Mumbai Police summons two more companies, including TRP rating manipulation, Republic TV

At a press conference today, Mumbai Police claimed that Republic TV, Fact Marathi and Box Cinema were involved in corruption with their TRP ratings.

At a press conference on Thursday, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh on False TRP reating

MUMBAI:

At a press conference on Thursday, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh told reporters that the city police had launched an investigation into a scandal involving changes in TRPs.  The names of the companies involved in this incident are 1) Fact Marathi, 2) Box Cinema and 3) Republic-TV.  The police commissioner said in a statement that the television channels were involved in manipulating the equipment used by the BARC to give ratings.

  The TRP family is confidentially calculated based on the views of TV channel viewers.  According to the commissioner, the accused used to bribe these families and even though they were not at home, there were serious allegations of running some channels continuously.  The BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) is involved in publishing weekly rating points for Indian TV channels and is questioning whether its own officials are also involved in the case.

  In a statement issued later on Thursday, BARC said, "Suspicious panel houses have been identified. First of all, as in all our cases, BARC India will continue to follow its established surveillance and disciplinary guidelines.  India Watches'. BARC India appreciates the efforts of the Mumbai Police and will continue to co-operate.

  Here is what Commissioner Param Bir Singh said:

  1.  There are 2,000 barometers in Mumbai for TRP monitoring.  BARC has entered into a confidential agreement with a company called Hansa to monitor these barometers.  The accused used to talk about keeping some channels running even though some families were not at home.

  2.  The two have been arrested, produced in court and taken into custody by Mumbai police.  Commissioner Param Bir Singh said one accused was arrested along with Rs 20 lakh and Rs 8.5 lakh was found in a bank locker.

  3.  He further said that the owners of Marathi Channel Fact Marathi and Box movies have been arrested.  Arrests have been made under sections 409 and 420 of the IPC.

  4.  BARC submitted that on the list of accused in the case of Republic TV TRP manipulation, the police received this information of the families from the rating agency BARC.  We suspect that if it happens in Mumbai, it is likely to happen in other parts of the country as well.

  5.  CIU ACP Shashank of the Crime Branch is leading the investigation and DCP and JCP are overseeing the investigation.

  6. Hansa Research has filed a complaint against some of its former employees who may have misused the data of households with TRP monitoring systems installed.  Some current employees may also be involved and

 

  7. Republic TV broadcasters and other employees will be called in for questioning, Commissioner Param Bir Singh said.  Republican officials, including editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, will be summoned on Thursday and asked to appear before the investigating team.

  8. Some TV channels are manipulating the BARC system to run fake propaganda to get ratings, claimed Param Bir Singh.

  9.  The culprits, whoever they are, will be investigated and we will solve this case of fraud, ”he added.

  10.  Mumbai Police released the results of the investigation with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B).