Budget: Entertainment, amusement services exempted from service tax
Budget places "admission to entertainment or access to amusement services" in Negative List for which there is no service tax; this new list includes time slots for ads but not for TV or radio broadcast.
(16 march 2012)

Govt & Trai should act on time if digitisation deadline is to be met: Stakeholders
There will be no difficulty in meeting the deadlines if the Govt. and Trai complete their tasks in time, stakeholders say.
(21 march 2012)

Govt says 14 TV channels from Pakistan illegal
Security agencies identified 11 more channels as illegal, including 2 from Nepal and 1 each from Bangladesh, UK, Bhutan and Maldives; officers to deal with cable ops.
(20 march 2012)

I&B Ministry's FY'13 budget is Rs 27.37 bn
MIB's total plan & non-plan budget for 2012-13 has risen marginally compared to Rs 26.44 bn last year; allocation under Secretarial-Social Services is doubled to Rs 1.27 bn.
(17 march 2012)

Zeel's sports biz loss at Rs 1.4 bn in FY'12 to exceed guidance
Launch expenses of Ten HD & Ten Golf and payouts for broadcasting rights in dollars upset Zeel's guidance; target of breakeven in sports biz in next fiscal could be derailed.
(21 march 2012)

FIPB defers Network18's proposal to get FDI for publishing biz
Network18's proposal for publishing business deferred by FIPB; Cellcast Interactive's proposal to set up 3 non-news and current affairs TV channels put on hold.
(22 march 2012)

Ravi Kiran, Shravan Shroff launch angel-backed start-up accelerator
Mumbai-based VentureNursery is angel-backed firm that will fund and mentor start-ups before they go for angel funding; ropes in Apoorv Ranjan Sharma as executive VP.
(20 march 2012)

Challenges of TV programmers in a fragmented market
With TV shows having only a 15 per cent success rate, programming executives need to craft content using research, social trends and gut feel.
(17 march 2012)

MSM's upcoming sports channel christened Six
Six will become the 11th channel in the sports broadcasting genre; Nitesh Kripalani is tipped to be the biz head.
(16 march 2012)

Trai reviews ad time policy for TV channels
Trai seeks views of stakeholders on prescribing upper limit for duration of ads on clock hour basis & defining time gaps between ad breaks during airing of movies & other prgms.
(17 march 2012)

Sony’s attempt to sizzle the screen fizzles
Telecast of the ‘most talked about’ love-making scene on 12 March episode of Bade Achhe Lagte Hain did not see any spike; the episode garners usual 3.5 TVR.
(21 march 2012)

Disney, Mumbai Indians in licensing pact
Mukesh Ambani-owned IPL franchise inks licensing deal to launch co-branded merchandise targeted at under-14 kids segment, which will be sold in 5,000 Reliance retail outlets.
(22 march 2012)

Max to spend Rs 100 mn on marketing IPL
The official broadcaster of the IPL has upped its marketing budget by 20% and will spend around Rs 100 mn; marketing campaign is themed ‘Aisa Mauka Aur Kahan Milega’.
(19 march 2012)

BMB India wins O-Six Travel & Hospitality biz
The JV between Madison World and Trevor Beattie's BMB wins the creative account; BMB India will roll out the campaign next week
(21 march 2012)

Growth drivers for digital advertising
There is huge potential in digital advertising that is dwarfed by print & b'casting at present; large youth population, 120 mn Internet & 50 mn mobile Internet users to drive growth.
(20 march 2012)

Dish TV promoters pledge 5.6% shares
Shares worth Rs 3.35 bn pledged with IDBI Trusteeship Services; Essel Corporate Resources, a promoter group company, pledges 60 mn shares, representing 5.63% stake.
(22 march 2012)

Old-fashioned in story and treatment
Zindagi Tere Naam is at least 30-year-old in its story and treatment; Chaurahen holds no appeal, direction is indulgent and there is nothing commercial about it. FILM REVIEW!
(16 march 2012)

'India is among our top 10 markets'
Interview with Discovery Networks International president, CEO Mark Hollinger