Sansad TV to have shows on 35 themes and prime-time \'democracy\' news bulletin
NEW DELHI: Sansad TV, the country's first integrated parliament channel, will have curated programmes in 35 thematic categories, as recommended by an experts’ committee, and about an hour of a "democracy" news bulletin during prime-time in the evening, officials said.
The process of the merger of Rajya Sabha TV and Lok Sabha TV channels into Sansad TV has been almost finalised, one of the officials cited earlier told ET. In November last year, after discussions between Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha chairman Venkaiah Naidu, a committee was set up under former Prasar Bharati chairman Surya Prakash. The committee submitted its report earlier this year. While live proceedings of parliament sessions will continue to be telecast, the recommendations of sub-committees formed to decide issues related to manpower, logistical and technical resources are also being put in place, the official said.
The channel will be available in English and Hindi and operate from the library building of the parliament house complex, and from some houses owned by LS TV. RS TV has an office near Talkatora Stadium which will be shifted out in the next few days, according to the official. The 35 categories that have been suggested by an expert panel include local governance, laws in the making, ground reports from constituencies, interviews with parliamentarians (MPs), parliamentary institutions, and features of the Indian Constitution, among others. Weekly segments have been planned around issues related to women, culture, youth, history of the Constitution, health, important events and incidences, among others.