Kerala government mulls own TV channel

Thiruvananthapuram: The state Information and Public Relations Department is has plans to launch an exclusive TV channel. The department has forwarded the project to the Finance Department for approval before the state budget. If the finance minister decides to make an announcement regarding the project the department will move ahead with it in association with the state IT department. Already the IT department is producing and broadcasting various video programmes with co-operation from the Doordarshan. This includes series of programmes about the functioning of various state departments. Since facilities for production and editing have been set up already it is possible to start a satelite television channel, acoording to the evaluation by the PRD. The government spends a huge amount of money for this and also spends Rs 20-25 crore for advertisements in the media. Under the state education department and as a part of the IT @ School project, the Victors TV channel is broadcasting educational programmes for 17 hours a day through the Edusat. This channel is is available on local cable TV networks, DTH and on the internet. It also does live broadcasts of events like the state youth festival. The Public Relations Department is planning to launch the channel in this model. The PR deparment thinks that if each department is given slots to broadcast programmes, by improving the present technical system, it can launch a 24-hour channel. Assam had announced in the 2011-12 budget that the state will start a TV channel. The PR department expects state Finance Minister to make a similar announcement in the next budget.
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