TV9’s former CEO Ravi Prakash has opened up on his fall out with new management Alanda Media Group Entertainment and the consequences that led to his termination as the CEO of the channel. Ravi Prakash alleged that Jupally Rameshwar Rao & his family members who own 62 percent of Alanda Media were behind and alleged them of trying to take control over TV9’s editorial content.
Revanth Reddy’s IT Raids
Ravi Prakash said in September 2018 when IT raids were conducted on Revanth Reddy, he was in the US and he said he had received a call from his newsroom in Hyderabad alleging that Rameshwar Rao’s son and brother were there dictating the editorial team on how to cover the news. Ravi Prakash alleged that Rameshwar Rao and family wanted to use the “IT Raids” on Revanth to “defame” and to “finish his reputation”. Ravi Prakash said he and his team had opposed to it then. He further claimed that he was invited to Jupally Rameshwar Rao’s house later and when he had went, he alleged that Rameshwar Rao wanted him to constitute an editorial committee. Ravi Prakash claimed he had opposed to it as Rameshwar Rao wants to monitor and to take over “editorial content” of TV9.
Intermediate Results – Students Suicides
Ravi Prakash said things got worsen when news of over 20 students committing suicide broke out after an alleged “goof-up” in Telangana Intermediate Results 2019 announced by Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education. Ravi Prakash claimed that Jupally Rameshwar Rao was upset with a story aired by TV9 on students suicides questioning the “faulty” system. Ravi Prakash said he had only found fault with the “system”, but not “Telangana state government”. According to Ravi Prakash, Rameshwar Rao doesn’t want any news story against Telangana state government and that’s what led to his removal as the channel CEO.
Backdoor Entry
Ravi Prakash alleged the editorial interference of Rameshwar Rao & aides in TV9. He said he had been opposing their interference in editorial content. He also claimed that he had opposed Rameshwar Rao’s entry into TV9 when he had tried to buy TV9 in 2016 citing his equation with CM KCR and Chinna Jeeyar Swamy fearing that he could influence the editorial with his “biases”. Ravi Prakash alleged that Rameshwar Rao had entered into TV9 in a “backdoor” way through Alanda. Ravi Prakash said he doesn’t know that Rameshwar Rao was behind Alanda and owns majority stake in Alanda until two days before the closure of the deal.
Overall, Ravi Prakash claims innocence in the whole fiasco and alleges back on the new management and the people behind for the fall out. Let’s see how the whole issue is going to turn out.
