Process in final stage to merge RSTV & LSTV into Sansad TV
NEW DELHI: With a Committee giving its nod for the proposed merger of the Lok Sabha TV (LSTV) and Rajya Sabha TV (RSTV), the functional integration of both the public broadcaster set to be finalised by the year-end.
As per the recommendations of the Parliamentary Committee, both the public channels would be integrated into Sansad TV and the functioning of the both channels would be different as one would broadcast its contents in Hindi while the other will do the same in English. According to official sources, the Lok Sabha TV would continue to telecast the
live proceedings of the Lower House, while RSTV would live telecast Rajya Sabha proceedings. As per the plan, the manpower and technical resources will also be integrated. Though, the deadline for the
launch of Sansad TV has not yet been finalised, but sources privy to the development has said that it may be launched by the end of the year.
The process of merger started after discussions between Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu in November last year as a committee headed by former Prasar Bharati Chairman Surya Prakash was established and the panel had submitted its report in February this year, which is being reviewed by three different sub-committees to finalise the integration of technical and manpower resources.
The committee had also held meetings with MPS of different political parties who recommended continuation of live telecast of the Parliamentary proceedings. Notably, the LSTV was launched in 2006 and the RSTV in 2011 and both have been functioning independently since then.
“The committee has recommended that both the channels would be rechristened as Sansad TV and both will continue to telecast live proceedings of the respective Houses,” the sources said.
“During the inter-session period and beyond the working hours of Parliament, both the variants continue to telecast common content to a large extent. The LSTV platform would telecast programme in Hindi while the RSTV platform would do so in English. The two language variants would enable better branding and increased viewership,” the sources said.
According to sources, the new channel would work under an integrated management as at present the RSTV is under the control of the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the LSTV is under the Speaker.