Updated Jan 22, 2021 | 20:05 IST
Multiple attempts from Times Network to get an official statement of explanation from BARC in the last few weeks have been rebuffed. Due to this unacceptable and unpardonable act of BARC, Times Network has suffered huge financial losses (Website)
Mumbai, January 22, 2021: Bennett Coleman & Company Ltd. (BCCL) is a subscriber of viewership data from Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), for its Channels including Times Now operating under Times Network.
Since 2017 and especially after the launch of Republic TV in May 2017, BCCL/ Times Network suspected large scale manipulation of ratings pertaining to illegal usage of multiple LCNs and out of EPG placement by Republic TV. We also found significant abnormalities in Market wise ratings of that channel clearly indicating ground level tampering and/ or deliberate intervention at the raw data level to favour them. Times Network repeatedly complained about these irr
‘’Since 2017 and especially after the launch of Republic TV in May 2017, BCCL/ Times Network suspected large scale manipulation of ratings pertaining to illegal usage of multiple LCNs and out of EPG placement by Republic TV. We also found significant abnormalities in market wise ratings of that channel clearly indicating ground level tampering and/ or deliberate intervention at the raw data level to favour them. Times Network repeatedly complained about these irregularities to BARC for almost two years but got no resolution as the complaints routinely resulted in stock replies,” TN said. The press statement of Joint Commissioner (Crimes) of Mumbai Police on December 25 last year as part of the ongoing investigation into the BARC TRP scam, made it clear that proof had been unearthed exposing manipulation by BARC officials for the benefit of Republic TV in 2017/18, the network said. As per BARC’s forensic audit of July 2020, as well as the multiple emails and WhatsApp chats
Ex-CEO of BARC Partho Dasgupta. File
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twitter.com/ @parthodasgupta
The Bombay High Court on Friday heard the bail plea filed by Partho Dasgupta, former chief executive officer and managing director of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), an accused in the Television Rating Point manipulation case.
The matter will be heard on January 25.
He was arrested from Pune on December 24, 2020, and is currently lodged at the Taloja Central Jail. On January 20, the City Civil and Sessions Court had rejected his bail and on January 4, the additional chief metropolitan magistrate had rejected his bail.
Before the sessions court, special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray opposed his bail on the grounds that WhatsApp chats had been leaked in which there were conversations between him and the Prime Minister s Office, which showed that he was an influential person and could tamper with evidence and sway witnesses who were either former or current employees of BARC.
Shambhavi Thakur
Renting Ferraris in Monaco, purchasing Rolex watches using company funds, and âchangingâ TRPs to get âdesired outcomesâ. These are just some of the unscrupulous practices followed by top former executives of the Broadcast Research Audience Council, according to a forensic audit of its operations.
The audit was done by Acquisory Risk Consulting Pvt Ltd, or ARCPL, a Mumbai-based risk management consultancy after it was approached by the BARC board and management last March. The board had decided to audit and review its records after receiving multiple complaints about alleged malpractices, including inaccuracy in its ratings process for TV channels and the concentration of power in its former senior management. The board included BARC chairman Punit Goenka.
A sessions court is Mumbai dismissed the bail application of Partho Dasgupta, ex-CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), who was arrested in the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) .