After all the bad press she earned this year, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to take matters in her own hands by launching a state-owned newspaper and TV channel. Banerjee on Saturday said the good work notwithstanding, the efforts of a large section of the media were to malign the state government.
 
“We all want to work. But we also want recognition…Hence the thought of a government-run channel and newspaper,” she said.

Banerjee has lately come under criticism for some of her decisions, such as the initial dismissal of the Park Street rape, the transfer of police officer Damayanti Sen who subsequently cracked the case and the arrest of Jadavpur professor Ambikesh Mohapatra for circulating a spoof on her.

In March, the state government had banned most mainstream English and vernacular dailies from state-funded libraries in the name of promoting "free thinking".

Banerjee said the new newspaper would be named ‘Dainik Paschimbanga’ and the channel ‘Paschimbanga’.

State Congress chief Pradip Bhattacharya criticised the move.
 
“To retain credibility, the media has to remain outside the control of any party or political leader,” he said.