If there’s one thing
every television channel brandishes to show that it has an edge over competitors,
it’s TRP. Almost every channel claims to have shows which are ‘most-watched’ or
have the ‘highest TRPs’. But can we take this data at face value? Apparently
not. Highly placed sources in the TV industry, on condition of anonymity, admit
that the TRP game in Telugu television isn’t as democratic as it appears to be.
And when you look at the numbers a little closely, you do smell something
fishy.
Television soaps aired
in the 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm slots on all major Telugu channels always garner
better ratings (an average of 9 on TRP) when compared to popular
reality shows like Bigg
Boss Telugu (6) or Pradeep Machiraju’s Koncham Touch Lo Unte Chepta (6) or even
his much-publicised Pelli Choopulu (2.1). A serial like Karthika Deepam
featuring not-so-popular actors has an average TRP of 12 that almost matches
the TRP for the television premiere of Mahesh Babu-starrer Bharath Ane Nenu
(14.5). Yet another regular family-based soap opera like Lakshmi Kalyanam gets
a TRP of 10, nearly matching the season two ratings of the very popular
franchise Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu which averages at 8.5. Does this mean
Karthika Deepam is as popular as Bharath Ane Nenu or that Lakshmi Kalyanam is
being lapped up by viewers just as much as Meelo Evaru Koteeswarudu? The ratings
may say so, but the reality is far from it, sources claim. So, how does this
number game work, we ask. “Major television players and producers of Telugu
shows allocate budgets to the tune of ` 5 lakh a month to work on the TRP game.
They pay households to make sure they watch the show no matter what. These
fraudulent measures increase TRPs by at least 3.5 points a week for a show,
thereby leading to an artificial
increase in
advertisement rates, ensuring longevity of their time slots,” reveals a senior
official who has a few decades’ experience in the local TV industry.
“The makers of Telugu
shows take help of third-party agents to pay viewers across the Telugu States.
a sum of `800 per household is paid for watching a particular show at the
stipulated time. The third party agents facilitate these deals in households
where the meters that form the basis for TRPs are placed.They then make sure
that the amount is deposited into the viewers’ account,” informs the source,
futher alleging that, “This practiceis now rampant in almost all major Telugu
channels.”
Rattling off a list of
shows that have allegedly reaped rich dividends thanks to this move, the source
says, “Agni Sakshi, Koyilamma, Mouna Raagam, Matru Devo Bhava and Rakta
Sambandham all have skyrocketing TRPs that won’t add up if you were to go by
its appeal or popularity. they all have an unlikely industry average rating of
8-12 points during their telecast in the afternoon and evening slots. On the
other hand, shows featuring celebrities, be it Bigg Boss or Pelli Choopulu,
don’t go
beyond 3 to 6 points on
an average.”
Agreeing that the
numbers are tampered with, another senior industry insider exclaims, “Tampering
with TRPs also ensure producers heavy bonuses. Other show producers who play by
the book have lost to the tune of crores after being forced to shut shop
despite delivering the goods with the TRPs. There was healthy competition
between show producers
in the past, but this trend is eventually killing creativity and writers are
going out of jobs.”
Many channel owners who
are aware of the artificial TRP-increase too don’t take a firm stand this
practice, claims the source. However, there have also been
instances where serials
with unrealistic TRPs were pulled off air after the programming head got a
whiff of it. “It all depends on how highly placed the middlemen and the show
producers are and how much influence they wield over the channels,” claims the
source.
WE ARE NOT AWARE OF SUCH
FRAUDULENT PRACTICE, WE ADHERE TO AND ARE BOUND BY STRINGENT POLICIES: TELUGU
TV CHANNELS
When approached, many
top television channels categorically denied being aware of any malpractice
with respect to their channel’s TRP ratings. Clarifying their stance, a
representative of Zee Telugu said, “We would like to state that we at Zee
Telugu are not aware of any such instances. Being part of one of India’s most
respectable and largest media and entertainment conglomerates, we adhere to and
are bound by stringent policies and guidelines across all our operations. For
our audience measurement and data, we strictly conform to well- documented and
transparent systems and processes and for this we work closely with India’s leading
measurement company, BARC India (Broadcast Audience Research Council of
India).”
“Our operations are well
aligned with media law, ethics and regulatory compliance in line with industry
standards and guidelines. We are a viewer-centric channel and conduct extensive
research on audience interest and feedback which is reflected in our content.
Most importantly, we believe in driving our viewership on the strong foundation
of quality content that is reflective of the cultural ethos and traditions of Telugu
audiences,” the representative added.
STAR MAA, on the other
hand, declined to comment on the issue, while SUN TV failed to respond after
multiple attempts made to reach them.
*All TRP ratings listed
are based on an estimate of average weekly figures
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