Two months after the controversy over it’s derogatory comments against Telangana legislature, CM and dialect, TV9′s promoters got into the act and sent a letter to MSOs directly offering their ‘sincere apologies’ over the matter. The letter marks a big turnaround in TV9′s attitude in the matter. All these days TV9 has been trying every trick to get back into air in Telangana by coercing the MSOs into withdrawing their boycott. BJP and TDP backed it strongly and they went to Governor a dozen times, between them, over the issue giving representations for ‘freedom of press’. TV9 went to court to rein the MSOs in and it failed. The issue went right into Parliament and Telangana MPs defended the boycott vociferously and ...

Telangana Chief Minister KCR requested reporters not to confuse and mislead people with “propaganda journalism” and ask the government about the schemes and policies it is planning before writing about them. He wondered how sections of media can go on spinning everything against the Government and suggested those sections of media to change it’s attitude. The CM even mentioned that these sections should understand that the Government can run it’s own newspaper, if needed, to convey facts to the people. “A section of the media here is still trying to defame the government by publishing false news on schemes and programmes. The government will not be cowed down by such propaganda. Instead, we will expose such media before the people so ...

-Professor Madabhushi Sridhar It is not the same story of bloody crimes in streets. Bloodless crimes with potential of spilling blood are being committed by ‘expression’ shops. Whether expressions ‘democracy’ and ‘press freedom’ fit in, in the present scenario of political fight in tv and social media? Freedom of speech and expression as guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution of India will encompass all sorts of communication including tv, social media or cell phone media.  The earlier debate and demand in India to make express provision for Freedom of Press as in US Constitution became irrelevant because of advent of new media.  The Electronic Media grew very strong and extended is reach beyond that of print media. The words ...

- Prof. Madabhushi Sridhar The first half of 2014 saw the blockade of TV channels in several states. The Chief Ministers came down heavily against ‘free (!) press’ either directly or indirectly and reputed tv channels were forced to go off the air.  While two states banned on TV channels was based on Intellectual property rights and national security, one state acted against negative criticism of media. The MSOs in Telangana banned telecast of two channels who challenged it in High Court. The Assembly of Telangana State is invoking Legislative privileges against a nasty show ridiculing its MLAs. Right to telecast FIFA Delhi High Court on June 4, 2014 directed to ban over 400 unauthorised websites from broadcasting FIFA World ...

The face-off, since last week, between the Telangana Assembly and a section of the Seemandhra media which has apparently not reconciled itself to the birth of the new state has raised vital legal issues. The new Assembly passed a resolution on June 14, authorising speaker Madhusudanachary to take stern action against the news channel TV9. The Speaker referred the issue to a special committee (in the absence of a Privileges Committee). If the Assembly were to imprison or reprimand media persons, as some have demanded, for the derogatory and contemptuous reporting of the swearing-in of its MLAs by the Seemandhra owned TV9, the new state’s legislative history would begin with a confrontation between a constitutional Estate and the Fourth Estate. ...