NEWS: Republic TV and two other channels paid to Manipulate TRPs

The LITT Law platform

Three TV Channels, including Republic TV, are being probed on charges of manipulating Television Rating Points (TRP).

Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said that Republic TV headed by Arnab Goswami and two other channel i.e. Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema are under scrutiny for manipulating ratings.

The Commissioner said that an organization named ‘Hansa’ was helping these channels in trying to manipulate TRPs.

“Around 2000 barometers installed in Mumbai were being used to manipulate TRPs.” Singh added that also “some people would visit household on behalf of this channels and give them money every month. People were asked constantly to operate these channels”

Each household was provided with ₹400-500 per month and various households have admitted that they were being paid.

“All those advertisers, from whom this money was obtained through TRP manipulation, will be summoned for grilling. They will be grilled to conclude if they were complicit or victims of this fraud. The TRP system has been manipulated… We have identified three TV channels with Republic TV being the biggest name amongst them,” Singh said.

In response to this Arnab Goswami has issued a statement, threatening to file a defamation case against Mumbai Police Commissioner “Mumbai Police Commissioner‘s targeting only strengthens the resolve of everyone at Republic TV to push for the truth even harder.”

The Crime Branch has arrested owners of the two Marathi channels and soon the Republic TV directors and promoters shall be summoned.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police Commissioner had filed a case on criminal breach of trust and will be sharing the finding with the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry.