Jagan wants propaganda, not journalism
Jagan has publicly denounced media organisations Andhra Jyothy/ABN TV and Eenadu/ETV as “yellow media”, or biased towards the opposition Telugu Desam Party. It would be more accurate to say that they are the two main regional news sources that do not overtly peddle YSR Congress propaganda.
As a result, they have received little of the state government’s funding. From May 2019 to May 2020, a disproportionate amount of the state’s budget for advertising in the media went to Sakshi newspapers and its television channel. The budget should be evenly distributed; news outlets depend on receiving a certain amount of public revenue. To favour one channel while depriving those which are more critical of the government is an attempt to stifle voices of opposition.
In November 2020 Jagan went one step further in his mission to look good in the media – this time on a national level. He signed a deal a Rs 8.15 crore deal with the Times Group, India’s largest media conglomerate, to “enhance the image of the state and its leaders.” In essence, it means that state money is being used to boost Jagan’s image on the national stage.