In a recent article, Top 7 Newspapers Known to Favor Specific Political Parties in India, I talked about how most of the popular newspapers favor specific political parties. When it comes to television, the confederacy between politicians and media goes to a whole new level. Instead of paying for advertisement in the form of news, politicians have decided that it is much more economical to just own television channels. The list of channels owned directly or indirectly by politicians is a very long one. Almost all news channels are owned either directly or indirectly by politicians. The situation in the south is far worse with every party in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala, owning at least one channel. Since the number of channels owned by politicians is so huge I can’t write about all of them but here are 7 of the more famous channels who have a definite conflict of interest in delivering political news because their owners are all politicians themselves.
Before we get into the top 7 news channels, here are some regional and lesser known channels just for your information:
- Congress health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife Riniki Bhuyan is the chairperson of News Live and Rang.
- In Karnataka, tourism minister Janardhana Reddy and health minister Sriramulu Reddy own Janashri along with a couple of newspapers.
- Kasturi TV is owned by former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
- Suvarna TV of the Asianet group is owned by Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrashekhar.
- Sakshi TV is owned by Jagan Mohan Reddy along with NTV and TV5 in Andhra Pradesh.
- Studio N is owned by Narne Srinivasa Rao, a businessman related to N. Chandrababu Naidu.
- Odisha TV is owned by Baijayant Panda of the BJD. Other channels in Orissa are also politician owned.
- Indiavision in Kerala is owned by Muslim League Secretary M.K. Muneer.
- In West Bengal, CPI(M) controls TV-24 Ghanta. Trinamool Congress has Kolkata TV.
- Sukhbir Singh Badal owns PTC and PTC News in Punjab along with PTC Punjabi and PTC Chak De.
And now let’s come to the crème de la crème of politically owned news channels in India.
7. Jaya TV
Named after its owner, Jaya TV is owned by Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK chief. She also owns Jaya Max, Jaya Plus and J Movie. She owns all this through the holding company Mavis Satcom Ltd. But she is not alone in Tamil Nadu to own television channels. Congress owns Mega TV and Vasanth TV while Vijayakanth of DMDK owns Captain Tv.
6. Sun TV
Even with all this political control of television in Tamil Nadu, the top honors go to DMK chief Karunanidhi’s nephew Kalanithi Maran. He controls Sun TV, Sun News, KTV, Sun Music, Chutti TV, Sumangali Cable, Adithya TV, Chintu TV, Kiran TV, Khushi TV, Udaya Comedy, Udaya Music, Gemini TV, Gemini Comedy and Gemini Movies. Karunanidhi himself owns Kalaignar TV and a close associate M. Raajhendran owns Raj TV and Raj Digital Plus.
5. IBNLokmat
Rajendra Dadra, the Minister of School Education of Maharashtra and his brother Vijay Dadra, a Rajya Sabha member, both of Congress, control Lokmat which is the largest selling Marathi newspaper in Maharashtra. The group also owns IBNLokmat in association with the TV18 group.
4. India News
India News is owned by Karthikeya Sharma, brother of Manu Sharma who was sentenced to life imprisonment in the Jessica Lal murder case. Karthikeya Sharma owns the ITV Media group that operates many news channels including News X. Karthikeya and Manu are sons of Congress leader Venod Sharma.
3. News 24
Rajeev Shukla, among other things is the Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs and Planning and the secretary of the All India Congress Committee. He controls News 24 with his wife Anuradha Prasad. They also own Aapno 24 and E24. Interestingly Anuradha Prasad is the sister of BJP leader, Ravi Shankar Prasad.
2. NDTV
NDTV is owned by Prannoy Roy. The NDTV group owns NDTV India, NDTV Good Times, NDTV 24×7 and NDTV Profit and other channels. NDTV is known to be sympathetic to communists. The Bengali Roy is married to Radhika Roy whose sister is Brinda Karat a Rajya Sabha member of CPI(M). Brinda Karat is married to Prakash Karat who is the General Secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
1. Times Now
Times Now is part of the Times group which is a very big media house which operates Times of India, Mid-Day, Nav-Bharath Times, Stardust, Femina, Vijay Times, Vijaya Karnataka and Times Now. Times Group is owned by Bennet & Coleman. The Italian Robertio Mindo who has a share in the group is a close relative of Sonia Gandhi.
If any channels were left from this list, then it can be either because the politicians have done a good job in hiding any direct links or because I got bored of researching all of them.
Besides politicians businessmen also like to have some control over media and they either have a share in media companies or they give their shares to media companies in exchange of favorable news. All business channels giving stock market advice are so notorious for advertising that the Govt. of India has warned stock investors to heed to the advice given by the media on their own risk.
The truth is that all mass media in India has become corrupt and the only source of trustworthy news that is left is the internet through blogs and small news sites or through social networking sites such as Twitter where news comes direct from the source to the public. If there’s someone making money while delivering the news from the source to the public, you can rest assured that it won’t be a 100% true.
Aditya Thakur is an ex marine engineer who quit his sailing career to pursue his dreams of being a writer. Now he freelances, blogs and writes short stories all day long.
Okay…Times now n Sonia Gandhi, may be…but then why did they demolished Rahul Gandhi ‘s image. I mean, well everyone knows…Rahul Gandhi has become a piece of mockery since Arnab’s interview. This is confusing.
All the media today ie on 29.7.15 debating and interviewing Mr. Yakubs judgement. Is it necessary really to give it so much importance and it looks media also wants to oppose judgement. making unnecessary issues in between the indians.
There are so many health issues and peoples problems to focus on like why obesity , diabetes, hypertension , cancers are raising how to tackle them,
some channels are showing the so called celebrities who are supporting yakub. Do they take same interest in showing common man(an Indian) who are victims of many such terror attacks and suffering till today.
In Andhra pradesh ABN is the worst channel which gives 100% of news in favour of TDP. ABN is already banned in Telangana.
Sakshi is followed by ABN and it supports YSRCP 100% completly.
ETV, ETV2, Studio N, 10TV, Gemini News Support to TDP 99.99% and speak 0.01% in favour of people and people’s problems.
NTV and TV 5 are some what biased but better when compared to above channels.
TV9 supports who gives money to him on time basis. Earlier he got money from congress he was supporting YSR and now he got money from Chandra babu and now he is supporting TDP.
Please put atleast one channel in favour of people not politically biased. It is very difficult to get exact news also because news channels are showing in favour of their own political parties.
now where is tv chanel why are not show the beadabi of shri guru garnth sahib ji ….all are fake channel its owner have no relgion not honesty
Who will tell about ABP News, Aajtak, India TV and India News etc. etc.
Why this selective and biased journalism by you?? Are you getting paid by BJP, RSS or their organisations??
selective amnesia! normally a disease found in political servile!!
Listen brother they r not owned by The great RSS or BJP. I think u belong to Congress and CPI thanks why u felt pain.. Okk these channel which u talking about are neutral and they only truth
Thanks this information
Until late and unless media is not freed from private hands, we can not avail authentic news.
It is necessary to understand basics of Ownership. Owners are simply in possession of media houses whether be it Electronic or Print. But powerful arm of it is who controls media house and is responsible in transfer and transmission of messages, opinions, views, comments, expressions, insights, foresight of people. This group is more powerful than the so called ownership.
Why this particular segment is opted. Take examples of other areas of concern, among others, like Education. This field too is more or less Owned by Politicians and Educational tycoons working closely with hand in glove with politicians. How many politicians are ‘Qualified’ to run this distinguished and sacred profession?
Here what is important is not ‘who’ but ‘what’ is expected out of it.
what about aaj tak,it is continously covering up the JNU matter against BJP n RSS ,showing people who are accused of being anti nationals as..victims on the grounds of religion to which they belong. channels like this will never let us have an authentic news source. mkst of the time it is busy in showing up programmes of jyotishi or bollywood love triangles or why salman khan is fearing of marriage:/
Now time has come to go for “DOORDARSHAN”
dont chnge ur mind set against ny1.. all media channels r fake.. suno sabki kro apni
It is a need of time that a regulation should be formed for private owned channel because these are greatly influence our society by showing negative news all times.
Not times now…rest all are definitely paid
Hi,
I am from Haryana and my State is going through major riots. I doubt as this Aarakshan thing will bring flood of blood in the state. There are not much people who are educated to understand or to know how Germany was exploited by Hitler against Jew’s. Politics is ruining my state and I wish to know which news channel can be contacted so as I can pass my message to everyone in state that religion is not to fight for, we Indians are all equal. Please suggest which news channel to contact so as no one goes lethal.
Is this the reason that pranoy Rai ndtvis pro pak?.
Add Zee News TV channel owner Mr Subhash Chandra Who is the BJP supported Rajya Sabha menber All known it is a most conspiracy and makig master channel.
Let me bring to public notice that almost all channels are biased to one party or the other. Their ultimate aim is to divide people. So pls be careful with politicians who are trying to divide the country for their benefit and follow them is the different channels. Live like a family where no religion or caste matter to us. All of us needs good education and upbringing, we don’t need anything more. “Give respect and take respect”
In AP more than 20 Telugu channels totally supported to AP cm Nara chandrababu Naidu I think this publisher don’t know that fact………..
What abt Dr. Subash Chandra and BJP Relations? Zee media is totally biased for BJP and he got a reward for that? Essel Group is Quite big to get all the information.
Sir Zee group is owned by Mr.Subhash Chandra and he is a member of which party??? Plz write about this also.
all you mentioned is true, all these channels are owned by politicians and 1 another channel named Zee News also owned by a essel group whose chairman Subhash Chandra is a member of rajya sabha from BJP, thus Zee News is totally biased and indirectly support BJP
Social media is the best to trust.Its apolitica.
Be apolitical always.Cast a vote to a right one.
Write about Subash Chadra of ZEE Media. He is BJP’s mouth piece.
What About the PRO-BJP Channels
1)TIMES NOW- Jain Group
2)All Channels Under Network 18- Ambani
3)Today Network All Channels – Birla Group.
4)Zee Network- Subhash Chandra -BJP MP.
5)India TV- Rajat Sharma-BJP MP-(Chamcha)
And what about other channels…
They are also being run by political leader of others party..
This is not the solution to point out any particular channel…
This is time to frame the laws and to enact strict policy against biased broadcasting n telicasting by the supreme court
Complete bull shit… this page itself from bjp it sell… they are very famous for fake news, and spreading hatred throughout india …
Enough making fool of all indians … time is up…
I find times now as anti sonia. I am of the considered opinion that arnab must have been made to quit.
But even after the exit of arnab times now seems to be anti sonia. Leave it to God.
DOES bjp ied gorment use influence on channels to work for them as it is seen that time devoted to opposition news is less than 10/15% OF BJP.
Rulers not doing their duty so if a newspaper is owned by a party not in power will criticise all evils by ruler so it is welcome.