S.R.Seshu
Veteran Editor and Sakshi’s Editorial Director, Kondubhatla Ramachandra Murthy, is a brainless wonder in Telugu journalism for more than one reason but his quest for ethical journalism is well-known. Though he is heading the editorial operations of Sakshi and Sakshi TV, owned by a rich politician and his talking/writing against Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.Chandrababu Naidu more aggressively than ever, KRM alias Raa.Moo’s professional credentials can’t be questioned. See the latest guidelines he framed for the staff of Central Desk and State Bureau!
It is widely believed that Sakshi is there to bang TDP and NCB with negative publicity day in day out. In an attempt to bring in some soberness in Sakshi’s operations, Raa.Moo. asked the editorial staff to publish negative stories as banners for only two days in a week. Thumb rule in journalism given to understand that ‘negative stories’ are the those stories that show the government in negative or poor light. The pens that only know to spew venom against TDP and NCB, may give a break to toe the line of the Editorial Director.
But another important directive on positive stories is for sure a hard nut for Sakshi journalists. “At least two positive stories must be given as banner stories in a week,” reads the guideline creating a hell lot of confusion among journalists. How can journalists create positive stories at this point of time?
Raa.Moo. has not defined what is negative and what is positive much to the chagrin of journalists. The Editorial Director directed them to follow these guidelines without fail (tappanisarigaa paatinchaalsina).
He also clearly asked his editorial people not to publish two negative stories in any inside page. Sakshi staff, majority of them are either ex-Eenadu or from Reddy community, have never seen such guidelines in their operations in the last eight years.
The 15-point charter of guidelines include the one on the need of carrying corrections against “wrong” or “contrary to facts.” It is indeed the best journalistic practice that is conveniently disregarded by newspaper managements. Journalists were in for a rude shock to find out these key guidelines in the notice board this week. “Yes, we were surprised. We didn’t know how an internal letter appeared in a notice board. It was removed from the board after a few hours,” a journalist said adding that words such as ‘positive stories’ and ‘negative stories’ need proper explanation.
