Bengaluru: An RSS-linked online aggregation platform, which was quietly soft-launched earlier this year, is all set to consolidate and expand its digital footprint from February 2020.
Named ‘RITAM’, which means ‘absolute truth’, the venture is an attempt to adapt to modern technology to spread awareness about nationalism and RSS.
A small team of journalists and technical experts have been working on the project at the RSS office in Jhandewalan, New Delhi for the past few months.
RITAM will have all major English and regional language news channels on its platform and will also push its own content on its YouTube TV.
“RITAM will offer all major existing channels. Anyone can use our platform. Our YouTube channel will focus on nationalism and Indian point of view. We have realised that there is a shortage of Indian views in public. We have everything except our own views. RSS runs over 30 research centres across India. They have come to a conclusion that native point of view should be promoted through our own platforms. That’s why we are launching RITAM. To make it attractive and acceptable to all, we are making it an aggregation platform”, a senior journalist, who is involved with the project, said.
Why Digital?
According to this journalist, their research says traditional cable and satellite TV channels are dying and digital is growing all over India and the world.
“We want to target the younger ones. The youth are our main target. We want to create content which appeals to them. Running a satellite TV is expensive business. We feel satellite TV will die in another 5-10 years because the internet penetration is high. We want to adapt to new global mediums before it is late,” he said.
“Currently the team is working out of RSS office and once the channel is launched, we may shift to another location,” he added.
RITAM will also have a website, Facebook channel and aggressively push the content on all social media platforms.
According to insiders, the RSS is supporting the venture and they want to try “a not for profit model” initially.
“It is not exactly a business. We want to build something in the digital space. If our venture can sustain itself, that would be sufficient,” another journalist, part of the RITAM, said.
RSS media in-charge or Akhil Bhartiya Prachar Pramukh, Arun Kumar, admits RITAM was launched in January 2019 but claims that the RSS is not directly involved in the project; and that is was started by a ‘swayamsevak’.
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