Indian news TV operates by the revenue logic of ads. And who gets how many ads is dictated by the logic of TRPs. So when BARC, the TRPs measurement agency, returned with its data earlier this year after a hiatus forced by the TRP scam, so did the barking on TV. Almost every news channel went back to the ritual of claiming to be number No 1 using BARC’s weekly data.
This week we look at how the ugly spat over TRPs went from bad to worse. The Enforcement Directorate cleared Republic TV last month in the TRP scam, and what followed was very petty squabbling. ‘Towering news personalities’ lowered themselves to name-calling on primetime TV. Republic TV and Times Now went at each other’s throats and it was all very Big Boss: TV News Edition. There was drama, action and comedy.
And all this tamasha was done in your, the viewer’s, name. What does this viewer think? We went on the ground to find out.
Watch.
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