News Broadcasting

Guidelines for news channels to make ‘stings’ difficult

Published

18 years ago

March 26, 2008

NEW DELHI: The Self-regulating Guidelines for the Broadcast Sector, 2008 has special provisions for news channels, and is tough on ‘sting’ operations, mentioning it as issues of “breach of privacy,” with more than 11 separate aspects of dos and donts categorically mentioned under section 14 of Chapter Four.

And though the phrase “sting operation” is not mentioned, the government has said in Section 14 that “infringement of privacy in a news-based/related programme is a sensitive issue”… and that “failure to follow the tenets will constitute a breach of this Chapter of the Code, resulting in an unwarranted breach of privacy.”

In a covert approach to the word “sting” the Guidelines stresses (Section 14.6): “The means for obtaining material must be proportionate in all circumstances and in particular to the subject matter of the news-based/related programme.”

Read this with Section 14.1 and the meaning if clear: “Channels must not use material relating to a person’s personal or private affairs, or which invades an in individual’s privacy, unless there is an identifiable larger public interest reason for the material to be broadcast.”

Hence, obtaining a material covertly, which could cause a breach of privacy, is out, unless there is an identifiable larger public interest that can be demonstrated by the news channel.

The Guidelines says that any such infringement in news-based/related programmes or in connection with obtaining material included in such programmes must be “warranted.”

Even more seriously, the Guidelines says that any such infringement of privacy in such programmes must be with the persons and/or organisations consent, or be otherwise “warranted.”

The fact that it were the news channels that had protested the loudest in favour of freedom of press has made the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting give special emphasis on the news segment, which is dealt with separately in Chapter Four of the Guidelines.

“We waited for the news channels, under the aegis of News Broadcasters Association, for more than nine months to give their own guidelines, which they have not do till date,” say officials at the ministry.

“They said first they would give that by January 31, and we waited, and then they again said they would give it on a subsequent date, which too they failed to do, so we had to come out with the Guidelines,” they say, adding that they were complying with a High Court order on that score.

Though officials are not commenting if these are the Guidelines that will finally be implemented, the indications are clear: if the Delhi High Court gives its consent, this is going to become the mandate under which news channels would have to operate.

Though all the basic provisions of the Guidelines, which indiantelevision.com has already reported on, remain in place for the news channels, especially compliance with the Certification Rules of the Cable TV Act, 1995, special attention has been given by the ministry to the issue of sting operations.

This is understandable, as the present Guidelines had been asked for by the Delhi HC, which in several cases, and even the apex court, had expressed deep unhappiness with such stings, and had even suggested that the MIB may set up a committee to vet and clear all stings before these are aired.

The Guidelines says too that if such an infringement is likely to occur, prior permission of the person has to be taken before going on air, and if a party feels that its privacy is being breached, and asks filming, recording or live broadcast to be stopped, “the BSP should do so, unless it is warranted to continue”. (Section 14.4, a and b)

The names and identity of victims of sexual abuse or violence cannot be revealed, the Guidelines says.

Ambulance chasing would now become difficult to justify, as the Guidelines specifically says at 14.4 (d): “In potentially sensitive situations such as ambulances, hospitals, schools, prisons or police stations, separate consent should normally be obtained before filming or recording or broadcast from that sensitive situation (unless not obtaining permission is warranted).”

However it adds that if the individual is not identifiable in the programme, separate consent for broadcast will not be required.

The ministry has used the interesting phrase “door stepping” to mean filming or interviewing with someone or announcing that a call is being filmed or recorded for broadcast purpose without warning, and said this will not be allowed, unless under specific conditions.

These conditions are “unless a request for an interview has been refused, or is has not been possible to request an interview, or there is good reason to believe that an investigation would be frustrated if the subject is approached openly”.

However, it must be remembered that though these grey areas have been kept open for stings, they would be subject to the Content Auditor giving or not giving permission for actual broadcast, depending on his reading of the Certification Rules under the Cable Act.

Then, of course, there are the various Broadcast Consumer Complaints Committees from different segments of the industry, which would deal with the complaints, which would make the broadcast service provider, especially the Chief Editor, who is finally responsible for such broadcast, additionally careful.

Overall, the Guidelines has suggested that “news should be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality”, and stressed the word “due.

It says, “Due is an important qualification to the concept of impartiality. ‘Due’ means adequate or appropriate to the situation, so ‘due impartiality does not mean that an equal distribution of time has to be given to every view.”

It says that balance, or impartiality means that all the main points of view or interpretation of an event or issue has to be presented.

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News Broadcasting

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

Published

2 weeks 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

2 weeks 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

2 weeks 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.