MODI SIGN DEAL WITH KERMIT & HALLMARK

Cable TV distribution firm Modi Entertainment Network (MEN), part of the Modi Entertainment Group, has signed an exclusive five-year agreement to distribute children's education-cum-entertainment channel Kermit and movie channel Hallmark in India. The two are currently beaming off the Apstar 2R satellite and MEN is likely to kick off its distribution campaign next month. Hallmark and Kermit will be offered to cable operators at a package price of Rs 6 though industry opinion is that it may be limited to Rs 2 each. Official details of decoder pricing were not available, though market sources expect its price to be Rs 34,000. One cable operator was concerned that MEN would not be in a position to launch on schedule as the boxes had still not been brought into the country.

Hallmark has meanwhile started broadcasting again in a free-to-air mode as of end last week in a bid to get Indian cable operators to sample the channel.