Union Govt suspends TRP of news channels for 4 weeks

News channels creating fear among citizens by sensationalizing coverage of the Israel-Iran war

(TRP stands for ‘Television Rating Points’ – a measure of the popularity of a television programme)

New Delhi – The Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to immediately suspend the publication of the Television Rating Points (TRP) report of news channels for a period of 4 weeks or until further orders. The order states that in the backdrop of the Israel-Iran conflict, some news channels are broadcasting unnecessary sensational and speculative content. This is likely to create fear among the common citizens, especially among those who have friends or family living in the affected areas.

📺 Stop the Sensationalism! 🚫

​The Central Govt has suspended news channel TRPs for 4 weeks following claims of fear-mongering during the #IsraelIranConflict coverage. 🇮🇱🇮🇷

​The Issue:
​Creating Panic: Turning serious global conflicts into "sensational" drama just for views.… pic.twitter.com/EWB75ds8Gw

— Sanatan Prabhat (@SanatanPrabhat) March 8, 2026

Editorial Perspectives

• News channels sensationalize news about war or other calamities, creating fear among the public. Hence it is necessary to levy hefty fines on such channels and perhaps revoke their licenses too.
• Every year, Mumbai experiences waterlogging during the monsoon; however, even after the waterlogging has drained, news channels continue to show the pictures of waterlogged areas throughout the day, which creates unnecessary fear among the people.