Advertising row between ET Now and CNBC-TV18 intensifies

ASCI terms CNBC-TV18 ads claiming to be no. 1 business news channel to be misleading on ET Now's complaint

After business news channel ET Now was asked to withdraw its advertisements in June following a complaint by CNBC-TV18 with the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), the table now seem to have turned as CNBC-TV18 has been asked to do the same, following a complaintby ET Now.

On June 11, CNBC TV18 was seen running ads, claiming to be the No 1 Business Channel in India, as per TAM data. ET Now complained against CNBC TV18 to ASCI claiming their ads to be misleading. ASCI did its investigation and examination of the relevant data submitted by CNBCTV18 substantiating their claim for the no. 1 position.

CNBC TV18 shared all India viewership numbers but excluded 'females' from the calculation which made the 'All Indialeadership' claim questionable. It alsoignored business news channels in languages other than English, withoutspecifying this exclusion.

During thecourse of the investigation, the Consumer Complaints Council (CCC) which studiesthe claims and complaints made to ASCI found CNBC TV18's claims misleading andunsubstantiated and it upheld the complaint made by ET Now. ASCI has advised CNBC TV18 to modify theseadvertisements appropriately or withdraw the same by 17th August 2015.