NDTV has filed a suit against The Nielsen Company and other defendants in the US, under New York State laws. According to the suit, the channel had been discussing their unhappiness with various aspects of the viewership data, continuously from 2004 to 2012. Obviously, they do not have any faith that the situation will change, leading to the filing of the suit.
When asked for a response on the developments, the following statement was issued, quoting a TAM spokesperson: “TAM India, a 50:50 joint venture between Kantar Media and Nielsen, doesn’t comment on any litigation.”
NDTV is not just angry – they are very, very angry. NDTV has asked for $580 million for negligence and a minimum of $810 million for fraud.
“This is a case, brought under New York State laws, of negligence, gross negligence, false representations, prima facie tort and negligence per se… This is also a case of a once noble company, Nielsen…exhibiting unabashed short term greed and reckless disregard of its duties and of its noble origin. It is a case of the two largest audience measurement conglomerates in the world, Nielsen and Kantar, formerly competitors, operating worldwide through a deliberately complex web of subsidiaries and joint ventures, creating, at least in India, a monopoly and abusing the power of that monopoly,” says the suit as reported by Firstpost
The entire suit can be read at deadline.com