News Broadcasting

Online association fully backs Baazee.com CEO

Published

21 years ago

December 21, 2004

MUMBAI: Following the arrest of Baazee.com CEO Avnish Bajaj in the wake of the MMS sex scandal case recently, the Internet and Online Association (IOA) has come out strongly in support of him.

Even as support for Bajaj has been coming in from various industry associations, the Delhi High Court today granted him conditional bail on two sureties of Rs 100,000 each.

IOA president Preeti Desai said, “The arrest of Avnish Bajaj despite the full cooperation extended to the police by him and Baazee officials is a drastic step.”

Desai further said that IOA shared the concern of the authorities and would like to see the enactment of legislation that will make the Internet a safe and rewarding medium for Indians. She added, “It is necessary to revisit the IT Act 2000, as some of its loopholes and ambiguities provide ample scope for misrepresentation. It’s also crucial for law-enforcers to understand in entirety how the online market place works so that they may be able to better distinguish between originators and intermediaries and evaluate the culpability of each link in the chain.”

Desai urged the government to reinforce the crucial distinction between illegal infringement and authorised fair use, as well as ensure that the fundamental rights of the facilitators of online market places are protected through due process and judicial review.

IOA chairman V Ramani said, “I think too much has been said on the subject. Everybody has expressed their views stating that it is not right to arrest an online marketplace executive. There should be no more discussion. The CEO should be released immediately.”

HT Media Ltd chief Internet officer Sanjay Trehan said, “The arrest of Avnish Bajaj is a retrogressive step, unbecoming of India’s emerging stature as an IT superpower. The IT Act has to keep pace with the growing demands of the new media and must evolve to provide a legal framework that doesn’t allow its skewed interpretation to make a travesty of justice. Obscurantism is not going to get us anywhere in a fast changing world. It’s a wake up call for the Indian Internet industry, and for God’s sake, free the man!”

On the other hand mOne business director Tushar Vyas voiced his concern saying, “Baazee provides a platform for buyers and sellers to transact; if I have to draw parallel Baazee would be like mall owner in the real world. Normally the shopkeeper would get convicted for the transaction not the mall owner. I think the government system needs to be sensitive toward understanding the dynamics of the online industry.”

Wisden Cricinfo India MD Badri Seshadri said, “I strongly condemn the arrest of Avnish Bajaj of Baazee.com despite Baazee.com’s prompt action and the full cooperation offered by him to the investigating authorities. After the arrest, the Delhi police have shown utter insensitivity in opposing bail, which has resulted in his judicial custody, and unwanted humiliation of an entrepreneur. This kind of situation should not happen in a democratic country like India. I demand that the parliamentarians take an urgent look into the act and correct the anomalies, while at the same time safeguarding the public interest.”

People Group CEO Anupam Mittal had this to say, “I am very disturbed with this entire incident. I am still trying to understand all the nuances but it seems to defy common sense. At a time when the entire world is looking to India as the next big growth story, this is the last thing we need. Avnish Bajaj is a stand-up CEO who has built a very successful Internet company which is now part of the largest e-commerce company in the world. We need to applaud and praise such efforts not punish them. From a legal stand-point, I personally fail to understand how Avnish can be held liable. Does this mean that the phone manufacturer of the phone that was used to take the video is liable too? Does this mean that the telecom network on which the video was transmitted is liable too? We need to protect our entrepreneurs and managers from unnecessary harassment. We need our systems to work for the people who will shape the India of tomorrow, not against them.”

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News Broadcasting

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

Published

1 month 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

1 month 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

1 month 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.