ANOTHER DD HEAD ROLLS

The information and broadcasting ministry has suspended deputy director general Anees ul Haq. The government is investigating whether charges of corruption leveled against Haq are valid. Haq who was in charge of DD's Kashmir transmissions is among a handful of senior DD officials who are being investigated on charges of under the table dealings.

HOME SHOPPING VENTURE DOES EMERALD ISLAND DEAL

The Unilazer group owned direct response television company Teleshopping Network has rechristened itself as the Total Shopping Network (TSN) and tied up with a Sri Lanka based television channel. It has also appointed a franchisee in Sri Lanka Family Shopping Network. TSN, which vends a range of products through home shopping capsules on various channels and display retail outlets, hopes to report sales of Rs 300 million by March 200. It is also developing an
e-commerce portal at www.tvsnshop.com.

FASHION TV BLACKED OUT IN WEST INDIAN CITY

Information and broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan has for long being ranting against Fashion TV, the 24 hour music-cum-fashion television branding it a vulgar service. He has asked for regulation to be put in place to have it shut out. Well, while the government at the Centre has not heeded him, the administration in the western Indian city of Vadodara (in Gujarat state) has. Last week, it issued an order forbidding cable TV operators from carrying the channel on their networks because of the near nudity on it. If they did not comply said the administration, they would lose their licences, and registration. The order has met with protests from the intelligentsia who say they should have the freedom to choose.

SINGAPORE TELECOM TIES UP WITH LYCOS

Singapore Telecom (SingTel) and Internet portal Lycos have tied up to produce more than 10 localised versions of Lycos.com and Tripod in Asia. Among the countries that SingTel is targeting: Singapore, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and India. The investment: $50 million.

MOTOROLA SWALLOWS GI

In a deal that could have major implications for the broadband and convergence marketplace telecommunications and semiconductor equipment group Motorola Inc announced that it would be purchasing television set top box and cable TV equipment major General Instruments in a deal that is valued at $11 billion. Each GI stock is to be swapped for 0.575 shares of Motorola.