News Broadcasting
TRP row: Republic TV’s broadcast of Hansa Report not illegal, says court
NEW DELHI: Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh opened up a pandora’s box on 8 October when he addressed the press conference on the subject of TRP manipulation. Ever since, the news broadcasting industry has been beset by flying allegations and accusations, as well as FIRs and lawsuits against the parties involved – from broadcast networks, federations, to regulators and even research agencies.
One such suit was filed by Hansa Research on 16 October in the city civil court in Mumbai seeking an injunction against use of its name by Republic TV. This was in response to the channel airing something called the 'Hansa Report' without checking with the agency about the veracity of this document.
The court heard the plea and posted a formal hearing on it for a later date but did not entertain a petition for an ad-interim injunction against Republic TV in the matter.
The city civil court has upheld the network’s right to air the ‘Hansa Report’ which detailed the TRP manipulation case and stated that since the referred document is already available on multiple websites and other places, therefore its broadcast cannot be referred to as illegal. The court further mentioned that Hansa has not challenged the veracity of the document aired on Republic. "
We tried reaching Hansa Research for a comment but were not able to get through to them.
Earlier, Praveen Nijhara, CEO of Hansa Research had said after filing the suit, "We formally sent a notice to Republic TV on 12 October 2020 requesting them not to use our name. Since this was not acted upon, and Republic TV continued to use the Hansa name on television, we had no option but to approach the city civil court seeking an injunction against use of our name. The matter is now sub-judice and will be heard in November."
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
