Sansad TV, the merged entity of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha TV channels was formally launched Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu and the Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday.
Modi said that the launch of the Sansad TV is a new chapter in the story of Indian democracy. The country is getting a medium of communication and dialogue which will become a new voice of the nation’s democratic system and youth. The public broadcaster Doordarshan has completed 62 years of existence, he pointed out.
Noting that it was also International Day of Democracy, the Prime Minister stated that when it comes to Democracy, India’s responsibility becomes even more significant as it is the mother of democracy. “Democracy for India is not just a system, it is an idea. Democracy in India is not just a constitutional structure, but it is a spirit. Democracy in India is not just a collection of streams of constitutions, it is our lifestream,” he added.
Modi said that in the rapidly changing times, the role of media is also rapidly evolving.
‘Connecting with people’
He said the media enables disseminating information about various issues such as Swachh Bharat Abhiyan to a wider audience.
Talking about the centrality of content, the Prime Minister said, while it is common perception that “content is king”, in his experience “Content is Connect”.
Also read: Lok Sabha TV and Rajya Sabha TV merged into Sansad TV
He explained that, when one has better content,it automatically helps in strengthening engagement with the audience. As much as this principle applies to the media, it is equally applicable to the parliamentary system as there is not only politics in Parliament, there is also policy, he added.
Information dissemination
He added that the Sansad TV should work towards strengthening the connect of common people with the Parliament proceedings. The Prime Minister said when the Parliament is in session, debates are held on diverse subjects and the youth can learn a lot from these discussions. He added that the programme on Sansad TV will also impart information to the youth about the country’s democratic institutions, their functioning as well as civic duties.