Ratings, strategy, name-dropping: Goswami’s ‘chats’ with ex-barc chief show close association
MUMBAI: For about three years, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was allegedly in constant touch with then Broadcast Audience Research Council (Barc) chief Partho Dasgupta and the duo discussed viewer ratings, television strategies, and rival Hindi and English-language channels, with Goswami claiming access to top ministers and officials, according to Whatsapp chat transcripts that are part of a 3,600-page charge sheet filed by Mumbai Police.
Police said the chat transcripts, which run into 500 pages and were seen by HT, were retrieved from Dasgupta’s phone after he was arrested in December in connection with alleged manipulation of TRP (Television Rating Points). The charge sheet was filed on Monday. Claims made by Goswami of his influence at senior levels in the government were unsubstantiated and unconfirmed. HT could not independently confirm the conversations as depicted in the transcripts.
In one transcript dated July 7, 2017, Dasgupta allegedly discussed with Goswami complaints received by the Union ministry of Information & Broadcasting against Republic TV. The charge sheet showed Dasgupta purportedly told Goswami that the complaint was not yet forwarded to Barc, a joint-industry body that independently measures television audience, and added that he was “quite sure that the complaints would never reach them (Barc)”.
In May 2017, the two purportedly discussed the ratings of
Republic TV and if Barc could be asked to release the data in public. In another conversation, Goswami thanked Dasgupta for helping him get out of his previous workplace – NDTV. Goswami left NDTV in 2005.
Another transcript, dated July 18, 2017, purportedly showed Dasgupta taking advice from Goswami on which minister to invite for an event by Barc. They discussed the names of two ministers.
In chats dated May 17, 2017 – days after Republic TV was launched – Dasgupta purport
edly told Goswami that all kinds of political games had started. “All ministers with us,” was Goswami’s alleged response.
Even before the channel was launched, on April 10, 2017, Goswami purportedly asked Dasgupta, “Can I get my team to meet yours regarding watermarking and how it’s to be planned and sequenced?” On the day of launch, Dasgupta allegedly revealed the ratings of the day unofficially to Goswami. “We dont give those daily reach figures to anyone - happy teams are unofficially collaborating,” Dasgupta purportedly told Goswami on May 5, 2017.
The chats also suggested that Dasgupta and Goswami were close even before Republic was launched.
In a chat transcript dated March 25, 2019, Dasgupta allegedly shared a letter with Goswami and asked him for help with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). “Will happen,” was Goswami’s response. In another transcript dated April 4, Dasgupta asked Goswami if he could help with an “AS”. “I can,” Goswami replied.
In their purported communication, according to the transcripts released by police, the two men discussed other television channels with Goswami frequently expressing his frustration with the ratings system.
In one chat transcript dated July 18, Dasgupta purportedly asked Goswami for help against his rivals. “Unless government calls people and asks them to quit, nothing will change,” Dasgupta said. “Noted. Government will,” Goswami responded. The same day, in another transcript, Dasgupta purportedly offered Goswami help on his breaking news strategy.
Goswami also discussed with Dasgupta news stories of the day, important interviews done by Republic, and how his channel was ahead of rivals, but still not dominating ratings. “Please see how horribly I’m hit. Week after week. No respite,” Goswami said.
In another conversation dated May 8, 2019, Dasgupta suggested Goswami to not “mix Hindi in English channels – for “south viewers may start switching off”. In several transcripts, Goswami bragged about the response to his channels, especially Hindi language Republic Bharat that was launched in 2019.
In a transcript dated August 5, 2019 – the day Jammu & Kashmir’s special status was revoked and the erstwhile state bifurcated – Goswami claimed that a top official met him before going to Srinagar. “Everyone in NSA PMO everyone hooked to Bharat and Republic. It’s complete madness,” Goswami wrote.
Later chats reflected that the industry got a sense of the connection between the two, and several transcripts showed Dasgupta asking Goswami to speak in his favour. Ahead of a crucial meeting on August 20, 2019, Dasgupta told Goswami, “You have too many enemies...but I will be your friend whichever role I am in…but not compromise my values.”
In a transcript dated August 30, 2019, Dasgupta asked for Goswami’s help with the PMO. On October 16 the same year, he purportedly asked Goswami if he could get him a “media adviser kind of position with PMO”.
Goswami’s access to the PMO or any other senior government officials was not substantiated, and it was not clear if he attempted to follow through on the alleged requests.
The charge sheet, filed by the Mumbai crime branch, named Republic CEO Vikas Khanchandani, former chief operating officer of Barc Romil Ramgarhia, and Dasgupta, as the main accused.
The crime branch also named Republic TV’S chief operating officer (COO) Priya Mukherjee as an accused. In all, 59 witnesses, including 15 experts, were cited against the three main accused, said Sachin Vaze, assistant police inspector, who is part of the investigation.
The police said that Ramgarhia manipulated TRP of Republic TV’S rivals to help Goswami’s channels in 40 weeks of the company’s launch. The police alleged that Dasgupta was also involved in the manipulation and they communicated with office-bearers of Republic TV through email and Whatsapp. The police further claimed that this was done for Ramgarhia and Dasgupta’s personal gain.
Dasgupta, who is still in judicial custody, approached the sessions court for bail. The plea will be heard on January 15.
On October 6,2020, Barc filed a complaint through the Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers. Hansa is one of Barc’s vendors that measures engagement of audience with television channels. TRP, measured by recording viewership data in sample households, is a crucial barometer for attracting advertisers.
Dasgupta’s lawyer Arjun Thakur denied the allegations.
“We have not admitted the charge sheet and we are denying all the allegations. As far as chats are concerned their admissibility will be tested in the court of law and we don’t want to comment on that at this stage. Besides, Dasgupta and Goswami knew each other even before Republic TV was conceptualised. This (the chats) has nothing to do with the case,” Thakur.
Republic TV’S lawyer, advocate Saket Shukla, was contacted but HT didn’t receive a response till press time. Mumbai Police told the Bombay high court that they will not take any coercive action till January 29 against Goswami and other employees of ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, Republic TV’S holding company.