S.R.Seshu
It is official now; one of the senior most journalists/ analysts in Telugu media industry and N-TV’s ex Chief Editor, Mr.Kommineni Sreenivasa Rao (KSR), joined Sakshi news channel owned by the YSR Congress Party leader Mr.YS Jaganmohan Reddy. Mr.KSR is all set to make his first appearance in a live show on Monday (June 13, 2016), according to sources.
Though Mr.KSR’s designation is not yet known, he was asked by the Sakshi management to confine to his live show in the morning hours to analyse contemporary politics in his own style. Basically a hardcore print journalist, Mr.KSR made a mark for himself in television journalism through the live show (Live with KSR), which was a great hit in N-TV. Mr.KSR also wanted to restrict himself to the show without involving in day-to-day operations of the news channel.
Mr.KSR, who never worked in any media house that is not belonged to his community, now has to deal with editors belong to Reddy community. Sadly, media operations in both the Telugu States revolve around caste equations and we need to talk about castes to provide a clear picture to readers. Mr.KSR, once a key player in TDP politics aided and abetted by the largest circulated Telugu daily Eenadu, fell out with the media tycoon Mr.Ramoji Rao and AP Chief Minister Mr.N.Chandrababu Naidu.
This development definitely is a thorn in the Telugu Desam’s flesh, given the fact that it hunted down Mr.KSR for his critical comments and sarcastic remarks in N-TV shows. The AP government allegedly twisted the arms of Mr.Narendranath Choudary, the owner of N-TV, to stop Mr.KSR’s live show. It also blocked N-TV in certain areas in an attempt to get rid of Mr.KSR. Finally, Mr.Narendranath had to yield to threats, according to Mr.KSR’s confidants.
As mentioned in these columns, Mr.KSR had negotiated with HM-TV before clinching a deal with Sakshi. HM-TV management did a market survey and came to a conclusion that it is not wise to buy animosity with TDP Government that is baying for the blood of Mr.KSR.
A shrewd journalist with unripe wit and rustic sarcasm, Mr.KSR has been a witness of many political developments that shaped the Telugu Desam and he is blessed with a lot of data on his fingertips. It remains to be seen how Mr.KSR is going to take on Mr.Chandrababu, the political opponent of Sakshi channel owner and Opposition leader Mr.Jaganmohan Reddy.
“It is a tight rope walk for KSR now. It is not easy for him to gel well with editors who are younger to him in Sakshi. For sure, Jagan expects a lot from KSR to set political scores against Babu. KSR left with no option but to meet the expectations of Jagan. Kommineni’s survival in Sakshi depends on how best he performs on screen much to the joy of Jagan,” rightly commented a senior journalist. The symbiotic relation between Mr.KSR and Mr.Jagan remains to be keenly watched now!
