AIADMK launches its own news channel

The ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Wednesday made a soft launch of its own channel 'News J' named after its late supremo J Jayalalithaa.

The launch comes in the backdrop of Jaya TV, once considered the party's mouthpiece, being in the control of sidelined leader TTV Dhinakaran's relatives.

The AIADMK had in February launched "Namathu Puratchi Thalaivi Amma", its party organ as "Dr Namadhu MGR" which was founded by Jayalalithaa and previously the its official Tamil daily, is now aligned towards Dhinakaran and V K Sasikala, who is in jail.

Chief Minister and party joint co-ordinator K Palaniswami, deputy chief minister and co-ordinator O Panneerselvam formally unveiled the logo, mobile application and website of the channel 'News J' at a function here.

Palaniswami said though a large number of television channels were operating in the state, they were not broadcasting information about government schemes in detail for the benefit of the public.

"I hope this channel will rightly disseminate information about all the government schemes for the benefit of the public," he added.

Recalling the launch of a TV channel by Jayalalithaa, he said, "today, it has gone to the hands of whom we thought should not get hold of it", a veiled reference to Jaya TV, now controlled by Dhinakaran's relatives.

"Today's launch also fulfilled the desire to have our own TV channel", he added.

Stating that various government departments have won prizes at the national level, he said the existing television channels were covering them telecast only for brief moment.

Palaniswami appealed to the media and television channels present at the venue to act as a bridge with the public and convey news about welfare schemes introduced by the government.