Beleaguered media baron Ramoji Rao has finally pulled off a seemingly impossible act. The master manipulator has succeeded in getting Congress supremo Sonia Gandhi to intervene on his behalf and rein in his bete noire, Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhar Reddy. The ‘fight to finish’ between Ramoji and YSR will immediately thaw and peter out over time, without eroding the prestige of either of the two combatants.
Ramoji had adopted a clever strategy to checkmate YSR. The Eenadu editor made his team prepare an impressive CD – it had the English translation of all the ‘exposes’ and ‘anti-government’ reports his daily published. The CD was circulated among all important politicians, opinion-makers and, most importantly, all newspaper editors to secure their support to Ramoji in his noble endeavour of ‘defendnig the freedom of the Press’. The CD was aimed at creating an awareness about the ‘motivated action of State government against Margadarsi’ that was intended to ‘cripple a media house that upheld the values of journalism.’
It did not work. Many eminent Editors were shocked at the tone of Eenadu’s reports (thanks to the lady translator who was diligent at her work!) and were impressed that media in Andhra Pradesh enjoyed such unlimited freedom to rail the government!
The second part of Ramoji’s strategy was more subtle and much less in the open. Through N Ram and Manorama's Mathews he managed to reach Sonia Gandhi through Ahmed Patel and George. Sonia bought the argument of her advisers: N Ram’s is the only English Editor who has been consistent in his anti-BJP stance and can be trusted to not change his colours (unlike the likes of Mehtas & Mitras). The Congress cannot afford to estrange him and his media friends. So, peace has to be made with Ramoji. YSR camp presented its case strongly, Ramoji’s persecution of the Congress government and Eenadu’s personal attacks against YSR and his Cabinet colleagues.
Peace being the objective, a solution was worked out. Ramoji would continue his ‘fight’ against the state government but would immediately put an end to personal attacks. YSR would not have morning sickness when he looks at Eenadu. That means Sridhar would not sketch ‘demeaning’ caricatures of YSR, which the CM is hyper-sensitive about.
On Friday, when Media in
Well, is all this true? Just keep an eye on Eenadu’s reports in the coming days. The easier way is to just observe Sridhar’s cartoons in the coming days! If Sridhar is soft on YSR you can be sure that Ramoji is safe in the benign hands of Sonia! Let’s wait and watch.
20 comments:
nice try
hi vikram,
this is with reference to the posting on 'walk-outs @ DC'. as there is no provision for posting a comment at the write up, i'm sending it here using this space.
i was shocked to see such a great comment about kalyani. 'prolific pen'!!! well... ask anyone in the features @ hyd office. we all know it. how many times, nayare and madhuri have commented on kalyani's reports. sure, she is a prolific female and not a prolific pen. vikram, be careful while you present comments about individuals. hope you will correct yourself.
I don't beleive this. Ramoji can not escape from law. If this is true we should blame the Govt for its inability to tak action.
Dear Vikram,
This posting on Eenadu Ramoji is really good. And to the best of my knowledge, even about eenadu, this english posting is very good rather telugu '.gif' ones.
As I am new to your blog, I dont know whether you have published all the previous attempts to get rid of this head-ache. Jaipalreddy, Yechuri all these fellows failed to mediate with YSR.
How foolish Sonia is? How could she believe Ramoji group can be soft towards their party. Ramoji was well known for his anti-congress attitude. And he never hesitated to exhibit it, on any time in the past. Eenadu history itself is readily availble proof. This 'pardesi' leader may be less aware of Ramoji. May God pity her innocense.
Ramoji rao can neve overcome his pathological hatred for Congress.He has filed an affidavit in High court, declaring his life'sambition is to finish off Congress.
For the first & perhaps the last time , he is caught in a web of his creation. I don't think Congress will miss this opportunity to create trouble for his group. The " Sonia's benign hand " is figmnet of some one's fertile imagination.
I have been following your blog for quite sometime and find it extremely insightful. Keep the good work going.
Any idea what happened to war for news?
it is clear that ramoji can stoop down to any extent to save his skin. he has always been using the paper to save him and his business all these years. besides using n ram and matthew, he had also used the kamma leaders in congress to build a pro-argument in his favour in delhi. the kamma leaders from krishna and guntur, particularly those who are against ysr, were used to visit the important leaders in delhi, who are close to sonia and slow down ysr against ramoji. poor, ram and matthew have fallen into the trap in the guise of freedom of press! that is what ramoji is.
Hi anonymous, U are ill-informed about Vijayawada edition and Kalyani. Why talk about madhuri and nayare, speak to top level bosses in Hyderabad edition who always believed that she has been a pillar of support for the edition. If nothing else, the repeated salary hikes she got should make you eat your words. The "prolific female" never believed in massaging the egos, least of all her immediate boss!
india is not replete with this kind of settlements, it's money, power and muscle that would have worked in his favor. but in the place where i live (singapore), media can never write a story against govt. ofcourse it helps with govt. making good progress.
Vikram introduce a system where opinions on letters to editors can also be published in the blog. while smiles is good and gives lot of insight into times, as long as boot lickers are there things will never change.
tsmiles talks of excellent veteran journalists. Well even now there are some brilliant,brave heart and masculine journos in Hyderabad and a few are to be found in the stimes as well. This has reference to a senior journo who was kicked around the organisation since he refused to massage the ego of big bosses. He also had the courage to take over the chief minister YSR at a press conference when the CM tried to lecture which news paper the reporters should read before framing a question and the CM had to eat back his words.
But unfortunately, every one uses his influence, his hard working nature but when it comes to returns whether it is hike in salary or promotion, bootlickers were given promotions and hikes.
Thats your times are the Jains hearing.
Dear Vikram,
You have been writing a lot about the print media. Please give us an insight on what's happening on the electronic media, especially the national media. We heard that TV-18 will acquire TV-9, please give us an update about that.
I dont think this news is true. Sonia or her advisors are not that stupid to believe Ramoji. Everbody knows that Ramoji is dead against to Congress since vry beginning.
Now Ramoji needs Congress, rather than Congress needs Ramoji. Ramoji already done the damage to congress, as much as he could. now the ball is in Congress court.
I think now atleastsome people start being susupicious about Ramoji group. as you can notice that there is no much response to the banner news of the eenadu from the public. may be it is bcoming routine for the public.
I thought government would take this oppurtunity to put end to all the confusion created by eenadu. IF Sonia bailed Ramoji that would be huge mistake to AP congress wing in the current separatist and oppurtunitist political environment in AP. Ramoji may keep quiet for a moment, but he spits his venom without any thoughts when it comes to save his interests. He will not spare anybody.
If “The Slimes of India" inspired writing of “THE RAPE OF NEWS” then there is a need to come up with another book “THE GANG RAPE OF NEWS”. Ask DC district guyz, if ‘am wrong, how they had to hide their heads, when that Alexander of that gender ordered them to search, find out and file stories and picks, on girls in districts, sporting bindi’s and tattoos below their navels. There is no Telangana, Andhra or Rayalaseema regional feelings in it. Any girl is it from Karimnagar, Khammam or Srikakulam is Okay. The scribes and photographers however should not forget the golden angles, while filing such stuff—the girls should be like those fleshy, whitey, brownie, wild...y, slimy, and splashy, solid bodies, called party animals- which the TOI and DC religiously cover on their pink partying pages. Also, no excuses are entertained, if these district guyz, forget the target age groups of circulation while filing that stuff- 10 to 25 years of age i.e., school and college girls (I heard TOI does have this rule. Any one from TOI?). Failing to do it, invite choicest verbal vomiting from the editor or her cronies…this include .unfit….”F…off”, and worst of this kind. There are some intelligent idiots….working as news editors….deputy to the editors….sold their souls, in whole sale, to give great colors of flesh and blood to such items, with their lingo skills (believe me DC guyz...ur talent & hard work fetches a more pay and a respectable living, than slogging in such a stinking lurch) … This is news…..this is features writing…….This is journalism….and these are our editors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mata Ji, ATJ..Kuch Yadaya????
Dillagi
DC
I guess for Ramoji money is not the priority. If it is his priority he will change his colors and become pro congress over night like A.Jyothy is doing.
According to sources in delhi, ramoji told that he is ready loose all his wealth to save eenadu and the freedom of press.
This is one truce which the whole of media and AP would hate to the core.
The true colours of our politicians and media barons would come out now.
In the rat race to excel Babu in all fields including corruption, this government too, it seems, is caught in the cobweb of corruption. Hence this truce. Only brave people, even if they do not posess wealth on par with their rivals,can head for a head on collisons with the bad and ugly.
The present congress regime it seems has lost that moral courage because of its own misdeeds.
Let us look for some real heroes who will not succumb to any pressures. It should not matter even if they are not rich.
Hi
Nice blog.
Since I am an outstation journo, can I have some info on the Hindu bureau in Hyderabad?
Whos who, their strengths, weaknesses etc etc?
Arree... then Sonia played a villain and people are deprived of a high voltage political drama. Now Undavalli has been reduced to a clown while YS ended up with a red face. As we suspected from the beginning Ramoji has his last laugh. The Hindu’s N.Ram played a spoilsport. As you rightly commented Communists turned Capitalists..Be Ware!
Gumpulo Govindaiah
Eenadu
Somajiguda
Hyderabad
Ramoji is an elephant whom no barking beings like Jyouthis, DCs and those from beggar castes can do anything. If he is a normal businessman, he would have compromised with Congress overnight like Jyohti, TV9, DC and all other sundry opportunists. This DC made a Salam to Babu, twisting results of its own survey to suits its ends. Ramoji never compromised on his anti-Congressism. Pl don't try to spit on sun, it will fell on your Reddy and anti-Kamma faces
I think AP media sensed the 'smoke' in wrong way. There is lull in the ongoing war between Ramoji and YSR but it is not because of truce entrusted by Sonia. That is bullshit idea. If were Ramoji to go for truce, he would have summoned his good friend and one time employee of Eenadu Group, Sanjay Baru. He is now press advisor to Manmohan Singh.
Watch out for two months, there is going to be a biggest 'scam' to be unearthed by Eenadu that will shaken up the government. It will be pro-congress but anti YSR.
I suggest AP media don't come to wrong conclusions such as these that the meeting of Sonia and Ramoji that never occured in the first place.
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