I&B Ministry directs BARC to halt TRP reporting of TV news channels for four weeks amid West Asia conflict
The directive comes amid escalating hostilities in West Asia that entered its eight day on Saturday.
PTC News Desk: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Friday asked the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to stop publishing Television Rating Points (TRPs) for TV news channels for four weeks or until further orders. The move was taken due to what the ministry called “unwarranted sensationalism” in coverage of the ongoing war in West Asia involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
“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.
The directive comes amid escalating hostilities in West Asia that entered its eight day on Saturday.
Sources said the ministry noticed that some broadcasters were showing sensational and speculative reports about the conflict, which could create panic among the public.
Because of this, BARC has been instructed to immediately pause the release of TRPs, so that news channels do not resort to such reporting in an attempt to increase their viewership ratings.