Republic TV has been accused of manipulating its audience numbers
Mumbai:
Republic TV CFO Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram is scheduled to appear before Mumbai police today on allegations that the news channel paid people to gamble with its ratings and illegally earn more advertising revenue.
Sundaram is the first major Republic TV figure to be cited in connection with a scandal that erupted Thursday after BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), an agency that tracks television viewership, alleged that certain channels were manipulating the numbers.
Republic TV is the biggest name to emerge from early investigations, with viewers claiming that they were paid to keep the channel on even when they weren’t watching. The other two channels mentioned in the first investigations are the local channels Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema.
Police intend to carry out a “forensic audit” of Republic TV’s accounts, which could be frozen if it is determined that the channel pocketed additional money on advertising using manipulated ratings.
The subpoena to Mr. Sundaram maintains that there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is “familiar with certain facts and circumstances of the matter.” The police have also summoned accountants from the other two channels and those from a couple of advertising agencies.
Republic TV has vigorously refuted the allegations and accused the Mumbai police of revenge because the channel had questioned the police investigation into the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput.
Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami stated yesterday that he would sue Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh over the allegations and insisted on “not a single BARC report mentioning Republic TV.”
“The people of India know the truth,” he added.
Four people, including the owners of the two smaller channels, have already been arrested.
According to police, the complaint was filed earlier this month by Hansa Research, a BARC-designated company, which installs “people meters” to track the audience. The company said some former employees had shared details of the homes being tracked and helped manipulate ratings.
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