Kerala to get state-owned channel

The Kerala is likely to be the first state in the country to have a government owned TV channel. K.M. Mani, Finance Minister of the state today announced that the government would soon launch an official TV channel in order to publicise the official announcements and the government initiatives among the public.

The Channel will be under the Public Relations and Information Department. The Department had already submitted a feasibility report on the project.

The PR&I Department is now giving video footages and clippings of official announcements and functions to various channels. The Department informed the government that the present system of providing such footages could be developed to a full fledged channel.

The minister also announced in the assembly today that the government will set up a media city in line with the one in Dubai at Kochi, the commercial capital of the state.

The government feel that the local news and entertainment channels are not covering the government functions and its development initiatives, but give prominence to political and sensational items.

Hence a government owned channel is essential to focus more on development issues and working of the government. Kerala had first launched a 24*7 internet site that covers the CM’s office round the clock.

The PR & I Department now publishing a number of magazines on various development initiatives, other than giving daily releases to the print and visual media.