Times TV Network accuses TV18 of indulging in malpractices; complains to BARC, ASCI, IBF and NBA

Times Television Network has filed a complaint against TV18 accusing the latter of involving in duplication and multiplication of CNBC TV18’s feed during the Budget season 2017 in-order to spike up its viewership through unethical means.

Mumbai: The Television Division of Bennet Coleman & Company Limited (BCCL), Times Television Network (TTN), has filed a complaint against TV18 Broadcast Limited (TV18) with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), Indian Broadcasting Foundation (IBF), News Broadcasters Association (NBA), Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and Indian Society of Advertisers (ISA), to highlight the unethical and unprofessional activity (according to TTN) carried out by TV18” during the Budget season of 2017.

Documents sourced by TVNEWS4U.COM reveal that TTN has urged these august industry bodies to take action against TV18 for “the malpractices carried out by the network to gain advantage for CNBC TV18 over other competing channels (like ET Now)” by means of duplication and multiplication of CNBC TV18’s feed in various MSOs to secure “a sudden spike in the reach of the channel, especially,” alleges the complaint by TTN, “on and around budget day i.e. 1^st Feb, 2017, from carrying an average of 289 in the preceding 13 weeks, the Budget week reach went to a high of 2280 (TG: 22+ M AB, Market: All India 1mn+, Time period: Wk-5’17, Reach(OOOs)”.

In its complaint to the associations, TTN has stated that “such unnatural increase in the rating is not due to the channel’s coverage or the relevance of the day’s programming, but due to the malpractices carried out by TV 18 to gain advantage over other competing channels including our channel ET Now”. TTN mentions that its own investigation revealed to it that “TV 18 has adopted an unethical and wrongful practice of replacing the feeds of its network/bouquet channels with the feed of CNBC TV 18’s, in the MSOs like, to name a few, GTPL, InCable, E-lnfra, Kaizen, Digicable, Manthan, Barasat, Meghbela. In connivance of the local cable digital platform operators, Substitution of the CNBC TV18’s feed on TV18’s other channel’s frequencies on a particular day i.e. February 1, 2017 was a conscious and strategic plan of TV18 to disrupt the television rating system (BARC).

It will be recalled that the TV ratings for the week 05 (the week of the Union Budget), the biggest annual event for business television channels in India, were released on Thursday, the   9^th of February 2017. They brought in their wake shock for the Times Network’s English Business News channel ETNOW, and an ad campaign in the trade media from rival CNBC TV18 celebrating  massive, never-before ratings for the week.

TVNEWS4U.COM has sourced four documents of the complaints made by BCCL’s TV Division – Times Television Network to ASCI, BARC, IBF and NBA.

The complete text of BCCL (TV DIVISION)’s complaint to BARC is reproduced below:

Through Fax. E-mail & Reqd. A.D.

February 10, 2017

Broadcast Audience Research Council

Rose Cottage,

Next to Citi Tower,

61, Dr S. S. Rao Road,

Parel (East), Mumbai, 400012 India

Kind Attn: ParthoDasgupta, CEO

Ref: Complaint against TV 18 Broadcast Limited

Dear Sir,

We, Bennett, Coleman & Company Limited (Television Division) (“BCCL”), inter alia, own and operate one of the leading English Business News channels “ET NOW” and are the members of BARC from its inception. We would like to highlight the unethical, unprofessional and unscrupulous activity carried out by TV 18 Broadcast Limited (“TV 18″), as mentioned below:

1. This has reference to the BARC ratings published on February 9, 2017, for the coverage by CNBC TV18, a channel operated by “TV 18” during the Budget week i.e. for the period January 28, 2017 to February 3, 2017. We wish to highlight that during this week, we see a sudden spike in the reach of the channel, especially on and around budget day i.e. 1st Feb, 2017, from carrying an average of 289 in the preceding 13 weeks, the Budget week reach went to a high of 2280 (TG: 22+ M AB, Market: All India 1mn+, Time period: Wk-5’17, Reach(OOOs)). Such extreme spikes are unprecedented and unheard of in the industry, and therefore, we were forced to do a research on the cause and activity carried out by the Broadcaster.

1. Upon investigation, by our team and from the information gathered from the ground and relevant markets, it was revealed that such unnatural increase in the rating is not due to the channel’s coverage or the relevance of the day’s programming, but due to the malpractices carried out by TV 18 to gain advantage over other competingchannels including our channel ET Now. TV 18 has adopted an unethical and wrongful practice of replacing the feeds of its network/bouquet channels with the feed of CNBC TV 18’s, in the MSOs like, to name a few, GTPL, InCable, E-lnfra, Kaizen, Digicable, Manthan, Barasat, Meghbela. In connivance of the local cable digital platform operators, Substitution of the CNBC TV18’s feed on TV18’s other channel’s frequencies on a particular day i.e. February 1, 2017 was a conscious and strategic plan of TV18 to disrupt the television rating system (BARC). The regional level channel displacement detail is given below:

1. 
   By doing so, the rating system of BARC, as reported, has captured the ratings of all the parallel LCNs on various Networks and reported the same collectively as ratings for CNBC TV18. This is not just an addition to the regular and normal rating of the existing channel but also duplication and multiplication of the ratings, due to which we can see a sharp and unnatural spike in this particular channel’s ratings. This fact can be corroborated by comparing the ratings of the regional channels of Colors and ETV, especially in the territory of Hyderabad, Delhi, Bengaluru, Maharashtra, Kolkata, Madhya Pradesh, Bengal and Gujarat as these channels saw drop in their ratings on the budget day. 

1. The spike in ratings due to this act of TV 18 places a grave question on the sanctity of the data provided by BARC and the reporting of such questionable data. This is not only detrimental to the business of one channel but to the entire industry at large. 

1. Basis the data for the said week, it is learnt that CNBC TV 18 is going ahead with a marketing and promotional campaign, highlighting the ratings and this is not acceptable because such activity shall be based on data which is not correct in its entirety. 

1. In view of the above, we urge BARC:
2. To investigate the matter and take action against TV 18;
3. To direct them to not indulge in such practices as it not only spoils the reputation of the broadcasting industry but also causes disruption amongst Broadcasters;
4. To publish a revised/corrected report for the Budget week, taking into account the average rating of CNBC TV18 during the last few weeks and disregarding the numbers of the parallelly run regional channels of ETV and Colours network
5. To direct them to give an apology and undertaking by press release and by emailers of not repeating such actions in future;
6. If TV 18 does not comply with the above then BARC should immediately and permanently cease from reporting data of its channels.

Thanking You,

Yours truly,

For Bennet Coleman & Company Limited (Television Division)

Signed.

(ends).

In similar complaint letters to ASCI, IBF and NBA, the Times Television Network has urged each association as follows:

To ASCI:

“…we urge that the below-mentioned reliefs be granted, which are:

1. To issue an apology on its channel and through emailers and restrain from publishing any promotional material (ads/ e-mailers/ channel promos) based on the BARC Data of week 5, and, particularly, for budget day;
2. To direct TV 18 to not indulge in such practices in future, as it not only spoils the reputation of the broadcasting industry but also causes disruption amongst Broadcasters;
3. To give a written undertaking to ASCI confirming that they will not continue and indulge in such activity in future;
4. To issue a strict warning to TV18 for such activity.
5. Due to paucity of time and utmost urgency, we are restricting the instant complaint to bare facts as mentioned above, with a reserved liberty to disclose other facts and information in the matter, as necessary…”

To IBF:

“…In view of the above, we urge IBF:

1. To investigate and take action against TV 18 on urgent basis;
2. To direct them to not indulge in such malpractices as it not only spoils the reputation of the broadcasting industry but also causes disruption amongst other Broadcasters. It is fit case for IBF to create a precedent for other member channels by taking action against TV 18 for its unethical acts of manipulation of ratings for short term gain over others;
3. To demand an apology from TV 18 for its act and also seek an undertaking of not to repeat the same in future;
4. To direct TV 18 to refrain from using Budget week ratings in any of its communications, promotional messages and emailers to trade or its subscribers;
5. That this matter should be published on IBF’s website that if TV 18 does not comply with IBF’s direction, such an event should be brought to the notice of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for necessary action.

Hence, in view of the same, we request IBF to take a quick action in this matter.”

To NBA:

“…In view of the above, we urge NBA:

1. To investigate and take action against TV 18 on urgent basis;
2. To direct them to not indulge in such malpractices as it not onlyspoils thereputation of the broadcasting industry but also causes disruption amongst other Broadcasters. It is fit case for NBA to create a precedent for other member channels by taking action against TV 18 for its unethical acts of manipulation of ratings for short term gain over others.
3. To demand an apology from TV 18 for its act and also seek an undertaking of not to repeat the same in future;
4. To direct TV 18 to refrain from using Budget week ratings in any of its communications, promotional messages and emailers to trade or its subscribers.
5. That this matter should be published on NBA’s website that if TV 18 does not comply with NBA’s direction, such an event should be brought to the notice of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) for necessary action.

Hence, in view of the same, we request NBA to take a quick action in this matter…”

TVNEWS4U.COM will come back with the response of TV18 and the respective associations.