The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has expanded its directive to the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to withhold Television Rating Points (TRPs) for news channels for another four weeks, as the conflict in West Asia continues.
According to a new order dated March 31, 2026, the Department asked BARC to continue suspending the publication of TRPs “for a further period of four (4) weeks or until further directives, whichever comes first.” This is the second such directive. The first order was issued on March 6, 2026, when the government initially halted TRP reporting for four weeks.
TRPs, a way to measure how many people watch a particular TV channel or show, affect advertising revenue and competition among news channels.
With the latest extension, TV news channels will continue to operate without publicly available ratings for at least another month, unless the government issues other directives earlier.
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In the latest direction, the MIB said the move is aimed at curbing “unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content” by some news channels during the ongoing conflict, as mentioned in the latest directive as well. She noted that such coverage could cause panic among viewers, especially those who have family or friends in the affected areas.
The MIB order also states that a conflict situation “remains substantially prevalent,” which is why the suspension has been extended.
The conflict in West Asia began in late February.
Replying to a Lok Sabha question on April 1 about the temporary halt of TRP programmes, the ministry said that during Operation Sindoor, several TV news channels were found broadcasting “unwarranted sensationalist and speculative content”. She added that such trends are common during crises and can increase anxiety among the public.
The Ministry also noted that the previous decision, i.e. issued on March 6, was “widely accepted by all stakeholders” and no objections were raised.
