News Broadcasting

Govt under pressure to finalise Content Code: Sushma

Published

18 years ago

August 9, 2008

NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Ministry Secretary Sushma Singh said today that while the government did not want to interfere with the freedom of the media, the latter should show a sense of responsibility and observe journalistic ethics.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the Second Indian News Television Summit organized by indiantelevision.com, she said channels should introspect as to whether what they were showing in the name of news was really news.

She noted sensationalism in the content of news channels often resulted in creating alarm and this was the reason for the government having issued as many as 241 show-cause notices to news and other channels over the past few years.

She said the Ministry was under pressure from various sources including courts to act faster on creating a suitable Content Code. The Ministry had, therefore, been working with the News Broadcasters Association and the Indian Broadcasting Foundation to finalise a Code as early as possible. She gave examples of the Andhra Pradesh and Delhi High Courts which had been demanding speedier action from the government in this regard. She said the inability of the Ministry in promulgating a Code was being looked at seriously.

She said that the government had presently given uplinking permission to as many as 191 news channels and had only recently given 33 new licences for news and current affairs channels. This showed the liberal attitude the government had towards encouraging plurality of thought and divergence of opinion. This was one of the reasons for more regional channels coming up in the recent past.

But the government had a duty to look at the content of the news channels that was being passed off as news. The news channels must also realize that the viewers included children and sensitive audiences.

Furthermore, maintenance of public order and national interest must take precedence over the content of news.

She said that technological breakthroughs were creating rapid advances and this made it more imperative that national objectives should be kept in mind. The attitude of the news channels whenever the government approached them should be one of discussion and not confrontation.

Singh also released on the occasion The NT Magazine, brought out by indiantelevision.com.

In his keynote address, India TV head Rajat Sharma made a passionate case to say that most channels worked in a very responsible manner and often helped in exposing the ills in society.

Sharma regretted that news channels were under attack when even the print media was doing the same kind of reporting.

He said that people had faith in the news channels and this was the reason why many first came to them even before approaching the police or courts of law. He said it could not be denied that news channels had empowered the people, but this responsible behaviour of the channels had gone unnoticed.

Television channels were now receiving threats from the underworld or terrorist groups for correct reporting, and this was now a major threat facing the news media.

Admitting there had been some lapses like the recent case of a false sting, he said the entire community of news broadcasters had criticized such things.

Self-introspection was being done on the Content Code and he said the News Broadcasters Association along with the Ministry was now involving judges to help in drafting the Code.

He said that it could not be denied that news channels had shown a lot of restraint in cases of violence or wherever social responsibility was required to be shown. Furthermore, he maintained that even as news channels showed astrology or other news in an interesting manner to win eyeballs, 50 per cent was hard news.

He also said that news channels had become the true ambassadors of the country by beaming overseas, and also functioned as a bridge between the government and the people.

Giving an alternative viewpoint, ICICI Bank Executive Director V Vaidyanathan said presentation of news should be treated as a corporate responsibility just as some corporate houses put aside some part of their revenues for social good.

He also said news channels had to be relevant to hold the attention of the viewers, pointing out that most viewers now kept flipping channels instead of sticking to one channel.

He said most news channels seemed to be suffering from the prisoner’s dilemma: if they did not sensationalise the news, someone else would. But this did not always mean negative news.

He urged the media to take up its social responsibility more seriously and said it could do things like exposing the parallel economy which was harming the country. At least ten per cent of the news time should be devoted to consumer education, which could be turned into a viable business. ‘So be viable and socially responsible’, he said.

arlier welcoming the delegates, indiantelevision.com founder and Editor-in-Chief Anil Wanvari said people were now spending an average of two hours and 38 minutes per day in front of their TV sets and so it was necessary for the channels to look towards finding the right balance, which is the theme of the Summit.

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News Broadcasting

Barc forensic audit in TRP row awaits as Twenty-Four probe gathers pace

Published

5 days ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

KERALA: A forensic audit commissioned by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India has emerged as the centrepiece of the government’s response to fresh allegations of television rating point manipulation involving a regional news channel in Kerala, with both the audit findings and a parallel police investigation still awaited.

Replying to a query in the Lok Sabha, minister of state for information and broadcasting L Murugan, said Barc had appointed an independent agency to conduct a forensic probe into the conduct of senior personnel allegedly linked to the case.

The move followed media reports claiming that a Barc employee had accepted bribes to manipulate viewership data in favour of a regional television news channel.

“The report from BARC is still awaited,” Murugan told Parliament, signalling that the forensic exercise remains ongoing.

Industry specialists say forensic audits are crucial in alleged TRP fraud cases, as they examine internal controls, data access trails, panel household integrity, staff communications and financial transactions. The outcome could determine whether the alleged manipulation was an isolated breach or a deeper systemic weakness in India’s television measurement framework.

Running alongside the audit, the Kerala Police has formed a special investigation team to probe the allegations. The ministry has sought a preliminary report from the state’s director general of police, including details of action taken on the first information report. That report, too, is yet to be submitted.

The episode has revived long-standing concerns over the vulnerability of India’s TRP system, particularly in regional news markets where competition for ratings is fierce and advertising revenues hinge on weekly viewership rankings.

India’s sole television audience measurement body Barc, has faced scrutiny before, most notably during the nationwide TRP controversy involving news channels in 2020. While tighter compliance norms were introduced in the aftermath, the latest allegations suggest enforcement challenges may persist.

On regulatory consequences, the government said any punitive action against television channels, including suspension or cancellation of uplinking and downlinking permissions, would be governed by the Policy Guidelines for Uplinking and Downlinking of Television Channels issued in November 2022, and would depend on investigation outcomes and due process.

The ministry also pointed to ongoing efforts to overhaul the ratings ecosystem. Television measurement continues to be regulated under the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies, 2014. Draft amendments were released for public consultation in July 2025, followed by a revised version in November 2025, aimed at tightening audit mechanisms and improving transparency and representativeness.

In November 2025, Barc said it had taken note of allegations aired by Malayalam news channel Twenty-Four, which linked an internal employee to irregularities in audience measurement. The council said it had engaged a “reputed independent agency” to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit, underscoring the seriousness of the claims.

The ratings system sits at the heart of India’s broadcast advertising economy, shaping billions of rupees in annual ad spends. With trust in audience data once again under strain, advertisers, broadcasters and regulators are closely watching the outcome of the investigations.

Barc has urged industry stakeholders and media organisations to exercise restraint while the probe is underway, calling for an end to “unverified or speculatory claims” and reiterating its commitment to integrity and accountability.

Until the forensic audit and police findings are submitted and reviewed, the government said it would refrain from drawing conclusions.

News Broadcasting

Rajat Sharma defamation row: Delhi court summons Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh

Published

5 days ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court has ordered the summoning of senior Congress leaders Ragini Nayak, Pawan Khera and Jairam Ramesh in a criminal case filed by veteran journalist Rajat Sharma, sharpening a legal battle over alleged defamation and doctored digital content.

The order was passed on Monday by Devanshi Janmeja, judicial magistrate first class at Saket Courts, after the court found prima facie grounds to proceed under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including forgery, creation of false electronic records and defamation.

Sharma, chairman and editor-in-chief of India TV, had approached the court over allegations made in June 2024 that he had used derogatory language against Congress spokesperson Ragini Nayak during a live television debate. He denied the charge, claiming it was fuelled by a manipulated video circulated online.

According to the complaint, a clipped version of the broadcast carrying superimposed captions, which were not part of the original programme, was first shared on social media platform X by Nayak and later amplified through retweets and public statements by Khera and Ramesh. Sharma said the viral spread caused serious reputational harm and personal distress.

The court took note of forensic science laboratory findings that pointed to visible post-production alterations in the video, including added titles and captions. It also cited witness testimonies from those present during the live broadcast, who stated that no abusive or objectionable language had been used.

In a related civil matter, the Delhi High Court had earlier observed a prima facie absence of abusive remarks and directed the removal of the disputed social media posts.

With criminal proceedings now set in motion, the case adds to mounting scrutiny around political messaging, digital manipulation and accountability on social media platforms.

News Broadcasting

Mukesh Ambani, Larry Fink come together for CNBC-TV18 exclusive

Reliance and BlackRock chiefs map the future of investing as global capital eyes India

Published

5 days ago

February 4, 2026

indiantelevision.com Team

MUMBAI: India’s capital story takes centre stage today as Mukesh Ambani and Larry Fink sit down for a rare joint television conversation, bringing together two of the most powerful voices in global business at a moment of economic churn and opportunity.

The Reliance Industries chief and the BlackRock boss will speak with Shereen Bhan, managing editor of CNBC-TV18, in an exclusive interaction airing from 3:00 pm on February 4. The timing is deliberate. Geopolitics are tense, technology is disruptive and capital is choosier. India, meanwhile, is pitching itself as a long-term bet.

The pairing is symbolic. Reliance straddles energy transition, digital infrastructure and consumer growth in the world’s fastest-expanding major economy. BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, oversees more than $14 tn in assets and sits at the nerve centre of global capital flows. When the two talk, markets tend to listen.

Fink’s appearance marks his third India visit, a signal of the country’s rising strategic weight for the Wall Street-listed firm, which carries a market value above $177 bn. His earlier 2023 trips included an October stop in New Delhi, where he met both Ambani and Narendra Modi.

India is now central to BlackRock’s expansion plans, notably through its joint venture with Jio Financial Services. Announced in July 2023, the 50:50 venture, JioBlackRock, commits up to $150 mn each from the partners to build a digital-first asset-management platform aimed at India’s swelling investor class.

The backdrop is robust. BlackRock ended 2025 with record assets under management of $14.04 tn, helped by $698 bn in net inflows, including $342 bn in the fourth quarter alone. Scale gives Fink both heft and a long lens on where money is moving.

He has been openly bullish on India. At the Saudi-US Investment Summit in Riyadh last year, Fink argued that the “fog of global uncertainty is lifting”, with capital returning to dynamic markets such as India, drawn by reforms, demographics and durable return potential.

Expect the conversation to range beyond balance sheets, into technology’s role in finance, access to capital and the mechanics of sustainable growth in a fracturing world order. For investors and policymakers alike, it is a snapshot of how big money is thinking about India.

At a time when capital is cautious and growth is contested, India wants to be the exception. When Ambani and Fink share a stage, it is less a chat and more a signal. The world’s money is still looking for its next big story, and India intends to be it.