The Union government on Friday directed the Broadcast Audience Research Council to suspend the publication of Television Rating Points for news channels for four weeks or until further notice, amid the conflict in West Asia, reported ANI.
The BARC is the official body that measures and releases weekly Television Rating Points for news channels.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said it had issued the order after it observed that “certain News TV Channels are displaying unwarranted sensationalism and speculative content”.
Such content could “potentially create panic among the general public, especially those having friends and family in the affected areas or residing in the affected areas”, the ministry added.
Israel and the United States had launched a joint operation to “degrade the capabilities” of the Iranian government on February 28.
The attacks came amid tensions between the three countries over Tehran’s nuclear programme. Washington acts as a guarantor of Israel’s security. Israel has been claiming that Iran is close to obtaining a nuclear weapon, while Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes.
Iran retaliated by striking Israel and US military bases in the region, and targeting major cities in other Gulf countries and some ships.
After the attacks on February 28, Scroll reported that Indian workers and professionals living in the region were on edge as Iran carried out air strikes in cities of the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and other Gulf states.
Indian residents in Dubai and Doha, the capital city of Qatar, told Scroll that they were anxious about how the events in the region would play out.
On Tuesday, the Indian government said the ongoing conflict in Iran and the Gulf region was evoking “great anxiety” and confirmed that some Indian nationals have been killed while others remain missing.
The Ministry of External Affairs highlighted that nearly one crore Indians live and work in the Gulf region, and said that their safety and well-being remain its “utmost priority”.
New Delhi had urged all sides to exercise restraint, avoid escalation and prioritise civilian safety at the onset of hostilities, the ministry added.
On Monday, the Directorate General of Shipping confirmed that three Indian seafarers were killed and one was injured amid the conflict while serving on board foreign-flagged vessels.
The department did not provide further details but clarified that no Indian-flagged ships have reported casualties, detentions or hostile forces boarding.
One Indian mariner was reported killed on Monday on a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, after a bomb-carrying drone boat struck the vessel.
Another incident occurred a day earlier when a Palau-flagged oil tanker was attacked off the coast of Oman, injuring four crew members. Fifteen of the 20 persons on the tanker were Indians. The remaining were Iranians. All affected personnel were evacuated, according to the Oman Maritime Security Centre.
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