I&B Ministry
Ad cap hearing adjourned to 6 May
NEW DELHI: Even as the stay on implementation of ad cap continues, the Delhi High Court adjourned the hearing of the petition of News Broadcasters Association (NBA) and other channels to 6 May as the NBA wanted more time to file a rejoinder to the reply by the government.
Acting Chief Justice B.D. Ahmed and Justice Siddharth Mridul gave the order after the plea by NBA Senior Council NK Kaul seeking adjournment.
The petitions have been filed by NBA, Sarthak Entertainment, Pioneer Channel Factory Pvt Ltd, E24 Glamoru Ltd, Sun TV Network Ltd, TV Vision Ltd, B4U Broadband, 9X Media Pvt Ltd, Kalaignar Pvt Ltd, Celebrities Management Pvt Ltd, Eanadu Television Pvt Ltd and Raj Television Pvt Ltd.
The Senior Counsel for Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), Saket Singh sought to intervene to seek early hearing, but the Court said the matter will come up for hearing only in May.
I&B Ministry
MIB halts news TRPs for four weeks over sensational US-Iran conflict coverage
Government flags panic-mongering in television war coverage
NEW DELHI: India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council India (BARC) to suspend television ratings for news channels for four weeks amid concerns over sensational coverage of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran.
According to media reports, the move intends to curb excessive dramatisation in television reporting that could trigger unnecessary public anxiety.
Officials have observed that several news broadcasters are amplifying developments in the conflict in ways that may fuel panic among viewers. By temporarily halting the publication of viewership data, the ministry hopes to ease the competitive pressure on channels to chase ratings through sensational content.
The suspension will remain in effect for one month for now. During this period, television news channels will continue to broadcast as usual, but their audience measurement figures will neither be counted nor released.
Authorities will monitor both the evolving geopolitical situation and the tone of television coverage during the pause. The four-week suspension could be extended if the government believes the risk of panic-mongering or sensational reporting persists.
