It is learnt YSR Congress party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy is terribly upset with the reports that are appearing in national media over his government’s decisions in the last few days.
In spite of the massive mandate he has got in the recent assembly elections, Jagan has not been a favourite of the local media in the Telugu states.
Except Sakshi, the own publication of Jagan, most of the other media houses including the so-called “yellow media” continues to attack his government.
What is more irritating Jagan is the negative reports being carried in the national media – whether it was the review of power purchase agreements or termination of Polavaram contractor or stoppage of works in Amaravati or closure of Anna canteens, which had become controversial and a couple of them even incurred the wrath of the Centre.
Though Jagan has taken several positive decisions such as establishment of village secretariats, appointment of village volunteers, increase of old age pensions and implementation of Rythu Bharosa, there has been not much coverage in the national media.
One of the reasons for this lack of positive coverage for Jagan in the national media is lack of a proper media management system in his administration.
While his media advisor is hardly accessible to the national media, his public relations wing has not been very effective in coordinating with media representatives.
And about the Information and Public Relations department, which was very active during Naidu regime, the less it is said, the better.
At the same time, Jagan himself is not a media savvy person, unlike his predecessor N Chandrababu Naidu. So, nobody bothers to interact with the media.
It is learnt the chief minister is now planning to hire a senior journalist exclusively to handle the national media by constantly interacting with them to ensure that the government gets some positive image.
Let us see how far this system works.