After interminable delays, the government yesterday finally issued an executive order on direct-to-home (DTH) telecast in India and it has confirmed the industry‘s worst fears.

There are no changes from the DTH guidelines issued on 1 November 2000. Concerted industry lobbying for modifications in two principal aspects of the guidelines have been ignored.

The notification limits broadcasting companies‘ equity participation in the venture as well as foreign direct investment to 20 per cent. The other issue for which broadcasters pushed hard was the revenue sharing arrangement. Broadcasters had sought a five-year moratorium on revenue-sharing but the government has stuck to its original stipulation - a revenue sharing arrangement of 10 per cent as annual fee for the licence period of ten years.

The notification states that aside from the 20 per cent FDI ceiling, the rest of the finances could be raised from non-resident Indians (NRIs), foreign institutional investors and overseas corporate bodies.

Three weeks into his new role at the helm of CNN‘s operations in the south Asian region, Ian Macintosh, senior vice-president, CNN International, was at pains to point out how far down the road the organisation had come in its attempts to become a television news service with truly global perspective.

To maintain its position as the world‘s preeminent news breaking channel, CNN is integrating its traditional news gathering activities with cutting edge interactive technologies on all platforms in the Asia Pacific, Macintosh said.

The regional newsgathering and production centre in Hong Kong provides network programming and on-line production for CNN‘s 34 television, radio and new media services worldwide, Macintosh said.

Macintosh stressed that being multi-skilled is central to the digital age. And CNN is using that strategy to position itself strongly in the market.

Macintosh is in India to get an overview of the channel from various quarters. He dwelt at length with media persons at an informal interaction in Mumbai today on the effort at CNN to become truly global in its perspective.

He admitted that his organisation still had a way to go to get rid of the perception that it saw the world through American eyes. "It‘s not just a quantitative shift in that CNN International has 50 non-Americans in key positions, but a qualitative one which is reflected in how we cover events," Macintosh said.

As a case in point, he mentioned some of the reports on Afghanistan that the CNN team had carried out which went much beyond the coverage of the Taliban and its excesses.

Talking specifically on the South Asia channel which was launched last year, Macintosh said the aim was to develop it into one sensitive to the needs of the subcontinent. To achieve that goal, one must understand the market in the region, and his visit was an effort in that direction, he added.

On the question of penetration of the channel in India, Anshuman Misra, who oversees the distribution and marketing of CNN International, said after the channel was encrypted it reached five and a half million homes, mainly in urban centres. Mumbai was where CNN has its highest viewership, Mishra said.

Game shows are losing their fizz. Star‘s Kaun Banega Crorepati‘s viewership has been slipping. Zee‘s Sawaal Dus Crore Ka came and went without a by your leave. Sony‘s Jeeto Chappar Phaad Ke is not living up to its promise. So where does that leave Sabe TV‘s Jab Khelo Sab Khelo?

The buzz is that host Shekhar Suman may not renew his contract with Sri Adhikari Brothers Entertainment Television Network Ltd (SABTNL) when it expires in the next two months. Should that happen, the show is likely to be given a burial.

Suman is believed to be concentrating more on movies this year. He has close to five movies planned. Two with Kundan Shah and one each with Kalpana Lajmi, Mani Iyer‘s Vipul Films, and David Dhawan.

SABTNL vice chairman Markand Adhikari denied any such moves were afoot. Said he in a telephonic interview: "Shekar Suman is the show. So far there are no plans to bring in any changes. It has proved highly beneficial to our channel. It was quite popular amongst viewers considering the million or so phone calls it was generating."

He added: "There is no truth to the statement that Shekhar Suman will be leaving the show. Call me tomorrow and we will talk."

Suman was not available for comment.

However, the grapevine is pretty strong that Suman, while keen on continuing with the show, may not find the time to give it the attention it needs on account of the film offers coming his way. According to a source, the show takes a lot out of him, his gift of the gab notwithstanding. He has to be constantly on the ball with repartees et all for the hour he is on the show and that is proving a little too much for him.

For more on this watch this space.