The government on Friday ordered television ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to immediately freeze the reporting of television rating points (TRP) for television news channels for four weeks or until further orders due to “sensational” coverage of the US-Iran conflict.
The move comes amid concerns that some TV news channels are showing “unauthorized sensationalist and speculative content” about the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict that “can potentially cause panic” among the general public, especially those who have friends and family in the affected areas or live in conflict areas, a PTI news report said.
Follow the latest developments in the US-Iran conflict here
The conflict in West Asia entered its seventh day on Friday, March 6 – following US and Israeli strikes on Iran that killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei along with other key figures in the Islamic Republic on February 28. In retaliation, Tehran responded with counterstrikes targeting US military bases and other Israeli assets throughout the region.
What is BARC?
According to the “Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies in India” issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 16 January 2014 for television ratings, the Broadcasting Research Council (BARC) is a registered television rating agency.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said in its directive that it had noticed that amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, some news television channels were showing “unauthorized sensationalism and speculative content” that “can potentially cause panic” among the general public, especially those who have friends and family in or live in the affected areas.
Clause 24.2 of the policy states that “The Company shall comply with all orders, regulations, directives, instructions etc. issued by the Ministry from time to time.
“Therefore, in public interest, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting hereby directs M/s BARC to immediately withhold reporting of Television Rating Points (TRP) for news television channels for a period of four weeks or until further instructions, whichever is earlier,” the directive said.
