Kairali Shareholders Unhappy About Pageangry Show!

The Kairali TV and People TV promoted by Malayalam Communications Ltd have become profit making channels within the last five years. Thanks to the generous investment by housands of ordinary shareholders, the channel started raking in profits and command good viewership rating in the advertising market. Even though it became a successful media project functioning with the fund raised from thousands of ordinary shareholders, especially from the Gulf region, many of the original investors feel neglected and mentally isolated from the channel, which accordign to them is going away from the common shareholders. Many shareholders who spoke to KM said they are unhappy because their involvement is limited and it is going away from the people. Even when the channel is organising a mega event like Gulf Pageantry, their involvement is negligible! They complain that the channel does not send even an invitation!

Shareholders say they are no way associated with the cultural programmes periodically organised by the TV channel. They believe the channel is controlled by some big shareholders and advertisers who have the blessings of few top political leader(s). They say the channel is controlled by a coterie who control everything for their private benefits. There are about 2,50,000 ordinary shareholders for the channel - mainly the working class and ordinary people from the Gulf. They feel mentally distanced from the channel after learning that they are not invited for the the Gulf Pagentry programmes. They allege that the stage show like other activities of the channel are conducted for the big shareholders who get many benefits including steep discounts for advertising their products through the channel. Ordinary shareholders feel dejected because they are yet to get a paisa as dividend from the channel which started raking in profit. While a few senior leaders of DALA are in the forefront of the stage show as official organizer of Gulf Pageantry, their leaders admit their actual role is negligible. The organisers claimed in public statements that DALA is the organiser of Gulf Pagentry. However, some DALA members including the senior office bearers openly admitted that they have no major say in inviting the shareholders for the Kairali show!

Apparently there is no difference between capitalist channels and working class channels because in both the big shots control the show. "We are contacting shareholders with whom we have direct personal interaction. We have big financial commitment to run the show. It is impossible to invite all shareholders for the show," says a senior DALA member in charge of the show. He hastened to add that in the last show also no shareholder were not invited. "This is a question which Kairali management should answer. Some people have invested in the channel out of their commitment to the party and its ideals. They must be feeling mentally neglected by this policy," the DALA member added.

The Kairali channel feel it is impossible to invite all the ten thousand shareholders for the show. However, for shareholders meeting and fund raising plans, Kairali management did sent detailed letters and invitations. Now the shareholders can see the invitation through the newspapers and the channel itelf. There may be practical difficulty to invite thousands of shareholders - a safe policy as long as the channel does not require any fresh funds for expansion. Some of the hard core party caders even allege that when the red channel has no time or interest to invite the real committed shareholders, those who are coming to the limelight haven't even invested a single paisa for the channel. Kairali representative in the Middle East was tight lipped and no comment on the subject came from Kairali management.

Kairali-DALA Presents Gulf Kairali Pageantry Seasons

Kairali TV epitomizes the quintessence of Malayalee art, culture, ethos and values. Kairali also stands apart from other T.V.Channels due to its distinction of being a very novel and unique enterprise with an amazingly large shareholding base of 2,50,000 shareholders of which a major part are expatriate Malayalis in Gulf countries, said a press statement from DALA. "Therefore, in letter and spirit, Kairali TV is a medium powered by the collective dynamism and participation of 2,50,000 share holders. With five years commendable operations and activities behind it, Kairali TV has become the sharp word as well as clear vision of Malayalam visual media," it said . "Kairali presented a pageantry to Malayalees living in Gulf countries in December 2003 show casing Kairali's popular dance, music and dramatic programmes live on stage complemented by the performance professional artists and film stars. It was a grand success. The enthusiasm and good will generated by the unprecedented success has prompted Kairali to plan another pageantry in Gulf countries during the first and second weeks of February 2006. The programme will be a three hour cultural extravaganza with music, dance, and hilarious skits. Named Seasons, Golden Glimpses of Gods own country, it is a visual representation of 50 years of Kerala through cultural motifs, dance, rhythm and music on stage," the statement added.

The programmes consist of cinematic visuals, theatre evolution, film music, popular art forms, folk songs and dances, fusion and classical dances representing the rich cultural heritage of Kerala. Popular singers M.G.Sreekumar, Nikhil, Naushad, Ranjini Jose, Manjari, Nimmy, Prathibha, K L Sreeram and Folk Singer Kuttappan are among the participating artists. Comedians Kottayam Nazeer, Nadir Shah too will be part of the show conceived by Shibu Chakravarthy. Dubai Art Lovers Association (DALA) is happy to associate with Kairali to organize the mega extravaganza in Dubai on February 17, 2006 at Al Nasr Leisureland Ice Rink, Dubai. There will be two stage shows at 3.30 P.M. and 7.30 PM. "We request you to be part of this breath taking, unique and memorable audio visual experience with illustrious artists for the two mega shows, organized by DALA at Al Nasr Leisureland, according to the statement.

Recently a group of Keralite workers who were striking against the physical assault and exploitation of various kinds vented out their anger against the channel: "About a week ago, the channel was repeatedly showing an interview of our company's owner in which he was saying so many things about workers welfare. He was saying that all the workers in the labour supply company are living like a family. We felt ashamed to see such an interview appearing in a popular channel like Kairali, which we believe started with the money raised from ordinary workers like us. What a shame when a company owner who is notorious for maltreating about 1500 employees in different ways is projected as a champion of workers rights?," asked one of the workers. According to the channel representatives, the programme was a private production by a private producer! Remember the story of Venkatesh who committed suicide and the journalist who reported it for the channel was smartly shown the exit door?

Kairali Names Second Channel as Peoples TV

The Kairali TV channel, believed to be promoted by the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), Wednesday launched its second channel named "People". Film star Mammootty, chairman of Kairali, told reporters: "Since ours is a venture of the people, we have decided it to name the new channel 'People'. It would have all forms of entertainment featured on it."

Kairali was launched five years back when the late CPI-M veteran E.K. Nayanar was Kerala's chief minister.John Britas, managing director of the channel, said: "We had given word to our shareholders that we would launch a second channel and we have done it. We are currently generating profits and we expect to declare a dividend for our shareholders at our next annual meeting." Mammootty denied news reports that CPI-M has posted party central committee member M.A. Baby to oversee the functioning of the new channel. "The CPI-M has no role in our channel and they have nothing to do with the running of the channel. But we do have CPI-M investors in our channel," said Mammooty.Kairali has invested Rs.50 million for its new channel.

Kairali TV Celebrates 250 Episodes of Pravasi Lokam in Dubai

DUBAI - Pravasi Lokam, one of the most popular TV programmes that highlight the life of ordinary Gulf Malayalis is celebrating its 250th episode in Dubai, the Middle East headquarters of Kairali TV, with a big bang under the supervision of Dubai Art Lovers Association (DALA). The TV channel, originally started by the Communist Party of India (CPI -M), one of the major political forces in the most literate state which is poised to wrestle from the ruling party, the popular channel is now on the verge of making profit. The channel attracts advertisements from various quarters including multinational companies as part of its survival strategy in a fiercely competitive visual media world and the role of Pravasi Lokam, a programme originally conceived and developed by Anazuddin Aziz, a journalist with Gulf Today ( now in London) in uplifting its viewership rating is beyond dispute. Compared to the cheap series of pulp serial programmes aired by some visual media companies in the state, Kairali's Pravasi Lokam, anchored by former MLA and Gulf returnee, PT Kunjumohammed, could air the real pain of the average Keralites through its emotion filled episodes that changed the average Keralite's perception about the Gulf dreams..

Thanks to the pomp and affluence shown by the average Gulf Keralites during a short visit to their homeland during vacation, every Malayali's dream has been to reach the Dream World in the Arabian desert and reap part of the patrodollars believed to be available in pleanty. Thanks to the TV programmes that aired only the Middle Eastern skyscrappers and the coat community of successful Malayali baboos who dominate the innumerable number of Pravasi Associations, almost every Malayali thought of the Gulf region as an easy route to wealth and fame. However, the bare facts of life aired through the Pravasi Lokam programmes created a new awareness about the real working and living condition of average Keralites in the Gulf. Thanks to Pravasa Lokam, other channels too started showing the not so rosy side of Gulf Keralites life and that created a mad race among the old and new channels to show the worst side of Gulf Malayalis life. TV cameras went to some of the most inhuman labour camps that supply cheap labour to build skyscrappers and beautify the neat cities and roads. No doubt Pravasi Lokam of Kairali TV helped highlight the plight of several Keralite women, who became housemaids and sex slaves in prostitution rackets.

It also highlighted many stories about absconding and missing Keralites in different Gulf countries due to various problems. It is a fact that some of these inhuman crimes against the average Keralites is done by Keralite themselves. Pravasi Lokam assisted many families to track down their missing relative abroad, mainly in the Middle East. Since the first episode was launched in the year 2000, Pravasalokam has grown to become a wide network of well wishers and activists who provide more services like financial aid for orphaned families, sponsorship for the education of missing person’s children, repatriation and treatment of accident victims, rescuing victims from the sex rackets and repatriation of dead bodies. Nearing 250 episodes in July, 2005 the popularity of Pravasalokam is definitely at its peak now. Majority of the missing people are either victims of visa rackets or loan sharks back home and it is natural that such criminal elements try to penetrate the Pravasi Lokam network too. In its drive to become a fully commercial channel by accepting even Coco Cola advertisements, the channel owned by many ordinary shareholders, should keep away such vested interests.

E.M.Ashraf, the Middle East Bureau Chief of Kairali TV has been busy making preparations for the historic episode of the programme, which is one of the widely viewed TV programmes by millions of overseas Keralites living in different parts of the world. With the active support of the channel supporters spread across different Gulf countries, the programme has become a household name among people in Kerala and their friends and relatives who live in many Gulf countries. Pravasi Lokam, as the name implies is all about the world of expatriate Malayalis who have migrated in large number to work abroad. Even though the visual and print media in the Gulf region had been focusing on the affluent and well to do sections of Non Resident Keralites, Pravasi Lokam introduced a new focus on one of the problems haunting many Keralites abroad. The role of comrade P.M. Jabbir, the Muscat coordinator of Pravasi Lokam or Mr. Amanulla of Dubai cannot be ignored. Despite some occasional errors and omissions, these comrades are successfully running a parallel diplomatic netowork and functions as people's ambassador in some of the Gulf countries.

According to K.L.Gopi, Convenor of the special programme committee, the programme at Dubai Folk Lore Theatre on June 24 will be inaugurated by the CPM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. Kairali TV Managing Director John Brittas, film director and former MLA and Kairali TV director K T Kunjumohammed, Kairali TV director A V Rasheed, Anazuddin Azeez, Rafeeq Ravuther and the programme Presenter Dhanya will be present. The special programme will also highlight some of the major episodes and honour some of the dedicated Pravasilokam volunteers. The programme is organized under the overall supervision of Dubai Art Lovers Association (DALA). DALA artists will present some special programmes.

"Comrades" too Exploit Working Class

Even though a wide network of volunteers are working overtime to help the average Keralites trapped in various rackets including sex and visa traders, it appears that some comrades or people who pretend as comrades are trying to take up controlling role in such activities. A recent experience of this author at a public function organised by a popular association, which work for the poor and weak sections of the society, was quite surprising. The venue was a seminar on media freedom addressed by eminent intellectuals like Sukumar Azhikkodu, E.M.Ashraf, Pratap Varma and other left intellectual giants. The audience in the Sharjah Indian Association hall consisted of media representatives and members of the association. When the journalist raised a question, referring to a suicide of a Tamil worker, in a labour supply company owneed by a man who had major clout in Kairali TV channel and various associations , there was a total outcry from some of the association members. Even though the question was addressed to the dignitaries like Prabha Verma and Sukumar Azhikkodu, who remained silent, the mob psychology of the audience was quite surprising. Even a senior DALA official was feeling embarassed for unknown reasons.

The question was clearly about the local Malayalam media's reluctance to publish the suicide story because of the undue clout enjoyed by the labour supply company owner. Even though no fingers were pointed at the association or its members, there was a major outcry from the audience who apparently felt "offended". "It is an individual case and this is not the forum to raise such questions," murmered one leader from DALA. One of the activist became too vocal about the issue and picked up a big arguement with the journalist who raised the question. According to the agitated comrade, who said he is running a labour supply network, all the problems facing the working class in Dubai/Gulf is due to unwanted interference by journalists!!! "You call us bourgeoise and create all problems for us," he said. Anyone with a bare minimum understanding of the situation in the gulf will realize that the main problem that creates difficulties for the working class is due to the misappropriation of workers earning by the middlemen like this agitated comrade who run labour supply companies. Such "comrades", read "Manichans" are omnipresent in different forums. Even the banners displayed on such occassion spread the smell of ordinary workers sweat and blood...These labour traders are safe because they wear a facade of class struggle.

While they take Dhs.10 per hour from the employer, the worker gets just one third of that amount! In the case of oil companies the difference between what the worker gets and what goes to the middlemen's pocket is quite big. And the comrade in this episode was so adamant and disturbed that he started narrating his sad stories caused by the workers. He argued that the workers are exploiting labour suppliers like him with the help of journalists!!! No doubt such people too are acting like volunteers and saviours of the working class...There are many middlemen in the Gulf who have become filthy rich overnight by sucking the blood of ordinary workers and denying them basic facilities... In a seminar organised by the party to encourage dialogue and discussion, a journalist will have to keep mum... The journalist who erraneously reported the story in Kairali TV too was pulled up ....Sukumar Azhokodu was saying that journalists should report such stories without fear or favour...Are these forums just to deliver monologue lectures about international problems, without noticing what is happening around? It appears that inner party democracy and theories of contradiction are outdated ... ?

KM editor's Interview in Kairali TV Scuttled by BMW Owner!!!

Even though Kairali TV has been regularly telecasting the weekly Middle East Diary programme on Thursdays (10 P M) and Ttuesday (8.30 AM), this week, Diary has not appeared on Tuesday morning (31st May 2005). Apparently Kairali channel has been pressurised by leading Non Resident Keralite businessman who has threatened to withdraw major advertisement contracts, if the programme was retelecast. Worse still it was threatened that the overseas office of the channel would be shut down , if the controversial story was retelecast.....The NRI businessman who is familiar with only journalists who always praise according to his whims and fancies, is also using his "influence" in a crucial ministy to target journalists who are behind the Middle East Diary programme, that initiated a serious discussion about the visit of ministers and bureaucrats for their benami business facilitated by such VIPs. Even the popular Kairali channel has been influenced through "official" channels and a veiled threat of censorship and more... if the interview was retelecast.. The interview given to Middle East diary had no direct mention about any businessmen by his name or company. The references in the itnerview was about Chief Minister Ooommen Chandy;s two days of wining and dining with some businessmen in Dubai. The revelation has caused serious irritation and was an uncomfortable experience. Truth cannot be hidden for a long time and it is high time to realize that not all journalists will praise these breed of politicians and businessman for the sake of a shopping voucher worth Dhs.250 or a latest model mobile phone sent by the corporate public relations team. There may be journalists and NRK associations which may stoop down to any level to be their loyal servants... but dont include all journalists in that category... More

.More about the story

Labour Supply Company Workers Agitated Over Death of Colleague --Company's refusal to pay advance of Dhs.20 provokes worker to commit suicide, Co

Indian Ambassador prevents Social organizations from giving food and water to stranded Indian Workers.

Workers Cant Drink Embassy Water ; Have to leave with just a ticket: Kairali Channel Workers Channel hails the Ambassador for Sending Workers Home Empty Handed

MUSCAT - The fate of 55 Indian workers who are stranded in front of the Indian Embassy building here continues to remain bleak, as the embassy officials have failed to get any of their problems resolved. According to the workers, instead of lending a helping hand to the poor workers who are facing a grave situation in foreign country, the senior Indian embassy officials including the high profile Indian ambassador Talmiz Ahmed are allegedly acting in an inhuman and barbarian manner by preventing them from taking even a drop of drinking water from the embassy premises and not allowing social organizations to giving food, water or other support to them. Even though the embassy collects a fund from the public for workers welfare, nothing is given to the Indian workers. Workers also alleged that the senior embassy officials called the police to harass workers. But even the police officials felt sympathy for them. Workers allege that such actions are being taken by the embassy to help the local employer avoid payment of salary. More

Journalists in Iraq want freedom from Abuse..UAE journalist too

BAGHDAD, 16 Jun 2005 (IRIN) - Iraqi journalists called for greater press freedom and respect for their profession at a conference held in the capital, Baghdad on 14-15 June. The event was organised by the independent Iraqi National Communication and Media Commission (INCMC), following reported cases of abuse of journalists. The body was formed after the fall of the former government in April 2003.The conference, entitled "A new future for media in Iraq", involved discussions held under six subject headings; democracy, journalist’s rights, security issues, freedom in writing, transparency and the history of journalism in Iraq.

"The rights of Iraqi journalists should be recognised by the government as well as the international forces in the country. This conference is a big step in the search for their rights in a legal way," president of the INCMC, Mufid Jazaire, said.Documentary videos were shown during the meeting, showing testimonies of Iraqi and foreign journalists, speaking about their experiences of working under dangerous conditions and being targeted by both insurgents and Coalition forces.

According to the INCMC, 29 journalists have been killed since the 2003 war and 56 have been kidnapped by different factions within the country. The names of those killed in the course of their professional duties were displayed during the conference and were remembered with a one minute silence. During Saddam Hussein's regime, only five newspapers were printed in the country and then only after approval from the Iraqi government. In addition, reception of satellite TV transmissions was banned. Today more than 100 newspapers are in circulation and hundreds of TV channels received via satellite. Even so, concerns about censorship were still voiced.

"Dozens of journalists have been censored, especially those that show the reality and bad action taken by security forces in the country," Hashen Mahsen, president of the Organisation for the Defence of Journalists Rights (ODJR), said. Nearly 200 journalists attended the event, which also included proposals for a quality control commission to be established to monitor reports and prevent the media from transmitting inaccurate information. Journalists from northern Iraq asked for a review of press laws in the region, saying that they were still being censored. The Commission promised to assist and increase press freedom in the north of the country.

The conference ended with an address from the director of the BBC’s Arabic service in Iraq, Safa'a Saleh, who brought to mind the suffering and terror experienced by many journalists working in the country. "Iraqi and foreign journalists have been suffering with attacks and threats from many sources. It's the biggest opportunity for them to call for their rights and bring a brilliant and free journalism to the new democratic Iraq," he said.

The Union Cabinet Approves Foreign Investment in Media.

(a) the Foreign Direct Investment ceiling of 26 per cent may be retained, but investments by Non-Resident Indians/Overseas Corporate Bodies/Person of Indian Origin and portfolio investments by recognised Foreign Institutional Investors may be included in the Foreign Direct Investment limits for the news and current affairs segment.
(b) the facsimile edition of foreign newspapers and periodicals could be brought out subject to the following conditions:

(i) the facsimile edition could be brought out by an Indian entity, with or without FDI, and also by foreign companies owning the original newspaper provided they get incorporated and registered in India under the Companies Act, 1956 and with suitable safeguards to ensure that they comply with the Indian Laws.

(ii) the facsimile edition is brought out with the approval of the regulatory authority of the country of origin and is a standard publication in that country and is not specially designed for Indian readers.

(iii) these facsimile editions will not carry any advertisements aimed at Indian readers in any form.

(iv) prior permission from Ministry of I&B is obtained for publication of facsimile editions.

(c ) the existing policy disallowing publication of Indian editions of foreign newspapers may be continued.

(d) the present syndication limit of 7.5 per cent of total printed area under automatic route may be increased to 20 per cent. Cases above 20 per cent limit may continue to be considered in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on case by case basis.

Kairali TV Getting Ready for the Media War with Gulf Varthamanam, Melody Bytes

KM Bureau

DUBAI - April 5, 2005 Kairali TV, one of the popular Malayalam channels, is getting ready to face stiff competition from the new entrants in the visual media with new programmes and a separate news channel. At a time when the Malayalam media from the commercial capital of the Middle East is witnessing unprecedented expansion in terms of number of newspapers and channels, rather than an increase in the number of readers or viewership that attract new players, India Vision and Jeevan TV have already started operations and Amritha TV is expected to launch soon with a strong financial muscle power of Indian/international big business. Kairali TV channel, backed by a number of pro-working class associations and caders working in the Gulf region, is financially supported by large number of ordinary shareholders. Keralite expatriates working in the Middle East form majority of the 250,000 shareholders of the channel spread across the world.

According to E.M.Ashraf, Associate Editor Middle East who represents the channel in the region, Kairali has a dedicated channel viewer ship of 21 million in India and abroad. Ashraf says it is "the most preferred channel of over 33 million Malayalis spread across the world." The channel which airs some of the best Gulf based programmes, especially the Pravasilokam programme, announced two new innovative programmes - Gulf Varthamanam (Gulf Talk) and Melody Bytes. "Gulf Varthamanam is a programme of discussion -debate and conversation - in which some of the contemporary socio-cultural issues and activities are evaluated by the programme participants. Termed as a "Real Voice of the Expats", the programme will present many subject matters ranging from day to day problems facing overseas Keralites in the region to their current social life and family ties. The programmes are directed by Ashraf himself.

"Lakhs of Malayalees who are renounced from their homeland, to lead an expatriate life, have been working their level best to keep the stability of their country's economy. Yet these people are often ignored. Various governments did nothing for the enlistment of this community. Therefore, the focus of Gulf Talk is to bring their multiple problems to the attention of concerned authorities in India and seek solutions. The expatriate community from Kerala faces a number of problems related to their rehabilitation, education of their children, to name a few. The focus of Gulf Talk will be such issues. "It is not just a talk show. Its presentation in an interactive manner is more important," said the channel representatives. The programme is sponsored by the Muscat based Badr Al Samaa group..

Melody Bytes, a two segment Music programme, anchored by Deepa Ganesh will introduce budding singers from the region. Arab Hindi, English, Tamil and Malayalam songs are included in these segments. Renowned singer from Morokko - Najma, actor and director Sreenivasan, Malayalam singer Jayan, emerging singers like Fahd, Chandhu (Radio Asia fame), Sreelekshmi, Iqbal Kuttippuram, Priyanandan, Irshad etc have already played their role in this programme. Potential singers who wish to participate in Melody Bytes can contact Kairali's Dubai office for screening and further selection. The final winners will be given a chance to perform in Melody Bytes. Sweet Memories (Madhu Smruthi), Talents (Mukhangal), Next Door (Ayal Pattukal), Feather Touch (Gaana Samarpanam) are the four segments of Melody Bytes, sponsored by Ras Al Khaimah Middle East Trading Group.

Obviously, the popular channel is getting ready to face the expected competition from the market leader Asianet, new entrants, especially India Vision. Yet to come is the Saffron channel -- Amrutha TV -- from the extreme right wing Hindutva group of Matha Amruthanantha Mayi and the expected launch of a Muslim Channel by Middle East Chandrika owned by none other than the Dubai based business tycoon Abdul Wahab, Member of Parliament and former Director of Kairali Channel. Pradeep Nair, marketing manager, Kairali, V.T.Vinod Managing Director, Badr Al Sama Polyclinic, Muscat and Moosa Kutty, MD, Middle East Trading Ras Al Khaimah attended the press conference

While most of the Malayalam journalists attended the press conference in which these new programmes are announced, a notable visual media presence was that of India vision team. Showing the professional and healthy competition, India Vision, which is planning to launch a major TV offensive in the region, was the only TV channel which came to report the story. It is another matter whether the channel will report the news about a rival publication. What can be expected is a stiff competition to lure the Keralite community in the Gulf with new programmes. Thanks to growing nationalisatin of jobs and small scale businesses like super markets, the number of overseas Keralites in the Gulf is substantially coming down. When the number of viewers is declining, more channels will be fiercely competing to grab their share of the advertising budget.

February 28, 2004. Keralamonitor.com

KM Special Report.Indian Ambassador prevents Social organizations from giving food and water to stranded Indian Workers.

Workers Cant Drink Embassy Water ; Have to leave with just a ticket: Kairali Channel Workers Channel hails the Ambassador for Sending Workers Home Empty Handed

MUSCAT - The fate of 55 Indian workers who are stranded in front of the Indian Embassy building here continues to remain bleak, as the embassy officials have failed to get any of their problems resolved. According to the workers, instead of lending a helping hand to the poor workers who are facing a grave situation in foreign country, the senior Indian embassy officials including the high profile Indian ambassador Talmiz Ahmed are allegedly acting in an inhuman and barbarian manner by preventing them from taking even a drop of drinking water from the embassy premises and not allowing social organizations to giving food, water or other support to them. Even though the embassy collects a fund from the public for workers welfare, nothing is given to the Indian workers. Workers also alleged that the senior embassy officials called the police to harass workers. But even the police officials felt sympathy for them. Workers allege that such actions are being taken by the embassy to help the local employer avoid payment of salary. Full Report

Kairali Channel Joins Hate Campaign Against Kerala Monitor

Comrade P M Jabir claims KM is a communal portal

News channel reporter replaces new monitor in maligning KM editor

Kairali Channel, one of the most popular Malayalam news channels from Kerala, has accused Keralamonitor.com (KM) of being a "communal website" spreading negative reports about the fate of 55 Indian workers who are denied basic right by the Arab employer. The Kairali TV reporter from Muscat Mr. P M Jabir, who had no other option but to correct his earlier misleading report glorifying the Indian Ambassador Talmiz Ahmed and embassy officials about the fate of 55 Indian workers stranded in front of the Indian Embassy in Muscat, was trying in an irresponsible way to settle a personal grudge using the channel and thus divert public attention from his close links to the business tycoons who have been disturbed by KM. Mr. Jabbir made a partisan, unwarranted and perverted comment that Gulf Malayalis are concerned that a " website run by a communal association" in Muscat is giving misleading reports. Even if the channel has not named the website, the report is clearly about Keralamonitor.com and the reference is about KM report.

More Stories from Kairali

Job Rackets in Dubai

K P Mohan, Deepa of Asianet summoned as Part of Sex Scandal Investigation

KM Special - Kiliroor Sex Scandal has Gulf Links Indian School Kuwait Culprits involved in Resort Project too....

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM - A cover story in the popular detective fortnightly Crime edited by T P Nandakumar has made a startling revelation that two ministers in the Omman Chandy ministry, three ministers of the former Antony Government, owner of a famous Dubai based jeweler with branches all over the Gulf and Kerala, director of a famous TV channel, some prominent opposition leaders, famous film directors and actors are involved in the kiliroor sex racket which is being hushed up by the government to protect these big wigs. As reported earlier by KM it is reported that the Dubai based blue film racket with links in Kerala and the sex trafficking mafia are closely linked to the Kiliroor sex scandaland Kozhikkodu Ice Cream parlour. More

KM Receives Record Hits of 9,18000 in January 2005

Waves Have Nothing to Do With Tsunami: Dubai Met Office

DUBAI -The surge of waves in some coasts of the Northern Emirates for a short time in the afternoon has nothing to do with the Tsunami tidal waves that have recently rocked through South East Asia.A statement issued today by the Central Meterological Office on the waether forecast for today and tomorrow said that a combination of the active Shammal Winds and high tide in the said period had caused the high waves that hit these coasts.''The country has experienced unstable weather condition due to a low pressure system coupled with a cold wave in the high pressure system,'' the statement said.The statement said that the waether condition is likely to improve gradually as of tomorrow.

IT Company Creates Hurdles for KM for reporting about the role of Resort Owner and Channel Director in the Kiliroor Sex Scandal

DUBAI - November 18 2004 Keralamonitor.com (KM), an independent investigative news portal, has been offline for the last few days due to certain reasons beyond the editor's control. Keralamonitor.com which is hosted in a server company affiliated to the leading TV channel (Asianet) has been facing technical problems, which the company claims is due to "technical problems". KM has strong reasons to believe that the channel company and a big business lobby from the Gulf region have been deliberately working together to keep the website down. The ulterior motive behind keeping the site down is to silencing KM, especially after we reported about the channel director K P Mohan and his friend and companion Kuwait Chandy, the Congress leader from Alappuzha and others who are accused in the Kiliroor sex scandal. While the IT company repeatedly shut downs KM site, its employees claim it is not deliberate. For three days the site could not be updated as the company did not give details about the technical changes introduced recently. Full Report

KM Exclusive

E.Ahmed and K P Mohan in Secret Deal to Negotiate with Kuwait Government to relax Punishment in Indian School Scam

The first exclusive interview with Rejina, the main witness in the Kozhikkodu Ice Cream Parlour sex racket, was taken by an enthusiastic young reporter of Asianet Deepa. However, she has got a severe jolt in her career when the relatively young rival channel India vision aired it a few seconds after her superiors killed the story. The exclusive story was video graphed in the Calicut Studio of Asianet and transported to the head office in Thiruvananthapuram for telecasting. Nobody knows what happened to the contents of the exclusive videos taken by this lady reporter with much pain . It is learned that the tape was about to be played a few minutes before India Vision started airing it when the chairman of the channel himself personally intervened to stop it. What prompted Reji Menon, the promoter of the first major television project in India, and the editor K.P.Mohan to take such a drastic decision? Full Report

LABOUR OUTFLOWS FROM INDIA

The Minister of State (Independent charge) for Overseas Indian Affairs, Shri Jagdish Tytler told the Lok Sabha today that the number of Indians migrating to other countries for employment has been steadily increasing over the years. However, age-wise break-up of the data is not maintained. There are several reasons, which include shortage of manpower in several foreign countries, better salaries and working and living conditions abroad.The Minister further told that the number of workers who were granted emigration clearance for employment abroad during the year 2002 was 3.68 lakhs, in 2003 it was 4.66 lakhs and in 2004 it has increased to 4.75 lakhs.This information was given by Shri Tytler in reply to a question by Sh. Abdul Rashid Shaheen.