In an interview to Times Now, 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.”
On Friday, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that media should not be “TRP driven” and assured action “if there is an issue”. This comes a day after Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh said that three channels, including Republic TV ‘manipulated’ the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) data pertaining to television viewership.
In an interview to Times Now, 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 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. 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. We believe that it is the broadcasters association (and not government’s). If there are problems, I will definitely take information from my officers and then whatever is necessary, we will do,” Mr Javadekar told Times Now.
Earlier on Thursday, the commissioner said that the investigation is part of a larger analysis on the manipulation of news trends and how a “false narrative” was spread, adding that this information has been shared with the central government.
The commissioner informed that the bank accounts of the channels would be investigated, besides the funds they receive from advertisers and “whether they are from proceeds of crimes”.
“Anyone involved in the channel, no matter how top management, how senior, will be questioned, and if involved they will be investigated,” he added.
Mr Singh also said that if the crime is revealed, the bank accounts of these channels would be seized and more action would be taken.
“Household data were used by the channels for rating manipulation and they received illegal advertising funds. This will be considered proceeds of cheating,” the Mumbai police chief said.
“There was false TRP spreading. TRP ratings were being bought. The manipulation was mainly for advertising revenues,” he added.
According to the police, households were told to keep a certain channel switched on all the time. “Illiterate homes were asked to keep English channels on,” Mr Singh mentioned.
He also revealed that households were paid 400-500 Rs in return.
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