Congress leaders shopping for TV channels

HYDERABAD: Whenever elections are round the corner political parties try to mend ways with media houses by keeping them in good humour. With the advent of TV news channels and its ability to spread any kind of news across the state with lightnening speed quickly catches up with the political class.

Major political parties too evinced interest in setting up news channels as the investment requirement is a fraction when compared to launching a daily news paper.

Infact a few politicians, according to sources, has big stakes in some of the leading tv news channels. As next general elections are fast approaching and the political sceneriao in the state is fast changing top Congress leaders in the state are suddenly evincing interest in gaining control over television channels.

If PCC president Botcha Satyanarayana is already in talks to take over Zee 24 Gantalu news channel, close associates of chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy are said to be engaged in a similar exercise.

Quite a few Telugu channels are running in losses and one of them has already declared in an advertisement a shutdown of operations soon. Though the other struggling channels have not made public announcements as such, they are said to be on the lookout for a buyer.

Botcha, whose family has a stake in the cable TV business in many parts of the state, has opened a channel of communication with Zee 24 Gantalu channel belonging to Zee TV group.

But in this case, he would only be getting rights to the brand name for upwards of Rs 20 crore while the equipment will remain with the parent company which intends to utilize it elsewhere. In such an event, an equal or greater investment has to be made to put the infrastructure in place again.

Those close to the chief minister are, however, said to be eyeing a couple of other local channels that can bought, lock, stock and barrel. The investment is proposed to be made by a family member of a minister in the Kiran Kumar Reddy cabinet.

In fact, they reportedly paid an advance to one channel through an MLC but backed out after realization that the brand did not have the valuation it claimed.

The stated purpose behind launching a channel, Botcha has reportedly told his aides, is the need for the Congress to have one of its own so that the party and government's programmes can be effectively communicated to the people.

To his surprise, he might now find those belonging to the chief minister's camp doing the same or even upstaging him in what is seen as an effort to consolidate their position in the party.

Meanwhile, keeping in the front some 'intellectuals' like MLC Nageswar who will act as the face, the CPM is also busy giving final touches to its own channel 10 TV while the CPI is expected to follow suit with TV 99. Not to be left behind in the race BJP state unit too is mulling to launch a news channel.