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Govt Blocked TRPs During Op Sindoor to Stop Fake War Coverage

The government directed the withholding of Television Rating Points (TRPs) for TV news channels for four weeks during Operation Sindoor to curb sensational and speculative coverage that could cause public panic. Minister L. Murugan stated this action was a precautionary measure against channels broadcasting unwarranted content, including AI-generated videos and video game clips presented as real military action. Several channels were accused of misreporting, such as airing old footage from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and passing it off as live visuals of Indian strikes in Pakistan. The Press Information Bureau debunked these false narratives, and some channels later apologized for the misleading broadcasts.

Key Points: Govt Stopped TV Channel TRPs in Op Sindoor to Curb Fake News

  • TRPs withheld for 4 weeks
  • Curb speculative crisis coverage
  • AI & video game clips passed as real
  • Channels aired old Gaza footage as Indian strikes
  • PIB debunked false narratives
2 min read

Govt stopped TRPs of TV channels during Operation Sindoor to curb fake news: Minister

Minister reveals TV news channels had TRPs withheld for 4 weeks during Operation Sindoor to stop sensational, AI-generated fake war coverage.

"Such behaviour by TV channels has the potential to create panic among the public - L. Murugan"

New Delhi, April 2

The government directed the withholding of Television Rating Points for TV news channels during Operation Sindoor to curb speculative and sensational coverage, which triggers panic among people in such situations, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan told the Parliament on Thursday.

"Some TV news channels were observed to be broadcasting unwarranted, sensational, and speculative content during Operation Sindoor. Such behaviour by TV channels has been observed during periods of conflict or crisis. It also has the potential to create panic among the public, especially those having friends and family in the affected areas," the minister said in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

"Accordingly, as a precautionary measure, the government directed the withholding of reporting of the Television Rating Points (TRPs) for TV news channels for a period of four weeks. These directions were widely accepted by all stakeholders, and no objections against it have been received so far," he added.

Following the initiation of "Operation Sindoor" on May 7, 2025, a military action launched by India in response to the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam, multiple Indian television news channels were accused of widespread misreporting, sensationalism, and spreading misinformation.

In the mad race to boost TRP ratings, some TV channels were flashing AI-generated videos and video game clips and passing them off as attacks being carried out by the armed forces. The fierce competition for TRP ratings triggered a "report first and verify later" approach among some journalists.

A prominent Hindi channel aired old, unrelated video clips, including videos from the Israeli Iron Dome system and airstrikes in Gaza, and presented them as live visuals of Indian missile strikes on Jaish-e-Mohammed terror bases in Pakistan.

Another channel passed off old video footage of intensive Israeli aerial attacks on Lebanon as Pakistani missiles raining on Punjab cities such as Jalandhar during Operation Sindoor.

The Press Information Bureau (PIB) debunked several of these false narratives.

Some of these channels even had to apologise for these embarrassing blunders in broadcasting such misleading news.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priya S
While I understand the need to curb fake news, withholding TRPs for a month sets a worrying precedent. Who decides what is "sensational"? We must protect press freedom even during crises. The focus should be on stronger penalties for the specific channels that spread misinformation, not a blanket measure for all.
A
Arjun K
Shameful behaviour by these channels. Using Gaza footage and passing it off as Punjab? This is not journalism, it's pure entertainment at the cost of national sentiment. Their apologies are not enough. They should face heavy fines. Good job by PIB for fact-checking.
S
Sarah B
As someone with family in Jalandhar, the panic caused by these false reports was very real. My parents were terrified watching those "missile" videos. The TRP race has made news into a dangerous circus. The four-week suspension seems like a fair corrective action.
V
Vikram M
The root problem is the TRP system itself. It rewards sensationalism, not truth. During sensitive operations like Sindoor, we need sober, factual reporting. Maybe this pause will force channels to rethink their business model. Jai Hind!
K
Kavya N
Absolutely support this move. In times of conflict, the nation's morale and the safety of our armed forces' strategies are paramount. Channels playing with AI-generated videos for TRPs are doing a great disservice to the country. Well done, government. 👏

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