MUMBAI: JumpTV Inc., the global broadcaster of ethnic television over the internet, has signed exclusive internet-broadcast distribution agreements with four Indian television channels specialising in news, current events, politics and entertainment.

Hindi news channel India TV along with Malayalam television channels Kairali TV, People TV and Amrita TV have 'jumped' into the bandwagon now. Each channel will be priced at US$9.95 per month when launched commercially and at a later date will likely make up components of an Indian and/or South Asian bundle.

These new contracts that have been signed subsequent to the company's 30 June 2006 quarter end disclosure. JumpTV now has 209 channels under license, informs an official release.

President and chief executive officer of JumpTV International Kaleil Isaza Tuzman stated, "With more than 15 million people of Indian origin living outside of the sub-continent -- more than half of whom live in countries with high-broadband penetration such as the UK, the United States, Canada, the Netherlands and the UAE -- we believe there is a massive global market for these channels."

JumpTV's Asia-Pacific director Vinod Kumar adds, "We are pleased to add such valuable partners as India TV News, Kairali TV, People TV and Amrita TV to JumpTV's growing channel lineup. These channels add a new and diverse level of Indian programming to our strong roster of content which includes Sony Entertainment Television Asia, Punjab Today and Balle Balle, among others."

Early this June, JumpTV had entered into an exclusive agreement to begin offering Sony Entertainment Television Asia (SET Asia) in North America via internet.