UNI

Hyderabad, Sep 24: Strongly denouncing a private media house's proposal to buy majority stakes in the United News of India (UNI), Communist Party of India polit bureau member and Andhra Pradesh secretary B V Raghavulu today called on Indian press and media to protect the independent news agency from the takeover.

Participating in the valedictory function of the silver jubilee celebrations of 'Prajashakti', a Telugu daily here,  Raghavulu alleged that private firms were trying to enter UNI from the 'backdoor,' facilitating to invite Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in the press in future.

Calling upon the national and regional media to protect freedom of press by stopping the UNI sale to a private company, he said the government should also come forward and announce a package to the UNI, which was facing a financial crisis.

Raghavulu said 'it was high time the domestic press and news agencies are protected from takeover by foreign country supported news organisations in India.'