Kerala TV Channel Accused of 100 Crore Rupees BARC Rating Fraud; Cyber Police Begin Probe

Thiruvananthapuram: A major complaint has been raised alleging large-scale fraud in the BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) television rating system. A prominent television channel in Kerala is accused of paying 100 crore rupees to a BARC official to artificially inflate its ratings.

The Kerala Television Federation President has submitted complaints to the Chief Minister, the State Police Chief, and the BARC leadership. State Police Chief R. Chandra Sekhar confirmed that the Kerala Police Cyber Division has begun investigating the case.

According to reports by the Twenty Four news channel, the fraud was orchestrated by a Mumbai-based team led by Premnath, a mid-level BARC official. The channel owner allegedly transferred large sums of money to Premnath through cryptocurrency—USDT (Tether). Twenty Four also released WhatsApp chats purported to show discussions about boosting ratings and confirming payment transactions.

The channel owner and Premnath reportedly maintained frequent contact over phone calls. By manipulating BARC ratings, the team created an inflated impression of the channel’s viewership. The report claims techniques such as phone farming were used to artificially increase YouTube viewer counts, including traffic generated from foreign countries.

Earlier, MediaOne channel had withdrawn from the BARC rating system alleging similar irregularities.

What is BARC?

BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) is the organisation responsible for measuring television audiences in India. It provides viewership data—how many people watch TV, what programs they watch, and which channels they prefer. Advertisers rely heavily on BARC ratings to decide where to place advertisements.

BARC operates under the ownership of the Indian broadcasting ecosystem. BARC was established jointly by organisations representing broadcasters, advertisers, and advertising–media agencies. It is a collaborative platform formed by the Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation, the Advertising Agencies Association of India, and the Indian Society of Advertisers.

It was established on July 9, 2010, replacing the earlier private agency Television Audience Measurement (TAM), which had faced criticism. India’s advertising market is worth around 50,000 crore rupees annually, and BARC ratings play a decisive role in how advertisers choose channels.