Government seeks report from Kerala Police in alleged ?100-crore TRP case

The government has sought details on the action taken in the alleged Rs 100-crore television ratings manipulation case that recently came to light, signaling increased scrutiny of the television audience measurement system even as it undergoes a policy review.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) said it had taken note of media reports suggesting that a television channel manipulated ratings by allegedly bribing an employee of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India.

“In view of the allegations, a preliminary report, including details of action taken on the FIR reportedly filed in the matter, has been sought from the Director General of Police, Kerala Police,” the ministry stated.

The government reiterated that television ratings in India are governed by the Policy Guidelines for Television Rating Agencies, 2014, which require agencies to maintain the secrecy and privacy of panel homes and ensure a transparent, fair, and accountable audience measurement system.

The ministry added that, to further strengthen the integrity and transparency of the ratings ecosystem, draft amendments to the policy guidelines were issued on July 2, 2025, for public consultation. These proposed changes aim to foster fair competition, enhance the accuracy and representativeness of ratings data, and better reflect evolving media consumption patterns across regions.

After reviewing stakeholder feedback, a revised draft amendment was released on November 6, 2025, for further consultation. “The Government continues to closely monitor developments to ensure the credibility and integrity of the television audience measurement system,” the response said.

A system under renewed scrutiny

For years, India’s television industry has faced recurring suspicions and periodic allegations regarding the integrity of audience measurement, most of which remained confined to industry discussions. The alleged Rs 100-crore TRP manipulation case in Kerala, however, has brought these concerns into sharper public focus.

The investigation unfolds at a sensitive moment, with the MIB already reviewing the country’s ratings framework. Key questions are being raised about how ratings were allegedly influenced, how access to sensitive data may have been obtained, and whether financial transactions were used to distort audience metrics.

The case has reignited a broader debate within the broadcasting ecosystem: whether the current system is vulnerable to exploitation, whether long-known blind spots were ignored for too long, and whether incremental reforms are sufficient—or if the situation calls for a deeper structural overhaul of how television audiences are measured in India.