WhatsApp transcripts reveal BARC chief’s links with Arnab
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Attempts to subvert TRAI guidelines uncovered in Mumbai Police’s chargesheet in TRP tampering rip-off
The supplementary chargesheet filed by Mumbai Police in investigations into TRP tampering by a couple of information channels, together with Republic TV, the WhatsApp conversations between Republic TV Editor Arnab Goswami and lately arrested former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Pratho Dasgupta reveals a comfy relationship.
The transcript of the WhatsApp messages intercepted by way of Mr. Dasgupta’s cellphone that runs into greater than 1,000 pages, reveals many situations of him asking Mr Goswami to achieve out to the federal government on his behalf.
In one such occasion, on April 4, 2019, simply days earlier than the final elections, Mr. Dasgupta requested Mr. Goswami to stall the Telecom Regulatory Authority (TRAI)’s proposal to make the BARC’s viewing information public as an alternative of simply supplying it to the channels. Mr. Dasgupta tells Mr Goswami that if the information is made public, many channels might be blacked out by Multi System Operators (MSOs) and Local Cable Operators (LCOs).
“With public data MSOs and LCOs will push you guys for more carriage,” Mr. Dasgupta tells Mr Goswami.
At this, Mr Goswami assures him that when the BJP authorities returns, the TRAI received’t have tooth. He additionally requested Mr Dasgupta to ship him factors on how these reforms may politically damage the federal government.
“With channels getting blacked out, impact of messaging on TV will reach lesser people and hence diluted impact,” Mr Dasgupta replied as per the transcript. Mr Dasgupta additional added “Can you help by telling AS to tell TRAI to pipe down on BARC?”.
The reference to “AS” can also be made repeatedly within the transcript, with Mr Goswami claiming to have a detailed relationship with him. The initials haven’t been spelt at anywhere within the transcript.
Two days later, Mr Goswami responds that, “a strong message has been conveyed to TRAI.”
This isn’t the one occasion of Mr. Dasgupta in search of Mr. Goswami’s assist towards TRAI.
Mr. Dasgupta additionally at many locations has complained about being below strain from “vested interests”. He additionally says he’s below strain from numerous channels on viewership information. At one level he even asks Mr. Goswami to get him a job as “media advisor” within the Prime Minister’s Office.
There are additionally many situations within the transcripts that present Mr. Goswami boasting about his proximity to the “PMO” and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting; he particulars his visits to Delhi to fulfill numerous ministers. There is one other occasion the place he says that “all the ministers are with us”.
In different conversations, Mr. Goswami additionally complains about different information channels getting higher rankings than his (Republic TV) and Mr. Dasgupta assures him that obligatory steps will probably be taken to “clean the data”.
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