Digitisation: Govt cancels registration of two Delhi MSOs
I&B Ministry revokes licences of Home Cable Network and Swami Cable Network for not reporting digitisation progress; Home Cable's Vikki Choudhry to seek justice from SC.
(30 august 2012)

Trai not to implement ad regulations till further orders from Tdsat
Tdsat has set 3 December for the next hearing on petitions by broadcasters against cap on ad duration per hour; Trai not to act on draft amendments proposed on 27 August.
(30 august 2012)

Channels free to decide gap between ad breaks
In a draft amendment, Trai withdraws leeway to live broadcast of sporting event and brings it under ad ap per hour cap; also deletes clause prescribing the gap between one ad session and another to give free choice to broadcasters.
(27 august 2012)

Broadcast licences of five channels lapse
Mallemala, S1 Tadka, Just TV Punjabi, Just TV Music & Ahimsaa fail to start within 1 year from date of permission; 833 TV channels have so far got uplink or downlink nod.
(24 august 2012)

Zee News Ltd to shutter Telugu news channel
Zee 24 Gantalu to shut down in Sept due to many politically-oriented channels in the crowded Telugu news market, says a source; closure to help trim losses ahead of planned English language general news channel.
(28 august 2012)

Dentsu shops in India, takes 51% stake in Taproot
The controlling stake in the Indian creative agency will give a boost to Dentsu's expanding footprint in India; Taproot will continue to operate independently under the management control of its current leadership.
(28 august 2012)

Network18, TV18 can go ahead with rights issues: Sebi
Sebi gives its observations on draft offer documents filed by Network18 and TV18 in March 2012; the companies now are required to go ahead with their rights issues within a year from the date of the observations.
(29 august 2012)

NSTPL plans Rs 15 bn investment in HITS
Jain TV Group firm to launch HITS service in Nov coinciding with digitisation & investment is in 5 years; Motorola is technology partner, Intelsat satellite provider & Kit Digital solution architect.
(29 august 2012)

NDTV-WPP spat gets ugly; NDTV reveals Kantar CEO’s email sought end to litigation
A fuming NDTV goes on an offensive in response to Martin Sorrel's tirade against the broadcaster; charts out six errors that the WPP CEO has committed.
(25 august 2012)

The fight gets vengeful; WPP discloses Vikram Chandra's email
WPP says Chandra had written to Kantar CEO suggesting a meeting so that resolution of differences be attempted prior to NDTV pursuing legal proceedings.
(27 august 2012)

NDTV seeks clear answers, asks WPP to stop obfuscating real issues
NDTV wants to know why TAM has not stopped publishing its ratings from 1 July as assured by President IMRB, a Kantar subsidiary; seeks clear answers from Sorrell to 6 questions.
(27 august 2012)

WPP moves NY SC for dismissal of NDTV lawsuit
WPP has filed for dismissal of NDTV lawsuit against television ratings agency TAM in the Supreme Court of New York.
(29 august 2012)

WPP, Group firms file for dismissal of NDTV lawsuit against them
WPP argues neither NDTV nor the defendants are New York residents & the situation of the transaction points to India; Nielsen & TAM are not party to the application.
(29 august 2012)

Viacom18 to launch new channel Rishtey in UK
After Colors, this is Viacom18's 2nd channel in mass Hindi entertainment space & will have varied content including news; to be launched in UK first by IndiaCast.
(30 august 2012)

UTV Stars eyes break even in FY'13
The channel banks on growth from ad sales, syndication and subscription while controlling costs to achieve this target.
(25 august 2012)

Big CBS names Chakravarthy as business head
Anand Chakravarthy will also continue to be Reliance Broadcast Network's CMO; he replaces Vishal Rally at Big CBS.
(28 august 2012)

Hathway Q1 net loss widens on digitisation
Increase in expenses for digitisation in four metros and rising interest cost led to a loss of Rs 159 million, 71% more than in the previous quarter and 30% higher than a year earlier.
(24 august 2012)

ESS sells 80% of its ad inventory for T20 WC, ropes in 8 sponsors
Reliance Comm & Havells are jt presenting sponsors; Tata Tele, Tata Motors, Pepsico, Hyundai, Nokia & Pernod Ricard associate sponsors; ESS targets 2 more sponsors.
(28 august 2012)

Carat Media retains BMW media biz
Carat Media wins BMW India media account amid multi-agency pitch including Zenith, Maxus and BPN; BMW's Saffer says, "We needed to ensure we get the best the market could offer."
(29 august 2012)

Shantanu Mukherji joins Dentsu Creative Impact as ECD
Shantanu Mukherji joins from JWT Delhi; will partner the leadership team at Dentsu and will work with Soumitra Karnik on select projects.
(28 august 2012)

Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi: Another failed attempt at being ‘different’
The quest for something different, something that can be made in a limited budget and without big stars continues, but the film promises no box office prospects. FILM REVIEW!
(24 august 2012)

'We are looking at an operational break-even next year'
Interview with UTV Stars business head Nikhil Gandhi