Media Commission slams rigged TV TRPs

Television TRPs in Bangladesh are rigged, Media Reform Commission chief Kamal Ahmed declared Saturday after submitting the panel’s report to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna. 

Speaking at a press briefing outside, Kamal Ahmed likened the fraud to newspaper circulation scams and vowed reforms to end it.  

Kamal Ahmed blamed Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL), which was tasked with installing 8,000 TRP monitoring devices within a year. Only 200 were set up by December, with 100 added last week. 

“They’re generating fake ratings with minimal devices,” he said, calling it a “serious injustice” to the TV industry that distorts ad revenue.  

The commission’s report, backed by its 11 members—including Dhaka University’s Gitiara Nasreen and Jamuna TV’s Fahim Ahmed—recommends stricter oversight and verified data to curb the rigging. Implementation now rests with Yunus.