After Mumbai Police registering a case against Republic TV alleging rigged TRP (television rating point), questions were doing the rounds whether TRP manipulation has been going on in West Bengal as well for the Bengali 24 hour news channels. Are viewers being influenced with rigged TRP ratings in Bengal too? Are advertisers being influenced by these ratings?
Sources in the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) – which analyses and measures these ratings – say that the number one TV channel in West Bengal, ABP Ananda, has made an allegation on TRP manipulation against some other news channels recently. BARC – the industry body set up to supervise accurate TV audience viewing and habits in India – is looking into the allegation. Interestingly, while the allegation nationally has been against the number one channel, in Bengal the allegation has come from the number one channel in the state. BARC offers ratings on two areas mainly – one, how many viewers are watching the channel and second, for how long a particular channel is being viewed by the audience.
Sources say that in these two parameters, ABP Ananda is way ahead of all other channels in the first category. But in the second parameter – that is, for how long the channel is watched, ABP Ananda has been in second or third position for a long time. Since advertisers place their commercials and invest in channels on the basis of both parameters, then this is an important consideration.
BARC releases weekly reports on the TRPs. In the latest report (39th week, from September 26 to October 2), ABP Ananda has a market share of 41 per cent. In the second position is 24 Ghanta, with 20 per cent share and Kolkata TV is placed third, with 17 per cent share. The other channels are rated with below 10 per cent of the market share. However, in terms of the TSPV (time spent per viewer), Kolkata TV tops the list and ABP Ananda comes second, and 24 Ghanta is rated fourth. Though ABP Ananda is second in the list, the channel has been listed in the third position in the morning news slot (between 6 am and 10 am).
BARC sources say that on September 25, ABP Ananda authorities have made an allegation before them about manipulation in the TRP ratings. According to the letter written by the ABP Ananda authorities, the channel has topped in the market share in the state for a long time, and they are ahead of the channels in the second and third positions by double or more share. Even then, they are second or third in terms of the amount of time a viewer spends on the channel, and this does not go with the other indication and has thus raised questions on the authenticity of the rating.
Meanwhile, a senior official of 24 Ghanta said that TRP manipulation has been going on in West Bengal for a long time. If there is a probe, such manipulation and its procedure will come to light, the official said.
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