The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has commenced its probe within the alleged tampering and manipulation of television rating points (TRP) after the UP government recently transferred the case to the agency .
According to sources, the agency has recorded the statement of the complainant, Kamal Sharma, regional director of a Delhi-based advertising and marketing agency called Golden Rabbit Communications Pvt Ltd (GRC). These sources added that the role of BARC also television channels also will be looked into during the probe.
“The complainant has detailed the routine on how people’s meter device installed by BARC are compromised by paying the households. This helps in manipulation of the TRPs thereby cheating the advertisers, investors and consumers who believe such ratings to form their choice. the primary leg of the probe will specialise in questioning these households and getting details on the agents who approached them to rig the ratings,” said a senior official aware about the event .
Speaking to the ET, Sharma said, “BARC is liable for the rating, hence the probe agency should check out their role and performance . a radical investigation should be done if there’s any culpability at their end”. “The case has been registered by me during a personal capacity and has nothing to try to to with my company. Many of my clients enquired on the manipulations of TRP post the Mumbai Police busted the TRP racket and since I had certain information, an equivalent was shared with the UP police,” he added.
“ watching the role and performance of BARC, it’s necessary for such an organisation to be credible and transparent. If BARC functions partially by tweaking the info concerning TRP as a results of a conspiracy to favour certain channels, not only can there be serious repercussion as production f programs, advertisement placing and a number of other other decisions are taken on the idea of the BARC, but it might also cause wrongful gain to the channel in whose favour such manipulation in TRP rating is completed .
