Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced on Saturday that she will launch a government-run television channel and a newspaper,named Paschim Banga and Dainik Paschim Banga,respectively. Mamata said the proposed channel and newspaper would disseminate correct information and publicise the activities and achievements of the government. Government work is not being properly highlighted. We need our own news channel and newspaper to inform the people, she added. For quite some time now,Mamata has been at loggerheads with a section of the media,having complained that a number of newspapers and news channels were trying to malign her government and highlight minor happenings negatively. At Saturdays meeting here,she said: We have asked the departments concerned to take care of the channel and newspaper. No matter how many good deeds we do,those are not broadcast in the right way. Instead,these are broadcast negatively. You work the whole day,but there is no outcome. That is why we have taken the decision to show the work done in Bengal, she said. She said that the TV channel would get technical assistance from Roopkala Kendra,a government studio,and the newspaper would be modelled on Basumati. Significantly,a day before this announcement,at a government programme,she had issued an advisory urging the people of Bengal to avoid watching certain news channels and switch to entertainment channels instead. There are two-three TV channels of the CPM that you should not watch. Instead,listen to songs on other channels. I do not care about fingers pointed at me. I only care for Ma,Mati,Manush, she had told a gathering in North 24 Paragana district.
