Mumbai: In a scandal that is
still sending shockwaves through the television industry in the country, the
stories continue to pile on. Initially, Republic Tv has been accused of
altering the TRP ratings to boost its sponsorship. Republic Tv along with two other
channels Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi are being investigated by the Mumbai
police for falsifying the Television Rating Points (TRP) to gain high
advertising rates. A research company called Mansa Research Group which is
based in Mumbai filed a complaint that Republic TV has been altering their TRP
records. Republic TV claims to have the highest viewership among the Indian
news channels. The Mumbai Police began the investigation into the channel and
it was later revealed by them that the channel has been complicit in falsifying
the TRP ratings in order to obtain high advertising rates.
Republic Tv, in turn, are
alleging that their channel is being targeted because of their extensive
coverage on the late Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The channel claim
that the Mumbai police are infringing on their freedom of speech to report on
the late actor’s death which has spawned a separate investigation by Narcotics
Control Bureau. NCB had called in several high-profile players in Bollywood
such as Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor. Mumbai Police said to the press that
their investigation into Republic TV alleged scam is not infringing on the
freedom of speech act because an alleged crime has been suspected by the police
and could not shield an investigation into the alleged crime. The Supreme Court has told the Republic TV to
pursue the case with Bombay High Court rejecting a petition from Republic TV
asking a CBI probe to be brought into the fold.
Arnab Goswami, the controversial
editor-in-Chief of Republic Tv said that the Mumbai police would be sued by the
channel and rejected the baseless allegations of the department. On Thursday,
Broadcast Audience and Research Council (BARC) has announced that it was
halting television ratings for three months of all channels. Television
executives and industry experts are calling a revision in ratings policy.
