New Delhi: Concerned over the media’s conduct in the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to suspend the publication of Television Rating Points (TRPs) for news television channels for a period of four weeks.
The order takes effect immediately and will remain in force for four weeks “or until further directions, whichever is earlier.”
In its order issued Friday, the I&B ministry said that it has observed that “certain News TV Channels are displaying unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content, which may potentially create panic among the general public, specially those having friends and family in the affected areas or residing in the affected areas.”
The ministry, however, has not named any specific channel in the direction. The order, issued “in the public interest,” does not specify any mechanism of review or criteria under which the suspension could be lifted before the four-week period concludes.
The government invoked Clause 24.2 of the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India, issued 16 January, 2014, under which BARC is registered. The clause states that “the company shall be required to comply with any orders, regulations, guidelines, directions, etc., issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting from time to time.”
TRPs are the metric used by broadcasters and advertisers to assess viewership and determine advertising rates. A suspension of TRP reporting directly affects the commercial positioning of news channels, removing a tool that networks use to attract advertising revenue and benchmark audience share against competitors.
In 2020, the I&B ministry had ordered a similar suspension of TRP ratings for news channels for several weeks amid controversy over data manipulation, when a Mumbai Police investigation had implicated certain broadcasters.
Established under the aegis of the broadcasting industry in 2010, the BARC is the sole body authorised to measure and publish television audience data in India. Its ratings feed into multi-crore advertising deals across the industry, making any suspension a matter of consequence well beyond editorial conduct.
The conflict, which has escalated sharply following a series of strikes and counter-strikes between Israel and Iran, has dominated Indian news coverage, with several channels running wall-to-wall broadcasts. India has a significant diaspora presence in both Israel and parts of the Gulf region.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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