DTH is still growing month-on-month, while the figures of CAS subscribers have begun to stagnate.
The I&B ministry has intimated January 14 and 24 as the new dates for the auction instead of December 29 and January 10.
The central government is likely to extend the Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) scheme beyond 2009 only to Indian information technology-enabled services/business process outsourcing (ITeS/BPO) firms. A proposal to this effect has been included in the 11th Five-Year Plan document, which will be put up for the approval of the National Development Council, headed by the prime minister, on December 19.
Be it the launch of new entertainment channels like Bindass, 9X and Zee Next or the programming rejig on Zee TV, Channel V, Star One, Sahara and Star Plus, broadcasters are leaving no stone unturned to attract the younger generation as well as the advertisers.
The Return of Ravana will be set in contemporary times in Manhattan, the US. In the proposed trilogy, King Ravan will return in modern times in the US and create problems for the international community. This will lead to the appearance of Hanuman.
The Indian advertising expenditure is doubling every four years primarily dominated by spends on television and print campaigns.
After passing of the Competition Act, 2007, in September, Minister of Corporate Affairs Prem Chand Gupta had announced that the CCI would be fully functional by the middle of next year.
Prices of cotton have already gone up by 10-20 per cent per candy (356 kg) this year to Rs 16,000-Rs 23,000 depending on the variety. There has been a softening in the past few weeks but the prices are expected to firm up again as demand grows.
The industry is seriously concerned that the new Competition Act, passed by Parliament in September but not yet fully notified, could impact local and cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and curtail business activities by placing substantial discretionary powers in the hands of the thinly-staffed Competition Commission of India (CCI).
ICL, which is primarily a television property for the Zee group, kicks off on November 30 and is yet to find advertisers.
This will be a measure to provide start-up entrepreneurs and professionals the much-needed flexibility in setting up a business in India.
As many as 13 key vacant private FM radio stations in five towns are likely to become the battle ground for six big national private FM radio companies in the next month's financial bidding of 96 vacant stations across 48 cities.
With the export market losing its sheen, a growing number of apparel exporters are drawing up strategies to sell their wares in the domestic market. Analysts said that the higher local demand for branded apparel was because of rising purchasing power of consumers who were now spending 6-7 per cent of their disposable income on ready-made garments. The surge in consumer spending has resulted in a 20 per cent growth in demand for international apparel.
The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, which owns the Amul brand, is all set to introduce sugar-free chocolates across the country, targeted at diabetics. This comes soon after the company had launched sugar-free ice-cream. India has become the diabetes capital of the world with almost 35 million people suffering from the disorder. And their population will continue to grow at a fast pace, say experts, because of Indian dietary habits and a sedentary lifestyle.
Companies based at Gurgaon are sending workers on 45 days' leave without pay before the festival, while those in Tirupur, Tamil Nadu, have not renewed the contracts of over 8,000 workers. All expansion plans have been put on hold and orders for new machinery are being revoked.
The government is planning to codify class action as law. A clause to this effect has been included in the new Company Law Bill, which is expected to be tabled in the coming winter session of Parliament.
Miditech, the television content creation company promoted by the brother duo of Niret & Nikhil Alva is now set to expand in the international market, film production as well as reality-game shows for the small screen.
With most private television channels deserting it, DD Direct Plus, the direct-to-home (DTH) company from Prasar Bharati, has become a true pubcaster carrying 34 channels of which 31 are from Doordarshan.These 31 DD-channels include 19 television channels and 12 All India Radio channels. The private channels that were recently disconnected from DD Direct Plus include Aaj Tak, Headlines Today, BBC World, Star Utsav and Akash Bangla, sources said.
BBC is likely to rope in music company Saregama as its partner for the venture. BBC Worldwide holds the DVD rights for all its drama and comedy series including Yes Minister, Yes Prime Minister, collections of Shakespeare, the Sherlock Holmes series and several classics and drama series.
Currently, the base price (Rs 5) is also the maximum retail price for pay channels in CAS areas. The biggest impact of price revision will be on the forthcoming 55-city roll out of CAS, as proposed by Trai, and also the extension of CAS in rest of the three metros.
© 2025 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances