CABLE TV COMPANIES TRY TO RIDE THE TRAIN

A local newspaper has reported that cable TV MSOs Siticable and InCable have approached the Western Railways to use its fibre optic network stretching over a large part of Mumbai. The railways have reportedly invested Rs 2,000 million in setting up its fibre optic line along the railway tracks between south and north Mumbai. This is to be extended to New Delhi.

LARGE V-SAT NETWORK PLANNED

Skumars.com, part of the Skumars group has announced that it is interested in installing 50,000 V-Sats all over the country in order to enable its entire dealer network to offer Internet access to consumers even in remote areas.

CASBAA TO START ON 1 DECEMBER

The sixth edition of the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting Association of Asia (Casbaa 99) will commence on 1 December in Hong Kong. Keynote speakers at the convention include Michael Bloomberg, Star TV Asia chairman Gareth Chang, and Hong Kong information technology and broadcasting secretary K.C. Kwong.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TO INTRODUCE LOCAL SHOW

The National Geographic Channel is to begin airing India Dairies a documentary series which will examine six subjects relating to India. The documentary series will be presented by Mark Shand and photographed by Aditya Patankar.

BENGAL GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL FOR LOCAL CHANNEL SHOT DOWN

The leftist West Bengal government proposal to launch a state-owned channel has been shot down by the Central government. The former believes that the channel will be used by the state government to further propagate Marxist philosophy and an anti-BJP stance in the state, according to a local daily.