Govt asks BARC to withhold news TV ratings for four weeks

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to immediately withhold reporting of Television Rating Points (TRPs) for news TV channels for four weeks or until further directions, whichever is earlier.

In an order dated March 6, the ministry said it had observed that amid the ongoing Israel Iran conflict, certain news channels were displaying “unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content”, which could potentially create panic among the public, particularly among those with family or friends in the affected areas.