| MUMBAI: On Monday
the curtain will rise on the biggest annual convention on the business of entertainment.
Ficci-Frames 2007 will take place from 26 - 28 March in Mumbai for the eighth
year in succession. Frames head Amita Sarkar
says that the aim this time around is to cover the entire gamut of media. "Whether
it is film, television, radio delegates will get to hear experts dwell on a variety
of topics. We expect around 1600 delegates. We have introduced new sessions like
the business of news, sports. There will also be a session on convergence as we
feel that that is where the future lies." She adds that it is significant
that Italy is the partner country as it is the first country that India has a
film co-production treaty with. Oscar winning pianist Piovanni will perform during
one of Frames' entertainment galas. Frames has enhanced its entertainment evenings
this time around. From the 35 sessions that have been scheduled to take place,
75 per cent of the 200 speakers will be from abroad. The first plenary session
on the first day looks at the regulatory framework for the entertainment industry.
Should there be a price regulation for content? Should content regulation be uniform
across all delivery platforms? The speakers include Essel Group chairman Subhash
Chandra, Sony CEO Kunal Dasgupta, UTV chairman Ronnie Screwvala, Amarchand Mangaldas
managing partner Shardul Shroff. Another session looks at the changing face
of news in India. The speakers include Times Now CEO Sunil Lulla, Aaj Tak CEO
G. Krishnan, NDTV managing editor Srinivasan Jain and BBC Hindi Services India
editor Sanjeev Srivastav. Throwing light on India's connection to the world,
another session looks at the role that media and entertainment play in this regard.
The speakers include film director Shekhar Kapur, Shabana Azmi, NDTV president
Dr. Prannoy Roy and ABP editor in chief Aveek Sarkar. As distribution of
content is concerned one session looks at The Last Mile. The speakers include
Tata Sky CEO Vikram Kaushik, Italian producer Carlo Bixio, Ortel director and
co-promoter Jagi Mangat Panda. While yet another session takes up the fast
expanding medium of radio looking at how to create compelling content in a highly
undiffrentiated Indian market. The speakers include Radio City programming head
Vikas Varma, BBC World Service head of business development Asia Pacific Niel
Curry. Interestingly, Frames will also have a session on sports. This looks
at the genre and how it can drive grwoth in the entertainment segment whether
it is film, television, radio or print. The speakers include Ten Sports CEO Chris
McDonald, Zee Sports executive VP Himanshu Modi, Nimbus CEO Akash Khurana and
the director of the film Hat Trick Milan Luthria. Actor Aamir Khan
will deliver the closing address at Frames, while the Ficci Living Legend Award
will be presented to Rekha and Kamal Hassan. | 
