NEW DELHI: The News Broadcasters Federation (NBF), India’s largest industry association  representing interests of news broadcasters from across the length and breadth of the country, has strongly objected to BARC’s decision to pause audience estimates (ratings) of news channels. It has stated that: 

(1) BARC did not consult the NBF, before such a crucial decision, which impacts the entire news broadcasting industry, the single-largest genre within the television sector. BARC would not have taken any such crucial decision if it had involved any genre, without consulting GECs member channels.

(2) BARC meters do not single-out the news genre in its audience measurement system. If BARC sincerely wants to review and augment its system, it should pause ratings for all genres including general entertainment channels (GEC), sports, Infotainment, movies, music, kids, youth and lifestyle.

(3) Information has come out recently about a channel which has been found guilty of TRP manipulation and has been fined by the BARC disciplinary committee. NBF is shocked that a member of the same channel has been included on the board of BARC. It’s not just a conflict of interest and no reasonable decision-making process can happen with a person named in ratings manipulations. What has happened itself is shocking. Now the matter is in the public domain, this individual on the board of BARC should voluntarily remove the said executive from the his position for a period of at least one year.                 

“The decision is unilateral, one-sided and undemocratic, impacting and targeting one single genre within the broadcasting ecosystem,” NBF general secretary R Jai Krishna said. “The decision will severely impact news broadcasters, who have seen a surge in ratings despite the challenges of a lower-than-expected economic growth that has impacted their revenues already. in addition to the financial impact created by the lockdown to prevent spread of Covid-19.”

NBF counts Dighvijay, DY365 News, First India Rajasthan, Gulistan News, IBC24, India News, JK 24X7, Living India News, MH One News, News Live, News Nation, NewsX, North East Live, Odisha TV, Prag News, PuthiyaThalaimurai TV, Republic Bharat, Republic TV, S Newz, TV5, First News Kannada, India News Gujarat, India News MPCG, India News Rajasthan, India News UPUK, India News Punjab Himachal and Twenty Four News among its members.