India: NDTV Slams WPP 'Hypothetical Lawsuit' Claim

Indian broadcaster NDTV has hit out against a statement issued by WPP yesterday, and its use of the word ‘hypothetical’ to describe NDTV’s claims of ratings fixing at the TAM Media Research joint venture.

Last month, NDTV (New Delhi Television) filed a case in the New York Supreme Court, accusing Kantar and Nielsen of violating anti-bribery laws through their TAM (Television Audience Measurement) joint venture in India. 

NDTV alleges that staff at TAM India took the bribes in order to falsify the ratings data, and says that at a meeting it attended with several of these field staff, they claimed they could influence what panellist households watched if they were paid between $250 and $500 per household per month. 

Yesterday, WPP said that it is considering proceedings against NDTV for defamation, while claiming that the ‘hypothetical lawsuit’ had not been served on itself, or any of its operating companies referred to in the allegations. 

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