NBF writes to BARC demanding 'immediate and urgent' release of news ratings
The federation wrote to BARC CEO Nakul Chopra stating there's no legitimate reason to pause ratings for only the news genre
Arnab Goswami-led News Broadcasters Federation has urged the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to resume the release of Audience Measurement Data for news, which has been withheld for close to a year. In its complaint to BARC, NBF reiterated that there was "no legitimate reason or rationale for pause in ratings for one specific genre."
"As the only industry body the representing the business interest and editorial freedom of news TV channels, NBF strongly iterate to be included and consulted on all issues surrounding release of TRP data for news genre," read the letter it drafted new BARC CEO Nakul Chopra.
The federation backed its demands by saying that had BARC processes been faulty, other genres would also not receive ratings. But news, which constitutes 12%, has been victimised, it maintains.
The letter also talks about "vested corporate interests overshadowing industry welfare."
"If few news channels have a high level of mistrust and skeptic about BARC’s people and process, BARC could decide that those specific channels who do not want the ratings to be released be excluded and the ratings should be released for rest of the channels of the news media industry in the best interest at large," read the letter.
The association added that pausing news ratings have led to decline in revenue and credibility for the news genre.
The letter was signed by NBF members Goswami, MD and editor in chief of Republic Media Network; Jagi M Panda, MD of Odiya TV; Sanjive Narain, founder of Prag News; Barun Das, Group CEO of TV9 Network; Shankar Bala, CEO of Fourth Dimension; Karthikeya Sharma, Founder of iTV Network; Sreekandan Nair MD of Twenty Four News and Jai Krishna, General Secretary of NBF.
