Published 22:21 IST, October 9th 2020
India Today admits being fined by BARC; threatens TRP ratings agency with legal action
News channel India Today has on Friday conceded that it was fined by ratings agency BARC, for what an OpIndia report claims was 'viewership malpractice'.
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In a remarkable turn in the series of events that was triggered 30 hours earlier after Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh leveled false allegations against Republic, news channel India Today has conceded that it was fined by ratings agency BARC, for what an OpIndia report claims was 'viewership malpractice'. In light of its rhetoric and bluster exploding in its face, a rattled India Today has proceeded to attack BARC.
Reacting to OpIndia's expose wherein it was revealed that BARC had fined India Today Rs 5 lakh, the channel has issued a press release on Friday, threatening BARC with legal action as it 'leaked confidential hearings'. India Today has alleged that BARC has fined it without 'presenting any concrete evidence' whereas the OpIndia report offers copious more information on the reasons behind the fine.
India Today's statement on BARC's fine:
"BARC has fined India Today without presenting any concrete evidence or convening a proper judicial committee. The issue had been under contention with them, but since they have leaked the confidential hearings, the India Today Group will consider appropriate legal recourse to get justice".
OpIndia report says 'BARC fined India Today 5 lakhs'
After India Today's name had emerged in the FIR over which Mumbai CP Param Bir Singh had attempted to malign Republic, OpIndia editor Nupur Sharma had revealed that India Today was asked to pay a fine of Rs 5,00,000 by the BARC Disciplinary Council in July after their explanation did not satisfactorily explain an ‘abnormal increase in the viewership’ of India Today.
A show-cause notice was issued by BARC on 27 April, as per OpIndia, to explain the 'buoyancy of India Today channel, in particular, geographies (Mumbai and Bangalore)'. Finding its response 'unsatisfactory', BARC asked it to pay Rs 5,00,000 penalty and left it off with a first-offence warning and not cancellation of license.
As per the BARC report accessed by OpIndia, the BARC Disciplinary Council had ruled that “the statistical data provided by BARC Measurement Science Team showed an abnormal and inexplicable increase in viewership”. It also stated that India Today had 'breached the provisions of Section 7 of the EULA and has committed Viewership Malpractice'. It added, 'this being the first offence of the Subscriber, therefore the Council is satisfied that in the present case, a warning be issued to the Subscriber and the Subscriber shall also pay a penalty of Rs. 5,00,000/-'. OpIndia says that India Today is yet to pay the fine.
Param Bir Singh's false claims and India Today's rhetoric backfires
On Thursday, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh held a press conference to share details of an alleged 'TRP scam' into which the police was probing - naming Republic TV and two Marathi channels - Fakht Marathi and Box Cinema. On contrary to Singh's allegations, the FIR filed by the Mumbai police has revealed that the arrested Relationship manager of the Hansa Research Group Private Limited - Vishal Bhandari - has named India Today and other channels on allegedly 'increasing ratings'. Mumbai police has arrested four people - Fakht Marathi proprietor Shirish Shetty, Box Cinema owner Narayan Sharma, Hansa research's ex-employee Vishal Bhandari and ex-staffer Bomapalli Rao Mistri in connection with this case, stated Param Bir Singh.
The recorded statements of two ex-employees of Hansa- which is responsible for installing and maintaining the Bar-O-Meter of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) - revealed that India Today and other channels instigated him and offered money to panel homes, where Bar-O-Meter is installed and then making them watch them. Moreover, Deokar revealed that a person named Vinay asked Bhandari in November 2019 to approach 5 homes and ask them to watch India Today daily for two hours. As per Bhandari’s own confession to the BARC Vigilance team, Vinay paid him Rs.5000 as commission for distributing Rs.1000 among 5 panel homes. A witness to the alleged TRP scam - Tejal Solanki - spoke to Republic TV, mentioning Vishal Bhandari allegedly coercing her adult children to 'watch India Today'.
21:53 IST, October 9th 2020