Government Schemes and Policy · 8 March 2026

Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) directs BARC to withhold TRP reporting for news channels.

Exam-focused facts from the 8 March 2026 current affairs briefing.

Key facts

  • The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) ordered the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to immediately stop reporting Television Rating Points (TRPs) for news channels for four weeks or until further orders.
  • The directive invoked Clause 24.2 of the policy guidelines which mandates compliance with Ministry orders.
  • The order cited unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content on the Israel-Iran conflict by certain TV news channels that may create public panic.
  • BARC, established in 2010, is the sole body authorised to measure and publish television audience data in India.
  • A similar suspension of TRP ratings for news channels was imposed in 2020 over data manipulation allegations.

View this story in the full daily briefing

Earlier coverage selected by topic similarity to help connect developments over time.

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