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Journalists moving away from TRS!

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Telangana journalists associations played a key role in Telangana statehood agitation.

Although Telangana journalists were working in media organizations owned by Seemandra managements, they openly supported TRS and KCR and took part in Telangana statehood agitations by risking their jobs.

Now the situation has completely changes after the formation of Telangana state and KCR becoming Chief Minister in 2014.

Now the same Telangana journalist associations are expressing severe anger at KCR and TRS government.

Journalist associations have given a call to all journalists in Telangana to work against TRS and bring down KCR government in 2023 Assembly polls.

The reason KCR did not fulfill a single promise made to journalists in his seven year rule especially on giving house sites or 2BHK houses as promised by him in 2014.

Even the health cards given by KCR failed as no private hospital is accepting those cards with TRS government not clearing bills to hospitals.

Journalist associations are angry at KCR’s use and throw policy towards journalists after coming to power.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Mainstream journalists falling into social media trap: Andhra govt

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The Andhra Pradesh government’s national media and inter-state affairs advisor, Devulapalli Amar, on Saturday said the mainstream media houses are falling into the trap of social media, resulting in inadvertently spreading false news leading to communal tension in the state.

“These incidents (alleged temple attacks & media reports) have clearly indicated that mainstream media is falling into the trap of social media and inadvertently spreading false news leading to communal tension in the State,” said Amar.

He requested journalists to observe restraint and extreme caution to avoid becoming tools in the hands of vested interests.

“In this context, exercising restraint is extremely important in the current scenario. When the atmosphere is charged and vitiated, rumour mongers will work overtime and rumours will fly thick and fast,” Amar observed.

Amar, a veteran Telugu journalist, said a series of suspicious temple vandalism cases occurred in the southern state in recent months.

He highlighted that almost all these attacks occurred during night time.

“The state government sees a larger conspiracy behind these orchestrated incidents to defame it and stoke religious sentiments in the communally peaceful state,” said Amar.

He said at least five of these alleged desecrations need scrutiny and gave the reasons for a relook.

According to Amar, the alleged desecration of Saraswati temple and idol at Etcherla in Srikakulam and Narsaraopeta in Guntur respectively, happened more than two years ago, hinting that they occurred even before the Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) came to power.

“However, unscrupulous elements posted these incidents on social media as if they were fresh incidents. Media, unfortunately, without going into the facts, fell into the trap of social media and rumour mongers,” pointed out the advisor.

Referring to Kalabhairava temple desecration case in Allagadda in Kurnool on September 19, he said a person with the superstitious belief that keeping a part of the idol in his house will enable his wife to conceive had committed the crime. He was later arrested.

Amar referred to the recent Varaha Narasimha Swamy temple arch idols desecration allegations in Prakasam district’s Singarayakonda, and clarified that the arch was constructed in 1999, 2 km away from the actual temple.

“Due to salty weather conditions and wear and tear, the idols on the arch were repaired twice. Two months ago, the hands of an idol became partly loose and the donors were informed about it and they promised to get the work done during Brahmotsavams this year. However, six persons including representatives of a few media houses without verifying the facts helped in spreading false news,” he said.

Among the six, five were journalists belonging to prominent Telugu media houses such as ABN Andhra Jyothi, NTV and HMTV and a couple of local newspapers, all of whom were arrested and locked up for a day for allegedly propagating fake news.

Finally, Amar referred to the Golugonda incident in Visakhapatnam rural, which he said was an old incident where an idol was damaged accidentally.

“Some persons had spread the rumour that the incident happened on January 5. In all these cases, police have managed to identify the culprits of rumour mongering and spreading rumours on social media,” he said.

Amar said the state government has appointed a 16-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by additional director general of police G. V. G. Ashok Kumar to probe the cases and arrest the culprits.

He appealed to the media houses not to publish allegations without verifying the facts.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Gaddar intends to recognise journalists as government employees

Revolutionary poet Balladeer Gaddar said that if they come to power in the next elections, his party would recognise journalists as government employees. Speaking at press club on Wednesday in Karimnagar, the former Maoist leader said that by 2019, the “Tyagala Telangana” movement will be intensified. Through this movement, he hopes to emerge as an alternate political force and bring about a revolution in the way votes are polled. He said that in this fight he would join hands with political like minded parties and works towards creating People’s Telangana.

He critiqued that there is no novelty in the government schemes. Gaddar said that Telangana needs interconnecting of rivers, but the TRS government is going ahead with Lift Irrigation schemes. The 67-year-old said he would be a King Maker, and if necessary would become King. He said that he would think about party and alliances, three months before the elections.

Gaddar through his songs helped in creating awareness among the people about the need for Telangana. However, these statements from the founder of Jana Natya Mandali only shows the leader activists in poor light.

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

Scribes in Telangana Protest Against Notices to T News

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[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith Andhra Pradesh police serving notices on a vernacular news channel, T News, journalists across Telangana state staged protests and held demonstrations against the act alleging that it was an attempt to curb the freedom of press. 

Notably, the Andhra Pradesh police-in its notice- stated that the news channel, T News, disturbed the public tranquility by telecasting Andhra Pradesh chief minister Chandrababu Naidu’s alleged telephonic conversation with Telangana’s nominated MLA, Elvis Stephenson. It may be noted that the police served notices based on complaint of an advocate from Vizag.The notice went on to mention that the programme that was aired on June 7 night affected the maintenance of public order, which violated Section-5 of Cable TV News Network Act. It may be recalled that T News had telecast the audio conversation between Babu and Stephenson shortly after the arrest of TDP MLA from Telangana region, Revanth Reddy.

[pullquote position=”left”] Indian Journalists Union’s (IJU) secretary general, Devulapalli Amar condemned the incident and said that none in the world has the authority to question the media of its sources. [/pullquote]

Is Cable TV News Network Act Applicable to TV Channel?

The matter that is being widely debated amongst journalists’ circle today is—whether Cable TV News Network Act can be slapped against a television channel, as the legal experts are of the opinion that this act shall be invoke only against cable television operation and that T News was a cable television operator but a news channel.

What are the possible sections that can be invoked?

The legal experts said that it would have been better and significant in case the following sections were invoked—IPC Sec499 (defamation), IPC Sec502 and IPC Sec120B (criminal conspiracy). They were apparently puzzled as to why these chose Cable TV Network Act. Was it an attempt that would presumably make KCR to strike a compromise deal with Babu, they questioned among themselves.

Attack on the media?

The journalists in Telangana region reacted vehemently to the notices that were served by the police against T News. A large number of scribes gathered outside the DGP office of AP Police in Hyderabad. The sources said that nearly 100 journalists were already taken into the custody.  Meanwhile, the Indian Journalists’ Union (IJU) secretary general, Devulapalli Amar condemned the incident and said that none in the world has the authority to question the media of its sources. Serving notices to media is an attempt to curb press freedom, he added.

BJP Jumps into Defence:

Telangana BJP president and MLA, Kishan Reddy has responded to the notices served on T news. He has said that BJP was not against the freedom of press. He, however, criticised KCR and Chandrababu Naidu for indulging in political war. 

It now looks like Chandrababu Naidu purportedly crossed swords with freedom of the press. How these cases can curtain press freedom is still a debatable issue.

(Phani B)

Telugu360 is always open for the best and bright journalists. If you are interested in full-time or freelance, email us at Krishna@telugu360.com.

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