On March 17, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) released its weekly data for news channels after a long break. As per sources, Republic TV (English News Channel) has surpassed the rating and grabbed the top position in week 10 of 2022. Times Now, CNN 18 are in the second and third position respectively, followed by India Today Television. Furthermore, NDTV 24×7 rating was not mentioned as the network had opted out of the rating system.
Arnab Goswami, Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, Republic Media Network, said in a video statement, “Remember… What all had happened to us. Never Forget what all happened in this newsroom. Never forgive and never forget. And I want to tell the people of Aaj Tak and other news channels, remember this Times Now… remember this India Today… Arnab Goswami never forgives and never forgets. The Republic Media Network will not forgive… will not forget.”
#RepublicNumber1 | Arnab #LIVE as Republic TV shatters rating records and emerges Number 1
— Republic (@republic) March 17, 2022
Tune in to watch #LIVE here: https://t.co/NVAWhpgRwD pic.twitter.com/v3oBWfGaa4
He further issued a statement that was released on Republic’s Twitter handle in which he said, “With a phenomenal 44% viewership share in prime time and 41% overall, Republic TV is 200% greater than the closest competitor in the English genre. It is 200% greater than Times Now, 270% greater than India Today, and 330% greater than CNN news 18. Republic TV today is the unquestioned supreme leader of English news.”
#RepublicNumber1 | Republic TV is the supreme leader of English news genre, more details to come soon, watch this space – https://t.co/7MWppikHkI pic.twitter.com/Y5NuTuDw5O
— Republic (@republic) March 17, 2022
Speaking to OpIndia, Arnab said, “Times Now lost all its viewership the day I left. They tried dirty tricks, and they have lost again. People are angry with Times Now for lying about Republic. Only if they apologise to Republic will people forgive them. BARC viewership proves Republic is the unchallenged #1 across India.”
It was noteworthy that in 2020, Arnab Goswami and others from Republic TV were wrongly accused of TRP tempering by Mumbai police. Over time, as the details of the case came to light, it was revealed that the whole case was a conspiracy against Arnab Goswami and his team. In February 2022, former Police Commissioner of Mumbai Police, Param Bir Singh had confirmed the TRP case against Republic Media Network was a hoax and part of a planned conspiracy against Journalist Arnab Goswami. During an interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Singh also alleged that ex-Police Officer Sachin Vaze was taking instructions from the then Home Minister Anil Deshmukh in the TRP case along with other cases.
After the alleged case came to light, BARC had suspended releasing weekly data of News Channel ratings. It was reported that the council would start releasing the data in January as I&B Ministry had asked them to resume their services. Subsequently, in February 2022, NDTV decided to opt out of BARC rating.
