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Government Issues Directives To BARC To Halt TRP’s For TV News Channels ; Cites ‘unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content’ in Some Channels On Israel- Iran war ; Will Arnab Goswami, Navika Kumar Abide?
The directive has been issued as certain TV news channels are displaying ‘unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content’ about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, which ‘may potentially create panic’ among the general public, specially those having friends and family in the affected areas or residing in the conflict zones.
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The government has directed television rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to immediately withhold reporting the Television Rating Points (TRPs) for TV news channels for a period of four weeks or until further orders.
The directive has been issued as certain TV news channels are displaying ‘unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content’ about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, which ‘may potentially create panic’ among the general public, specially those having friends and family in the affected areas or residing in the conflict zones.
According to the ‘Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India’, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on January 16, 2014 for television rating, BARC is a registered television rating agency.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, in its directive, said that it has observed that, amidst the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, 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 Clause 24.2 of the policy guidelines, prescribes that ‘The company shall be required to comply with any orders, regulations, guidelines, directions, etc., issued by the Ministry from time to time.
‘Therefore, in the public interest, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting hereby directs M/s BARC to immediately withhold reporting the Television Rating Points(TRPs) for news TV channels for a period of four weeks or until further directions, whichever is earlier,’ the directive said.
While government directive is welcome it remains to be seen whther the above diktat is followed in spirit by Republic TV , Editor In Chief Arnab Goswami whose channel loves TRP and can go to any length for high TRP ratings and ridicule other new channels . Times Now’s Navika Kumar is not far beind in this game .