Casbaa is the region's leading non-profit organization for the promotion of multi-channel television and data transmission via cable and satellite networks.

Casbaa in association with Ficci Frames will host a prime session on "India Today & Tomorrow - A Business Proposition with 40 million Customers" on 29 October 2003. Ficci Frames will be represented by Sony Entertainment Television CEO and FICCI Entertainment Committee co-chairman Kunal Dasgupta, Reliance Entertainment chairman and E-Entertainment Alliance (Ficci-Nasscom-TiE Alliance) chairman Amit Khanna, TAM Media Research CEO, LV Krishnan and Zee Turner CEO Sunil Khanna.

Welcoming the joint initiative, Casbaa CEO Simon Twiston Davies said, "The corporatisation (and digitization) of the India pay-TV market is the most important opportunity for the entire US$ 14 billion a year Asia Pacific cable and satellite TV industry. This is far more than a matter for multinationals, it's about developing a new communications growth engine for India itself."

He added: " Casbaa and the group of international executives joining Ficci Frames 2004 will be discussing the issues of growth, technology upgrade, pay-TV advertising and pay-TV content provision in a highly interactive environment. We look forward to working further with Ficci Frames with great enthusiasm".

Responding to the invite from Casbaa, Ficci Entertainment Committee chairman, Yash Chopra commented, "Casbaa inviting Ficci Frames to join hands for this convention is a clear indication of the fact that its efforts towards the media and entertainment industry have started attracting not only domestic attention but also international accolades."

According to Dasgupta the Indian television industry is one of the most dynamic markets in the Asia Pacific Region. All major global players have a presence in India. This initiative of Ficci Frames, while providing an in-depth understanding of the television market in India to the delegates at CASBAA, will also enhance the possibilities of forming business alliances in the Asian region.

Khanna pointed out, " The C & S industry in India is a huge market that is yet to be realized to its full potential. Casbaa is the premier organization of Cable and Satellite Industry in Asia and the annual Casbaa convention is a great opportunity to network and understand the ground situation, in the evolving global digital entertainment space".

This prime session will deliberate on the potential that India has in the Television sector and explore the opportunities and linkages between India and Asia. Such regional initiatives by Ficci Frames have and will continue to facilitate the inflow of foreign investments into the country in the media and entertainment sector.

In addition, this hub for the Indian media and entertainment industry has provided major impetus to country exports and entertainment software. Ever since Frames started with its initiatives back in 2001, more and more global organizations have been picking up the distribution rights of the Indian content.

As a reciprocal gesture, Casbaa will visit Ficci Frames 2004 in Mumbai with a high-end cable & satellite industry delegation from the Asia region. Casbaa CEO, Simon Twiston Davis, was a distinguished speaker at FRAMES 2003.

Apart from initiatives like these, Ficci Frames is working for this industry at various levels across the entire bandwidth. For the forthcoming Frames 2004 convention in March next year, Ficci has already started getting participation queries from across the world. These include chiefs of world's largest consulting firms, production houses, world acclaimed filmmakers and many more.