'Sansad TV' that integrates functioning of LSTV, RSTV, to have English, Hindi variants

A new 'Sansad TV' integrating the functioning of Lok Sabha TV (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV) is likely to have two variants in English and Hindi with a "more focused" content, officials said on Wednesday.

The LSTV is likely to beam programmes in Hindi while the RSTV is proposed to telecast programmes in English when the both the variants of the new 'Sansad TV' are not telecasting live proceedings of both the Houses of Parliament.

The current emphasis on news programmes may go as the proposed Sansad TV's two variants will have to be "more focused and content driven and emerge as an effective option for the large number of viewers keen to know in detail about the functioning of parliamentary institutions and democracy, using such content as its USP (Unique Selling Point)".

These recommendations of a six-member committee under former Prasar Bharati Chairman Surya Prakash and having Additional Secretary to the RS Secretariat A Rao and Lok Sabha Secretariat’s Ganpati Bhatt among others are presently under consideration, officials said.

At present, three sub-committees are currently examining related issues like integration of technical and manpower resources of both LSTV and RSTV and space planning for relocation of RSTV.

The committee under Prakash concluded that there is a need for two separate platforms to ensure live telecast of the proceedings of the Houses and recommended an integrated channel 'Sansad TV' with two variants.

Both variants could telecast "common content to a large extent" with the LSTV platform telecasting programme in Hindi while RSTV platform would do so in English.

"Two language variants would enable better branding and increased viewership by overcoming the shortcomings associated with the present bi-lingual telecast format of both the channels," the committee, which submitted its report in February, said.

The Committee also strongly recommended effective utilization of the available resources like relocating the RSTV from the Talkatora Stadium Annexe, for which huge rent is being paid at present, to the space available with LSTV in Parliament House and at the Mahadev Road bungalow.

The panel under Prakash was set up in November last year by Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu and Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla following demands that both the channels be merged for forging synergy and rationalising spending on them. The panel was tasked with examining all aspects of functional integration of the two channels.