Vemuri Radha Krishna, Managing Director of the Andhra Jyothy Telugu daily and the ABN–Andhra Jyothy television network, appears to be emerging as a new Media Moghul and the most influential figure in the Telugu media industry, effectively filling the vacuum left by the late media patriarch Ch Ramoji Rao.
For decades, the title of Media Moghul was held by Ramoji Rao, the founder of the Eenadu group and the visionary behind Ramoji Film City, who was an undisputed media baron of the Telugu states.
Since his death a couple of years ago, however, the industry has lacked a comparable figure commanding editorial authority, political relevance, and public visibility.
Although Eenadu continues to hold the top position in circulation, its current Managing Director, Ch Kiran, is largely seen as an efficient administrator rather than a media baron with a distinct editorial or ideological imprint.
Sakshi, which occupies the second position in circulation rankings, is widely perceived as a political mouthpiece of the YSR Congress Party.
As a result, its promoters—YS Jagan Mohan Reddy and Y S Bharati Reddy—are not accorded independent recognition as media barons in the traditional sense.
Though NTV chairman Narendra Chowdary and TV5 chairman B R Naidu, are often described as media barons, their influence remains limited by reach, scale, or political positioning.
It is against this backdrop that Vemuri Radha Krishna’s rise stands out. His prominence stems not merely from ownership of influential platforms, but from his assertive editorial stance and personal visibility as a journalist.
Despite being widely regarded as sympathetic to the Telugu Desam Party and its leader, Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Radha Krishna has consistently used his weekly column to criticise the government’s shortcomings.
During the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government in Andhra Pradesh, Andhra Jyothy reportedly received no government advertisements due to its relentless criticism of the YSR Congress administration. Yet, Radha Krishna refused to dilute his editorial line.
At the same time, there has been persistent talk within political circles about his maintaining discreet channels of communication with senior YSRCP leaders, including unverified claims of indirect financial support.
In Telangana, Radha Krishna initially shared cordial relations with the Bharat Rashtra Samithi leadership. This was evident when then chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao personally visited the Andhra Jyothy office following a fire accident.
Relations, however, got strained over time, leading to a withdrawal of government advertisements. Once again, Radha Krishna resisted pressure and continued his critical coverage.
Following the change of guard in Telangana, he has established a working rapport with the Revanth Reddy-led Congress government, even as his publications periodically question policy decisions and governance lapses.
That Radha Krishna’s elevation as a new Media Moghul was once again proved on the New Year’s Day, when Revanth Reddy personally visited the Andhra Jyothy office to extend greetings and felicitate him—a gesture not accorded to any other media house owner.
The visit was widely interpreted as a recognition of Radha Krishna’s stature as an independent power centre in the Telugu media industry.
