Govt suspends news channel TRPs for 4 weeks over ‘sensationalist’ Iran-Israel war coverage
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New Delhi: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has ordered the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to halt Television Rating Points (TRPs) for news TV channels for four weeks, citing "unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content" on the Iran-US-Israel conflict. The move aims to curb public distress, especially among families with loved ones in affected areas.
The decision invokes Clause 24.2 of the 2014 Policy Guidelines for TV rating agencies, mandating compliance with ministry directives. Without TRPs, channels lose a key metric for advertisers, potentially hitting ad revenue as brands can't gauge viewership ROI.
Newslaundry recently flagged TV coverage lapses: recycled/mislabeled footage, dramatic sirens, fake news, communal dog-whistles, and even astrologers offering "analysis."