Sharmistha Mukherjee &Amp; Surajeet Das Gupta

Stories by Sharmistha Mukherjee &Amp; Surajeet Das Gupta

Festive season brings cheer to DTH firms

Festive season brings cheer to DTH firms

Rediff.com   16 Nov 2010

The festive season lit up sales numbers of direct-to home (DTH) television service providers, with nearly two million subscribers added in a month.

TV news companies struggle in September quarter

TV news companies struggle in September quarter

Rediff.com   15 Nov 2010

Even as the profit margins swelled for most media conglomerates on the back of robust growth in advertising and subscription revenues for the second quarter ended September, companies running television news channels had an uphill time.

Springer, India Today groups to buy CarWale pie

Springer, India Today groups to buy CarWale pie

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2010

The two companies will acquire 70.4 per cent stake in CarWale. They, however, declined to specify the investment being made.

Springer, India Today groups to buy CarWale pie

Springer, India Today groups to buy CarWale pie

Rediff.com   10 Nov 2010

The two companies will acquire 70.4 per cent stake in CarWale. They, however, declined to specify the investment being made.

Air India seeks $2.3-billion ECBs to pare debt

Air India seeks $2.3-billion ECBs to pare debt

Rediff.com   8 Nov 2010

State-owned National Aviation Company of India Ltd (Nacil), which runs Air India, has approached the government to raise $2.3 billion through external commercial borrowings (ECBs) as part of a plan to restructure its high-cost working capital debt.

Harley Davidson to set up assembly unit in Haryana

Harley Davidson to set up assembly unit in Haryana

Rediff.com   3 Nov 2010

Buoyed by India's response to its super-machines, iconic American superbike maker Harley Davidson is setting up an assembly unit at Bawal, Haryana. This will be its second plant outside the United States, after Brazil.

DoT says no to granting watchdog sharper teeth

DoT says no to granting watchdog sharper teeth

Rediff.com   1 Nov 2010

Regulator wants the power to fine errant telecom companies.

Home ministry targets VPNs

Home ministry targets VPNs

Rediff.com   27 Oct 2010

After Research In Motion (owners of BlackBerry), the home ministry will now turn the screws on Microsoft, Google, IBM and Oracle. These companies provide technology and services for the virtual private networks (VPNs) run by various operators in India. The government will ask them to conform to regulation that allows intelligence agencies to lawfully intercept data. Failure to do so could result in the termination of VPN services by operators using their technology.

Eased hybrid securities' pricing hits RBI barrier

Eased hybrid securities' pricing hits RBI barrier

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2010

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has thrown a spanner in the works of a government proposal to liberalise the pricing guidelines of hybrid securities such as foreign direct investment (FDI)-compliant instruments.

DD set to cross Games revenue target

DD set to cross Games revenue target

Rediff.com   11 Oct 2010

The interest expressed by viewers in the opening ceremony has, in the meantime, encouraged Doordarshan to raise rates for airtime on the channel almost three times.

GM aims to treble vehicle sales in 3 yrs

GM aims to treble vehicle sales in 3 yrs

Rediff.com   8 Oct 2010

General Motors India is aiming to increase sales three-fold over the next three years, with the five new models it is planning to launch in collaboration with Shanghai Automotive Industry Corporation.

CWG: India's most watched sporting event

CWG: India's most watched sporting event

Rediff.com   5 Oct 2010

The opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2010 has saved the day for Suresh Kalmadi and company. A record 29 million viewers tuned in to watch the telecast on Doordarshan on Sunday.

FDI in multi-brand retail won't get nod from FinMi

FDI in multi-brand retail won't get nod from FinMi

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2010

The finance ministry is arriving at a consensus to reject a proposal mooted in government to permit foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retailing.

ITC digs in its heels, will subscribe to EIH issue

ITC digs in its heels, will subscribe to EIH issue

Rediff.com   30 Sep 2010

ITC, which has a 14.98 per cent stake in EIH Ltd -- the company that runs the Oberoi chain of hotels -- is planning to subscribe to the upcoming EIH rights issue. This ends speculation that it might pull out after Reliance Industries Ltd picked up a stake in EIH.

Loans raised by Nacil will get government backing

Loans raised by Nacil will get government backing

Rediff.com   29 Sep 2010

The finance ministry has agreed to furnish sovereign guarantees on loans raised by National Aviation Company India Ltd, which flies under the Air India brand name. A top source in the ministry confirmed: "Yes, we will provide sovereign guarantee to Air India on its loans. After all, it is a company owned by the government."

TV channels bet on mega stars; to garner Rs 270 cr

TV channels bet on mega stars; to garner Rs 270 cr

Rediff.com   28 Sep 2010

The three are Kaun Banega Crorepati 4 on Sony, anchored by Amitabh Bachchan; Bigg Boss 4 on Colors, starring Salman Khan; and Masterchef India on STAR Plus with Akshay Kumar.

Pepsi plans to add fizz to sales

Pepsi plans to add fizz to sales

Rediff.com   25 Sep 2010

PepsiCo India is planning to launch beverages and snacks priced below Rs 5. This is part of a drive to address the mass market looking for nutritional products. The new range, being developed in India, is expected to be launched on a pilot basis in select markets by next year.

Audit DG raps DoT on plan to bail out new telcos

Audit DG raps DoT on plan to bail out new telcos

Rediff.com   21 Sep 2010

In its communication to DoT, the DGA said the department had granted new unified access service licences to certain companies without proper verification of their eligibility and other credentials.

3G operators may come under CAG scrutiny

3G operators may come under CAG scrutiny

Rediff.com   13 Sep 2010

The move is significant as it would extend the power of CAG -- set up to audit central and state government departments as well as PSUs -- to private sector companies.

Samsung, LG eye bigger pie in India

Samsung, LG eye bigger pie in India

Rediff.com   1 Sep 2010

Despite their slugfest on the high street, Korean chaebols Samsung and LG have independently charted a similar strategy that will see India operations carve out a larger slice of their global turnover