Lok Sabha Question No. 1010 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-02-08
Subject: TRP Manipulation
Ministry: INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING
Asked by: Ramya  Haridas, Asaduddin Owaisi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1010 (TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.02.2022)

TRP MANIPULATION.

1010. MS. RAMYA HARIDAS:

## SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

## Will the Minister of INFORMATION AND BROADCASTING be pleased to state:

- (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?

## ANSWER

## 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 asked  on  12.01.2022  by  this  Ministry  to  release  the  News  ratings.  BARC  has apprised  that  it  is  reaching  out  to  all  the constituents 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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