At a time when the media across the country in general and Telugu states in particular is vertically divided based on their political affiliations, it is no surprise that the media which either belongs to the ruling party or is pro-ruling party or those in the good books of the government get the lion’s share in the government advertisements.
So, when Andhra Jyothy carried a story on Saturday, crying foul over Sakshi newspaper, promoted by YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, bagging maximum advertisements from the Andhra government, it did not come as a surprise to anyone.
According to Andhra Jyothy, Sakshi newspaper got the government advertisements worth Rs 104.74 crore out of the total value of advertisements of Rs 263.76 crore, since the YSRC government came to power in May 2019, till January this year.
Taking into account the other tender notifications, land acquisition notices and other smaller ads, the total value of government advertisements given to Sakshi during this period was more than Rs 200, the report quoting a reply to an RTI query said.
It said Andhra Jyothy Telugu daily, which is considered to be No. 3 Telugu daily in terms of circulation, got only Rs 25 lakh since May 2019, the report said.
Well, there is nothing for Andhra Jyothy to cry foul, because it is an open secret that the Jagan government doesn’t like the newspaper because of its blatant pro-Telugu Desam Party and anti-government stand.
So, no government will give the advertisements to the rival newspapers. When the TDP was in power, too, the same policy was adopted. Sakshi was hardly given any advertisements, whereas Andhra Jyothy minted money!