Let's face it. Television, the Internet and the mobile phone are slowly getting fused into one humungous media entity that's slowly sucking us all in.

This week, television unwittingly let us into just how closely the media are entwined. By Monday evening, news channels were treating viewers to a completed, unedited look at Adnan Patrawala's Orkut scrapbook, even as MTV had announced the social networking site as one of its style icon award nominees. The same night, Zee News ran a story on Crime Reporter, that detailed the plight of a girl in the country's interior, who had been the victim of MMSes of morphed images, thanks to pictures she had posted on a
social network site.

Just when some of the news channels were expounding on the easy familiarity with which youth access media to bare their souls, strike friendships and court alliances that could be potentially dangerous, other channels like [V] continue to sport live chats in the later evening hours, most of which is idle banter.

Animax India too has been actively promoting its new site that allows users to make friends, share info and build communities. By late this week, Orkut even got the official stamp of 'style icon' from none other than that ultimate youth brand, MTV.

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While most channels will, sooner or later, climb the Net bandwagon (a big revenue earner, needless to say), will there be enough checks in place to ensure that TV doesn't become a tool to further the nuisance value of the Net? Finally, is it a good thing after all that our soap makers don't even make a nodding reference to the extent of Net influence on our lives, even when they are making serials on 'youth centric' issues?

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Here a Sonu, there a Sonu

Uh... it's confusing enough to have to watch music talent hunts at almost the same time across channels. Now, get ready to see the same celeb guests on rival channels! Singer Sonu Nigam was on Indian Idol last week, encouraging the finalists and mingling with the judges (he was a judge on the previous Idol seasons, remember?) Fine so far. Cut to Star Plus' Star Voice of India. Same day, same time, Sonu turned up at Gajendra Singh's set to cheer the participants (Nigam was a host on Singh's Saregama in the long gone days). Wassup, guys?

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B Biz, dissected

While most movie and music channels merely make a song and dance about Bollywood, there's one quiet show that keen industry watchers must be logging on to religiously, daily. That's Taran Adarsh's B Biz on etc, where the analyst in his own sober way, takes viewers through the Bollywood business of the day, offers his own take and then even has an interview with one Bollywood personality every day. Simple, straight talk and good, concise analyses. A delight to watch in the times of over the top commentary and over made up anchors.

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DMG - bitter dose

Star One's Dill Mil Gaye is just another soap, with a hospital for a backdrop. Pretty faces and handsome hunks make up most of the plot, and the resemblance to its earlier version, Sanjivani, is pretty thin. It's all about campus capers for these young interns who, as the title suggests, are more interested in the workings of their own hearts than that of the patients. How long will it be till we make our own version of ER?

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Couch potato tip - Star One's Ranvir and Vinay are doing a hilarious take on Onam this week. The rest of TV programming in the coming days will probably be syrupy with an overdose of Raksha Bandhan festivities. Stay clear if you don't want diabetes.