Meghalaya Media



Meghalaya Media includes a strong presence of both the electronic and printed modes. Whereas a group of many national and local newspapers and magazines take care of the print medium, the news channels and the news portals form the electronic Meghalaya media.

Print Media

Print media is the highlight of the media in Meghalaya. Meghalaya Media is proud of having the presence of some of the best national level dailies. Many state dailies and weeklies also comprise the media in Meghalaya. Shillong Times and the Meghalaya Guardian rub shoulders with the Hindustan Times and the Indian Express on the stands of Meghalaya. Almost all national and even some international magazines are found in the media of Meghalaya. They cover a wide range of issues and subjects from sports to entertainment and politics to business.

Television and Radio

Both television and radio enjoy great popularity as parts of Meghalaya Media. The infrastructure for television and radio transmissions are great in the state. The television of Meghalaya features almost all the national channels as well as international channels. Doordarshan continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. Both news and entertainment channels feature prominently in the media at Meghalaya.

Radio continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. All India Radio has an extensive network in the state, having as many as five radio stations in five major cities of the state. Apart from the government channels, there are many private FM channels which enjoy great popularity among the youth of the urban areas, as does World Space radio.

News

Meghalaya news feature a whole array of electronic and print mediums. There are many newspapers, as well as news channels and magazines. Even on line news portals are becoming extremely popular with the steady growth of computer literacy in the state. Altogether, there is never a dearth of news at Meghalaya.

Newspapers of Meghalaya

Newspapers, along with television news channels, is the most important medium for the dissemination of Meghalaya news. Many newspapers of both state and national levels are there in Meghalaya. Whereas News of Meghalaya is published in one of the most significant local level newspaper, Indian Express, Hindustan Times and The Hindu are the most important national level newspapers of the state. The Shillong Times and the Meghalaya Guardian are two of the many local newspapers of Meghalaya.

pers at Meghalaya is dynamic: it is growing everyday with the development of the Meghalayan society. It can be said that from its genesis, the newspapers in Meghalaya have come a long way. Some of the important Meghalaya newspapers that deserve special mention in this context are:

Newspapers Editor Correspondents
The Shillong Times Mr. Manas Chaudhuri. Mr. EM Jose. Mr. Sanjeeb Bhattacharya.
U Mawphor Mr. DL Shiangshai. Mr. Powell D. Sohkhlet. Mr. RM Kharlyngka.
U Nongsain Hima Mr. Lambok Thabah. Mr. C. Lyndoh.
The Meghalaya Guardian Mr. MA Venugopal. Mr. Suraj Joshi. Mr. Rajoo Sharma.
U Rupang Mr. RM Shabong. Mr. Commander Shangpliang.

To name a few weeklies in Meghalaya:
  • Ka Syrwet Ujmer
  • U Dongmusa
  • U Khlur Ka Ri
  • Sawlyer
  • U Naphang
  • Ka Pyrthei Mynta
  • Yakyntu
  • Jakgitel
  • Shlem Jingtip
  • Kynjat Shai, etc.
Therefore, it can be said that the newspapers of Meghalaya play a major role in the socio-political life of Meghalaya.

Noth East Telegraph

North East Telegraph of Meghalaya is a branch of The Telegraph published by the Ananda Bazar Patrika group in Calcutta. North East Telegraph is the only English newspaper that was published after the Indian Independence.

The Telegraph came into existence on 7th July, 1982; and in a short span of about 25 years, The Telegraph has become the largest circulated newspaper in eastern India. The edition of The Telegraph in Meghalaya is known as North East Telegraph.

North East Telegraph aims at informing the common masses of Meghalaya about the daily affairs of the state. In fact, the North East Telegraph in Meghalaya deals with various socio-economic and political conditions of Meghalaya. Therefore, the many editions of the newspaper contains various illustrations on the daily events of the state.

Further, adhering to the demands of entertainment of the general public, the North East Telegraph also publishes many issues according to the demands of the common people. Among the important issues published by the North East Telegraph at Meghalaya are:
  • Knowhow - Published on Monday, the supplement contains factual details on science, health and IT.
  • Jobs - This issue published on Tuesdays deals with the different techniques that should be followed while taking an interview.
  • Telekids - This is a colorful tabloid issued on Wednesday, which is chiefly meant for the children.
  • CareerGraph - This Thursday issue presents an illustrations on the different kinds of jobs and other career opportunities.
  • Personal Telegraph - Issued on Saturday, this supplement contains a short review on the gadgets, travel, cars, holidaying, etc.
  • Graphiti - On Sundays, the North East Telegraph issues a short magazine dealing with the various aspects of life, along with other supplements such as 7 Day and Classifieds.
Thus, it can be concluded that Meghalaya North East Telegraph is working vigorously towards public awareness, as well as entertainment.

Meghalaya Radio

Meghalaya radio is extremely popular. Surprisingly, in the age of satellite television channels and news portals on the Internet, radio continues to enjoy great popularity in Meghalaya. Meghalaya radio includes both government and private radio stations. All India Radio has as many as five stations in Meghalaya. The programs are both devoted to news, necessary information, government bulletins and entertainment.

Radio in Meghalaya has an extremely efficient infrastructure built by the government of the state. Shillong itself has a 100 KW medium wave radio transmitter, with Tura in the West Garo Hills having a 10 KW relay transmitter. Apart from the medium wave transmission, there is also a short wave transmitter at Shillong, called the 'North Eastern Services'. Together they contribute towards the elaborate scope of the radio of Meghalaya.

All India Radio is the chief feature of radio at Meghalaya. Not only do they enjoy great popularity in the rural regions of the state in the remote mountainous stretches of the state, but in the city and town areas as well. There are five All India Radio centers in Meghalaya:
  • Shillong radio station
  • Tura Radio station
  • Jowai radio station
  • Williamnagar radio station
  • Jowai radio station

Private and FM radio form an integral part of Meghalaya radio. Shillong has a short wave transmitter. Called the 'North Eastern Services', these transmitter broadcasts news and entertainment programs. The FM facilities are also widely available in Shillong and some of the other major urban centers of the state. This latest addition to the scene of Meghalaya radio, enjoys great popularity among the inhabitants of Meghalaya, specially the younger sections.

Meghalaya Television

Meghalaya Television features almost all important TV channels of national and international importance. With an extremely efficient infrastructure, even the most distant place of Meghalaya has a rich heritage of television coverage. Meghalaya Television features programs in many languages, largely English and Hindi. Bangla television channels are extremely popular in the border areas of the state. Television in Meghalaya is also committed towards preserving some of the most indigenous forms of Meghalaya culture through various programs in the local television channels.

The government of Meghalaya has taken great steps to improve the infrastructures of television at Meghalaya. Meghalaya Television is equipped with an extremely efficient network. Shillong boasts of a massive 1 KW TV center. The district towns are also equipped with wonderful television network system. Tura in the Garo Hills has a 10 KW transmitter. Jowai in the Jaintia Hills area has a LPT relay transmitter, whereas Williamnagar and Nongstoin have VLPT relay transmitters.

Television of Meghalaya features channels ranging from hard core news channels to sports and entertainment channels. They all enjoy great popularity in the state. Some of the major news channels of Meghalaya Television are Zee News, Star TV, BBC and CNN. Doordarshan also enjoys wide viewer-ship among the people of Meghalaya. Some Bangla TV channels like CTVN and Tara Bangla are also widely viewed by the people of Meghalaya, as well Assamese channels. The indigenous television channels of Meghalaya are still at a very rudimentary stage. However, there are chances that the programs will become vastly improved in the near future and secure a much wider audience.



Last Updated on 6/18/2013