On Tuesday, the federal government introduced that Lok Sabha Television (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha Television (RSTV) have been merged right into a single ‘Sansad TV’, of which retired IAS officer Ravi Capoor would be the Chief Executive Officer for a yr.
The resolution was taken in step with the proposals given by a Parliament-appointed panel headed by former Prasar Bharati chairman A Surya Prakash.
The panel, which had some members of Parliament additionally as its members, had prompt that Parliament ought to have just one channel, which might be referred to as Sansad TV. The panel had submitted its report in June final yr.
While the panel had prompt that Sansad TV might have two platforms to telecast stay the proceedings of Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha throughout Sessions, it had proposed that the identical platforms — Sansad 1 and Sansad 2 — might broadcast the identical programme, in Hindi and English respectively, throughout the inter-Session interval.
However, no resolution on this has been taken but, sources stated.
“It is still undecided whether the same programme will be run separately in Hindi and English, or whether Lok Sabha would like to have separate programmes made for their platforms, is not decided yet. There is also a suggestion that only one platform can function in bilingual during the inter-Session period,” an official stated.
Some members within the panel had prompt that the brand new channel ought to seize “various activities beyond the proceedings of the two Houses, including the functioning of committees and development activities of the members in their constituencies”.
But these particulars are nonetheless being labored out, the sources stated.
On the necessity for a merger of the 2 channels, a committee member stated: “There was a need for integrated programmes. It does not look good for Parliament of India to be running two separate channels.”
Welcoming the federal government’s announcement, Surya Prakash advised The Indian Express: “My committee had recommended the merger for better synergy and integration of the two channels. We were asked to examine if the integration was possible, and to look at the modalities.”
The contents of the report, submitted to each Rajya Sabha chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, usually are not but public. Opposition MPs within the Upper House have expressed apprehensions over the merger plans.
TMC MP Derek O’Brien stated: “Does it (the merger) help Parliament function as an “institution of accountability”? Will it restrict entry to stay telecasts? Will MPs have restricted airtime to lift points? Will they discover new methods to get heard?”
