A compelling legal notice sent to The News Minute by Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV has forced the Dhanya Rajendran-led digital news platform to hastily admit an error in their report regarding the Mumbai Police’s ongoing investigations into the alleged TRP scam and Republic TV’s viewership ratings.
Corrigendum: A section in the article said that the BARC Audit report came to a conclusion on the basis of Partho Dasgupta's exchanges with Arnab Goswami. This was an error. (1/2)
— The News Minute (@thenewsminute) January 28, 2021
Titled, “Explainer: BARC audit report shows employees colluded to change channel ratings” and published on 26 January 2021 by The News Minute, the report takes special pains to indirectly insinuate a link between Republic and Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta.
The BARC report of July 2020 does not mention any specific exchanges with Republic which may lead to a conclusion on alleged TRP manipulation. Yet, The News Minute, in an attempt to prejudice the public against Republic TV, published a mischievous report.
Through the legal notice, Republic TV has sought an unconditional apology, removal of The News Minute‘s false news report, an immediate clarification regarding the news report and publishing of the full statement released by Republic. The notice also asks The News Minute to cease-and-desist from publishing any content on matters sub judice, from publishing any defamatory content against Republic without any corroboration and evidence , and from selectively reporting on the alleged TRP scam.
The legal notice also asked The News Minute to issue a corrigendum on all print and digital platforms, including their official social media platforms. The News Minute has done this on Twitter, as seen from their tweet.
“Corrigendum: A section in the article said that the BARC Audit report came to a conclusion on the basis of Partho Dasgupta’s exchanges with Arnab Goswami. This was an error. The conclusion was based on exchanges between Partho Dasgupta and several people in BARC and three emails he sent Arnab Goswami before the launch of Republic TV. The error is regretted,” The News Minute tweeted.
The conclusion was based on exchanges between Partho Dasgupta and several people in BARC and three emails he sent Arnab Goswami before the launch of Republic TV. The error is regretted. (2/2)
— The News Minute (@thenewsminute) January 28, 2021
After The News Minute acknowledged their false and insinuating report, Republic TV took to Twitter as well. Quoting The News Minute‘s tweet, Republic TV tweeted, “This is in response to a legal notice we served today to @thenewsminute through our lawyer Tanmaya Mehta on the false reporting in @thenewsminute trying to falsely & maliciously concoct a story about findings on Mr Dasgupta to any specific “exchanges” with Mr Goswami.”
This is in response to a legal notice we served today to @thenewsminute through our lawyer Tanmaya Mehta on the false reporting in @thenewsminute trying to falsely & maliciously concoct a story about findings on Mr Dasgupta to any specific “exchanges” with Mr Goswami. 1/n https://t.co/8fZxONY3kx
— Republic (@republic) January 28, 2021
Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.