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BRIEFS
ISKYB EXECUTIVES ON STAR TREK
It's finally out. The folks at the much-delayed
News Corp-promoted direct-to- home television venture, ISkyB
have their days numbered. In order to reduce the headcount
at ISKyB and, in the process, losses, senior managers at Star
TV have been instructed that they should first consider the
candidature of ISkyB executives before hiring outsiders for
filling up vacancies.
DISNEY TIES UP PROGRAMMING DEAL WITH TELUGU
CHANNEL
Disney, through Beuna Vista - its joint venture
with Modi Entertainment in India - has begun telecasting a
half-hour daily animation dubbed slot on Telugu channel Eendau
TV from 16 May. The air time sales for the slot called Disney
Sandhya will be done by Beuna Vista while its marketing will
be the responsibility of both the partners. Disney Sandhya
is on air from 6 pm to 6:30 pm on weekdays and between 4:30
and 5 pm on weekends. Disney already has animation slots on
state-owned broadcaster Doordarshan and leading Hindi satellite
television channel Zee TV.
PRODUCTION HOUSE GENERATES GOOD RESULTS
Production company Sri Adhikari Brothers Television
Network Ltd has chalked up heady financial results for the
year ended 31 March 1999. Total income has risen from Rs 265.66
million in the corresponding period of the previous year to
Rs 309.08 million in the year just concluded. The company's
gross profit has gone up to Rs 87.3 million (Rs 57.41 million)
while profit after tax has climbed to Rs 70.22 million (Rs
46.46 million). With a higher earnings per share of Rs 14.04
(Rs 9.29) per Rs 10 face value share, the Sri Adhikari Brothers
scrip is hovering around in the Rs 130 range. It has had a
high of Rs 167 in the past year. The company produces software
for DD and has recently inked a deal to supply software to
a Sri Lankan channel. This apart it is also bidding to launch
a Hindi entertainment channel climbed on its own accord.
INTERSPUTNIK TARGETS INDIAN CUSTOMERS
Intersputnik is on the verge of signing an agreement
with the overseas communications carrier VSNL to lease capacity
on its LM1 satellite which is to be launched in August this
year jointly with Lockheed Martin. The VSNL board has given
it the go-ahead but department of telecom clearance has yet
to come, Intersputnik said. The satellite company is also
in talks with other broadcasters to take up transponders on
its satellites.
CHANNEL V ROADSHOW VOWS MUMBAI AUDIENCES
A record 16,000 youngsters turned up at the Andheri
Sports Complex in Mumbai last weekend for Channel V Live,
a concert featuring India's leading pop stars and the music
channel's veejays. The audience was not deterred by the constant
pouring rain. Fireworks, a new sound system that ensured consistent
high quality sound in the whole stadium, and a contest kept
them going.
CABLE OP TO SPIN OFF OPERATIONS
MSO Hathaway Cable and independent cable operator
Shri Bhawani Cabletel are to create a new joint venture company
Hathway Bhawani Cabletel Datacom. Hathaway will own a majority
stake of 51% in the new firm. The firm is already listed on
the Mumbai stock exchange under another name Seven Heaven
Leasing. The cable TV operations that Shri Bhawani and Hathaway
own jointly are to be transferred to Seven Heaven before its
renaming. Shri Bhawani Cabletel is currently listed on the
Pune and Ahmedabad stock exchanges and has a subscriber base
of over 50,000 in Mumbai.
STAR TV CHAIRMAN GARETH CHANG ISSUES WARNING
Stung by the numerous voices speaking to the media
within the Star TV network across Asia, chairman Gareth Chang
last week issued a memo to executives - including those in
India - that they should not directly answer any press queries.
Rather these should be directed to the corporate affairs department
in the company, Chang said.
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