The Centre on Friday directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to withhold television ratings of news channels for at least four weeks.
In its order, the Union ministry of information and broadcasting said some news channels were displaying “unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content” amid the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, which had the potential to create panic among the general public, especially those having friends and family in the affected areas or residing in the conflict zones.
“Therefore, in the public interest, the ministry of information and broadcasting hereby directs M/s BARC to immediately withhold reporting the Television Rating Points (TRPs) for News TV Channels for a period of four weeks or until further directions, whichever is earlier,” it said.
Clause 24.2 of the policy guidelines for TV rating agencies in India prescribes that the “company shall be required to comply with any orders, regulations, guidelines, directions, etc., issued by the ministry from time to time”.
Ratings are a metric used by governments and private advertisers to decide how much they are willing to pay a channel to run their ads. The Centre has not suspended ads.
