A mogul is an elusive being. You’re unlikely to encounter one at the local chamber of commerce, although doing business is what they’re all about. To be a mogul you must be surrounded by an aura of power so palpable, so alive in its own right, that it’s not necessary to wear it like a heavy, constraining mantle. Instead, it’s as if power is a mogul’s constant shadow. A mogul doesn’t shine. In fact, there’s no need for him to waste energy on mere appearance. He usually prefers to simply intercept the rays of success and bask in their glow.
Ramoji Rao is a mogul extraordinaire. He controls a business empire called the Ramoji Group, based in Andhra Pradesh. It includes the Eenadu and Newstime dailies, the ETV Satellite Network, Ushakiron Movies, Margadarsi Chit Fund, Dolphin Hotels, Priya Foods and Margadarsi Apparels — to name just a few of its associated firms. Invited to visit with him, a driver took me on a one-hour odyssey across the city of Hyderabad to the Ramoji Film City. The Film City is Rao’s magnificent fortress. If one successfully navigates its massive security gates, the senses are then delighted and astonished by kilometer after kilometer of lush, manicured gardens before Rao’s administrative headquarters comes into view.
The man himself was to be found tucked away behind a huge desk in a large but functional office, devoid of ostentation. Rao’s manner during the visit was affable and extremely honest. He was the only person I met during my time in India who seemed to have the courage to see his nation as it truly is. Rao calmly discussed both the positive and negative features of India in regards to its economy, politicians, media, people and potential. He gave the impression that India was his bride, his ultimate love, and he was truly married to her forever, for better or for worse. But if he could have it his way — it would be for better, every day, every year — better and better.
Q: Can India reach the ambitious goals for economic growth currently being bandied about by its politicians?
A: What is going on in the world has its bearing on India too. An anticipated or desired growth rate of seven percent is quite ambitious, but it all depends on what base we are starting from. For a developed country, seven percent would be too much to expect. But for a developing country where we are starting with a very low base, perhaps it is possible. It all depends on what kind of effort we are going to put in to accomplish such growth. So far you know we cannot claim that we are an industrial nation. We have industries but our base remains agricultural. The global economic downturn has hit those nations with an industrial base the hardest, but for us with our agricultural base it is different. So I don’t rule out the possibility of India accomplishing its growth targets provided a concentrated effort is made. Unfortunately, whether we like it or not, politics and politicians are responsible for determining that level of effort and I am afraid I am not very optimistic as far as their vision and their determination goes.
Q: What are the biggest challenges facing India?
A: There are many challenges facing India, but more importantly I will tell you about the two major handicaps afflicting this country. One is the lack of direction from the political parties and their shortsightedness. In the name of democracy, they are looking at only the consolidation of their own power and not what is best for the country and its development. Secondly, our bureaucracy is one of our biggest enemies. In India it has an iron clad grip on all activities. The bureaucracy does not allow things to move, fearing that its grip will be lost and the control will be lost. Corruption is one of the main factors here. Because our laws are so weak, people can get away with any kind of economic crime. People are aware of the problems but they feel helpless. When it comes to voting for new officials there is often no good choice. If all options are bad there will be no change no matter who takes power. Our people are intelligent and hardworking. We should have been one of the most advanced nations in the world by now, if only our elected officials had served us properly.
Q: What role does the media have to play in helping India grow and develop?
A: Our media is not absolved from guilt in holding back our development and progress. There is often a selfish motive driving our media rather than national vision. A good many journalists have narrow views and short-term priorities. This should certainly not be the role of the media in a developing country. The media should be active in molding the public opinion and working for the public good.
Q: Would you say that there is press freedom in India?
A: What is freedom of the press? That depends on how you use it. If journalists say that their publisher should not curtail it, then individual journalists should not misuse it. It is easy to judge whether press freedom is being used for the right cause and in support of society. Where it is being misused it has to be curbed.
Q: Who chooses the right cause and decides what supports society?
A: In any media concern it is the leader of that group who will choose the right causes. Why? Because for me as the leader of my media concern I will be the one held accountable for the positions we take. People will judge me on the stories we publish. If someone wants to misuse the power of my paper, wants to misuse its columns, perhaps he has been bribed or influenced and I become aware of it, then I will rein him in. I will not allow him to misuse the power of the press for his own purposes. Abuse of press power should not be equated as freedom of the press. Always freedom has to be qualified. If one accepts that the media’s role is service in the public good and business is next, then there is no quarrel and I am willing to be judged. But if the freedom is freedom for everybody to do as he wants, no matter the harm, then that’s not freedom. Any freedom has its limitations.
Q: What if a journalist in your group, or some of your readers, do not agree with a position you take?
A: It is important to allow the expression of dissenting views. The only thing that is necessary in doing so, however, is to remember that some dissenting views have weak foundations and some have strong foundations. The media should not misrepresent a weak view as having strength. That is where the judgment of the media to properly inform the public is important. I feel the ultimate measure or yardstick in the expression of unpopular views should be the public good. If a journalist feels that it is in the public good then I am for it. Let me give you an example. Let’s say there is a communal clash and there is a photograph of a man from one community killing a man from another. Well, I will not use it. Why? Because the moment this picture is published some ignorant person will go out and there will be another killing. I feel I have a responsibility to society to contain the situation. The final arbiter is the social responsibility.
Q: In the Gulf countries, advertisers often believe that they should be offered editorial space in exchange for their ads. Do you think that advertisers have the right to demand editorial space or to control editorial content in a newspaper or on a television station?
A: I would never accept that an advertiser has the right to control editorial content. I reject it outright. First of all I decide what kind of advertisements should go in my media. I do not allow any advertisement just based on the amount of money it will bring in. There are many types of advertisements that are banned in both my newspapers and my television stations. This is because of my belief that they will do harm to the community. In a developing country where literacy is still low people are often not in a position to judge by themselves the truthfulness of an ad. It is the responsibility of the media concern not to allow the wrong kind of things to reach the community and mislead them or influence them into making harmful decisions. If the products or services being advertised are useful then I will allow my publications and my television stations to be used to help people know about them. But I will never allow an advertiser to tell me about my content. If they even try I will throw them out of my office. They have no business to say anything. Content is my decision and my judges are my readers. Advertisers have no place to say anything about it ever. To maintain integrity, editorial and advertising departments in publications should be strictly separated.