Media giant Times Group on Sunday said it has sent a legal notice to Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), alleging the TV rating agency ‘deliberately reduced’ its English news channel’s viewership at the behest of a rival launched in 2017 and demanded compensation of Rs 450 crore.
The notice — which follows the probe by the Mumbai Police into the fake TRP case — was sent by MZM Legal LLP on behalf of Bennett, Coleman and Co (BCCL) on 11 February.
“Times Now’s viewership numbers were deliberately and in a concerted manner, reduced for giving benefit to the newly launched Channel, which has considerably and adversely impacted the revenue, growth, reputation, goodwill and image of Times Now channel and the Times Group at the national and international level, the notice, a copy of which was seen by PTI, said.
“Our Clients state that this Notice has been addressed to BARC and through BARC, its various officials and members of the management and/Board of BARC, who are/were in control of and responsible for its day-to-day affairs and who were/are directly and indirectly involved in fraudulent and dishonest activities in relation to the conduct, commission and operation of BARC’s business,” a copy of the notice read.
The notice further stated that BARC deliberately did not take any action after a forensic audit in the month of July 2020which revealed that the TRPs of various channels were manipulated, rigged, tampered and at times pre-decided by the erstwhile upper echelon of BARC.