipulateing TRP in an unique way. Whenever we are opening TV through our SITI Network Cable, by default it will first open Republic TV and we have to see it for 30 second, after then TV will allow to go to our choiced Chanel. Now we understood from them that in our country there are no other issues other than Susan murder case.
In the whole dram that was unfolding regarding Sushant death is probably being distorted in front of our eyes and criminals escaping with so ease wow really money and power can change any and everything, honesty, sincerity, patriotism, ect can be oppressed by these criminals so easily,and our law and judicery are so powerless in front of such people,and only show its power on common man. pray that good also becomes more powerful than bad some day.Small countries are growing at a fast pace and our country is struggling even after so many decades of freedom because of such disgusting rich powerful and selfish criminal people.
It’s absolutely known throughout India who is right and who is wrong everybody in India saw in India and abroad what right and what is wrong let have opinions polls I think Arnab will won by clear majority no doubt about it everybody in India know how the truth is supress in India by previlage people I think Arnob is common people and all India support him. We found Nataji suvash chandro bose in him.
We support Arnab Goswami ji 100 %
We are with him. He always fights for the truth and never compromise with anyone who wants to buy truth with their money, power and influence. Arnab Ji, dont worry, truth always win, we are supporting you and praying for your wellness. God’blessings are the greatest power of all. Fight for the truth please. ?
Arnob to compare with netaji … Do u hv any sense at all .. He is meniac hav some problem with his thinking nd clearly a worst anchor ever..
Arnab Cowswami is a cheer leader of the government.
Ha ha correct Arnob is innocent Not Arnab and Nataji only u can find in him not netaji
How can one allege Arnab to be wrongdoer. Its ones business and can apply own promotional tactics. There are several business tactics. Pharmacies are offered 10% extra by pharma companies. Hotels offer redeemable points. There are few app based bookings offering more discounts too. After all, all are paying taxes and no illegitimate practices. Question about atrocious style of presentations. Even nothing wrong about it too. Importantly, one should understand that in certain issues, unless a more investigative style journalism practised and mire and more people are met and questioned, how can the facts come to fore. Police style is just a fashion. Police oblige for state leadership interests. Its Alibaba co operating.
It is the revenge politics of mumbai police against the republic tv. As it exposed the case of palghar lynching, susant murder case and against the anti people propaganda of our country particularly Congress. Nd tv is relentlessly talks in favour of them. Shame.
Overhaul is a dire necessity. BARC must pause and rethink. In fact, why we should not we have more than one rating institution? The TRP system should not be dominated by the electronic media, who suffer from conflict of interest. Organizations like FICCI, ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM and CII should come forward and take charge of the rating system.