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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}

The '''TRP manipulation scam of 2020''' involved the alleged inflation by some television channels of their viewership ratings. The investigation was based on a complaint filed with the [[Mumbai Police]].<ref name="TOI_15Dec20" />

==Accused==
===Channels===
* [[Republic TV]]
* [[Republic Bharat TV|Republic Bharat]]
* [[India Today (TV channel)]]
* [[Fakt Marathi]]
* [[Box Cinema]]

===Individuals===
* [[Arnab Goswami]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/amp/top-stories/breaking-mumbai-police-names-arnab-goswami-republic-tv-chief-as-accused-in-trp-scam-chargesheet-176090?__twitter_impression=true| title=Mumbai Police Names Arnab Goswami|date=22 June 2021|website=Live law}}</ref> - Editor-in-chief and Co-owner of [[Republic TV]]

* Priya Mukherjee, Shivendu Mulelkar and Shiva Sundaram - COO
* Partho Dasgupta -Former CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)
* Vikash Khanchandani -CEO of [[Republic TV]]

==History==
In October 2020, Mumbai Police announced that they had received complaints of channels fraudulently inflating their ratings. An investigation was launched into [[Republic TV]]'s [[Audience measurement|viewership ratings]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=16 October 2020|title=What is TRP scam: All you need to know|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/what-is-trp-scam-all-you-need-to-know/articleshow/78696131.cms|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-22|website=The Times of India|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=16 October 2020|title=TRP scam: IT panel, I&B Ministry agree that changes needed in legislation, say reports|url=https://scroll.in/latest/975923/trp-scam-it-panel-i-b-ministry-agree-that-changes-needed-in-legislation-say-reports|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-22|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> Fakt Marathi, and Box Cinema TV were also charged in the [[First information report|FIR]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Gokhale|first=Omkar|date=2020-10-20|title=TRP case: Issue summons to Arnab before arraigning him, HC tells Mumbai Police|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/bombay-high-court-mumbai-police-fake-trp-scam-republic-arnab-goswami-6789238/|url-status=live|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>

The police conducted an audit into the accounts of the ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd (owner of Republic TV and Republic Bharat). It showed that the TRPs and viewership of its Hindi channel, [[Republic Bharat TV|Republic Bharat]], were high from the first month of its launch in 2016.<ref name="TOI_15Dec20">{{cite news |last1=Ali |first1=Ahmed |title=Republic's TRPs high from 1st month, used to get revenue: Cops {{!}} India News - Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/republics-trps-high-from-1st-month-used-to-get-revenue-cops/articleshow/79730429.cms |access-date=23 December 2020 |work=The Times of India |date=15 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref> The police alleged that the channel inflated its ratings by [[bribery|bribing]] low-income individuals, including people who did not comprehend English, to keep their televisions turned on and tuned to Republic TV. With an inflated TRP, ARG Outlier Media was able to bargain for higher revenue from advertisers.<ref name="TOI_15Dec20" /> [[Arnab Goswami]] denied the allegations and accused the Mumbai Police of retaliating against the channel's recent criticism of their activities.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Jeffrey|last1=Gettleman|author-link1=Jeffrey Gettleman|first2=Hari|last2=Kumar|first3=Shalini Venugopal|last3=Bhagat|access-date=9 October 2020|title=Indian Police Accuse Popular TV Station of Ratings Fraud|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/world/asia/india-republic-tv-ratings.html|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=9 October 2020|issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 October 2020|title=Mumbai cops take first step in probe against Arnab Goswami's Republic TV|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/mumbai-news/mumbai-cops-take-first-step-in-probe-against-arnab-goswami-s-republic-tv/story-4XBcsgIvsPsCYEXWPlbnnJ.html|date=9 October 2020|website=[[Hindustan Times]]|first=Manish K|last=Pathak}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|access-date=9 October 2020|title=Republic TV CFO Summoned By Mumbai Police Tomorrow Over Ratings Scam|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/republic-tv-cfo-summoned-by-mumbai-police-tomorrow-in-rigged-ratings-case-2307803|website=[[NDTV]]|first=Sunilkumar M|last=Singh|editor-first=Divyanshu Dutta|editor-last=Roy|date=9 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/reel/975626/why-big-bollywood-has-launched-a-potentially-damaging-battle-against-times-now-and-republic-tv|title=Why Big Bollywood has launched a potentially damaging battle against Times Now and Republic TV|first=Nandini|last=Ramnath|website=Scroll.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/law/bollywood-republic-tv-times-now-delhi-hc|title=34 Bollywood Producers Move HC Against Irresponsible Remarks by Republic TV, Times Now|website=The Wire}}</ref>

On 21 October, the investigation became a country-wide case, potentially covering every news channel in India investigated by the [[Central Bureau of Investigation]] (CBI). <ref>{{Cite web|last1=Tiwary|first1=Deeptiman|last2=Gokhale|first2=Omkar|date=21 October 2020|title=Twist in TRP case: UP Police file own FIR; case with CBI|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/twist-in-trp-case-up-police-file-own-fir-case-with-cbi-6814618/|access-date=22 October 2020|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last1=Gunasekar|first1=Arvind|last2=Jain|first2=Sreenivasan|date=21 October 2020|title=CBI Moves To Investigate Fake Ratings Case As Complaint Is Filed In UP|url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/cbi-registers-case-to-investigate-fake-ratings-case-based-on-complaint-filed-in-uttar-pradesh-2313116|access-date=22 October 2020|website=NDTV}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/mumbai/mumbai-republic-media-network-gets-another-notice-from-police-6910657/|title=Republic Media Network gets another notice from Mumbai Police|date=October 31, 2020}}</ref> [[TV Today Network|TV Today Network Ltd]] ( [[Aaj Tak]] and [[India Today (TV channel)|India Today]]) was fined 5 lakh by the [[Broadcast Audience Research Council ]] (BARC) for viewership manipulation.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://english.newstracklive.com/news/india-today-accept-that-barc-put-penalty-on-him-in-fake-trp-case-sc111-nu764-ta764-ta277-1123095-1.html|title=TRP Scam: India Today's confirms, 'BARC imposed fine of Rs 5 lakh'|date=October 10, 2020|website=News Track}}</ref> The [[Bombay High Court]] directed TV Today Network to pay a 5 lakh fine, or face coercive steps by the BARC Disciplinary Council (BDC).<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/bombya-hc-directs-tv-today-to-pay-fine-imposed-by-barc-for-interim-protection|title=Pay 5 lakh fine if you want interim protection: Bombay High Court directs TV Today Network in plea against BARC order|first=Neha|last=Joshi|website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/top-stories/bombay-high-court-directs-tv-today-network-to-deposit-rs5-lakh-to-grant-interim-protection-in-plea-against-barc-164891|title=Bombay High Court Directs TV Today Network To Deposit Rs.5 Lakh To Grant Interim Protection In Plea Against BARC|first=Nitish|last=Kashyap|date=October 23, 2020|website=www.livelaw.in}}</ref>

On 5 November 2020, Hansa Group asked the [[Bombay High Court]] to rule against Crime Branch and sought the transfer of the probe to CBI, claiming that the Mumbai Police Crime Branch had been adopting pressure tactics to coerce its employees to issue a statement that a document flashed as "Hansa Report" by Republic TV was a fake document. The plea stated that the petitioners were held at the Crime Branch for long hours and threatened with arrest and were repeatedly pressed to make a false statement. Police officers were listed as respondents in the petition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.barandbench.com/news/litigation/trp-scam-hansa-research-claims-crime-branch-harassment-bombay-high-court|title=TRP scam: Hansa Research moves Bombay HC, claims harassment by Crime Branch to make false statements against Republic TV|first=Meera|last=Emmanuel|website=Bar and Bench - Indian Legal news}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/trp-case-hansa-moves-hc-against-crime-branch-6950493/|title=TRP case: Hansa moves HC against Crime Branch|date=November 5, 2020}}</ref> The [[Supreme court of India]] rejected the plea from the channel to protect its employees from arrest. On 13 December, Republic TV's CEO was arrested in Mumbai.

On June 22nd 2021 Mumbai Police named Arnab Goswami, Republic TV chief, as a participant. The police named Goswami and four others from ARG Outlier Media (that owns Republic TV) in their 1800 page supplementary charge sheet submitted in the Esplanade Metropolitan Magistrate Court.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.livelaw.in/amp/top-stories/breaking-mumbai-police-names-arnab-goswami-republic-tv-chief-as-accused-in-trp-scam-chargesheet-176090?__twitter_impression=true| title=Mumbai Police Names Arnab Goswami|date=22 June 2021|website=Live law}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Effective frequency]]
* [[Gross rating point]]
* [[Reach (advertising)]]
* [[Target rating point]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Audience measurement]]
[[Category:Advertising]]
[[Category:Mass media industry]]
[[Category:Mass media regulation]]
[[Category:Mass media-related controversies in India]]
[[Category:Mass media issues]]
[[Category:Mass media rivalries]]
[[Category:Ethically disputed business practices]]
[[Category:Bribery scandals]]

TRP scam - Revision history

imported>Geysirhead: removed Category:Ethically disputed practices; added Category:Ethically disputed business practices using HotCat