The rise of Internet radio has been recognised in the creation of a new category in the Sony Radio Awards.

The Internet Programme Award will be for streamed, podcast and downloaded programmes.

It has attracted a strong entry from new players in the industry with Times Online, 4Radio, VIPonAIR.com, firinsquad.co.uk and baddielandskinner.com included as nominees.

The growing diversity and popularity of digital output has also been reflected in the nominations for Digital Terrestrial Station of the Year. (more…)

Associated Newspapers, the Daily Mail’s publishers, have formed a joint venture with the Delhi-based India Today group to launch a daily newspaper in India.

Kevin Beatty, managing director of Associated, described it as “a momentous occasion”. The title of the paper, described as a “blue-blooded tabloid… on the lines of Daily Mail”, has yet to be decided.

The India Today group publishes a clutch of magazines, and has TV and book publishing interests.

UTV has announced the launch of its latest business venture UTV Palador - a 360-degree initiative in world cinema under the brand name of ‘Olive Collection’ that will have three verticals including a television channel, a DVD label and theatre presence.

The company will invest $15 million (Rs 700 million) for acquiring 1000 titles across 20 countries. “We will be investing this over 3 years. Our immediate funding requirement is $3.5 million,” says UTV CEO Ronnie Screwvala.

The non-Indian language movie segment is estimated to Rs 15 billion by 2009 and UTV Palador believes that World Cinema in their model could account for 20 per cent of that. (more…)

SET India Private Limited (SET India) have reached a multi-year agreement with Kunal Dasgupta to continue as Chief Executive Officer of the company. The announcement was made by Sony Pictures Television International President International Networks (SPTI) Andy Kaplan.

“Kunal joined SET India before the launch of Sony Entertainment Television in July 1995 and was one of its first employees,” said Kaplan.

“The commitment he has shown in growing our businesses in India is evident and we’re extremely pleased that he has agreed to remain as head of our channels in India. He has assembled a strong management team and we’re looking forward to much more success under Kunal’s leadership in the coming years,” he further added. (more…)

Show Time: Tomorrow at 7:00 pm on HBO

Genre: Action, Adventure

Duration: 1 hr 31 min

Starring: Tia Carrere and Kevin Sorbo.

By turns exciting and comic, this non-stop fantasy action movie stars the barbarian Kull, who finds himself the new ruler of the land of Valusia.

Immediately after that, his problems begin. Evil and corrupt noble relatives bring the sorceress and seductress Akivasha back to life.

Tricking Kull into marriage, she unleashes the demonic forces of evil upon his new kingdom, and Kull is forced to embark upon a perilous quest for the only weapon powerful enough to destroy them - the Breath of Valka.

It is rumoured that he may be the opening act in the prestigious annual film awards show organised by India’s satellite broadcasting network Zee Network.

Salman, whose film career started in 1988, has acted in more than 60 films to date, including blockbusters Hum Apke Hain Koun…! (1994) and Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). His latest movie Salaam-e-Ishq was released recently.

Other Bollywood stars slated to perform for the night include Preity Zinta and Priyanka Chopra, and engaged couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. (more…)

The British Broadcasting Corporation has been given downlinking permission to telecast two new channels – one focusing on entertainment and the other devoted to children.

The downlinking permission has been accorded by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry subject to the Downlinking Guidelines of 2005 to BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of Britain ’s public broadcaster.

A ministry official said technical formalities will take about a couple of months. BBC has a wholly-owned subsidiary in India, BBC World India Pvt Ltd.

Doordarshan is planning to launch two channels on the United Kingdom’s Sky satellite platform next month.

The two DD channels going on the Sky platform are its international DD India, which is an entertainment channel showcasing dramas, game shows, Bollywood movies, chat shows, sport and health programming,
and DD News, which will be beamed round-the-clock with an Indian and Asian focus.

Both channels will appear in the Asian area of the EPG, and will be launched on 16 April.

After Indian Idol 2, Airtel has joined hands with Sony Entertainment Television once again bring to its customers an opportunity to participate in the third season of the musical talent hunt.

To participate, Airtel mobile and fixed line customers can call and register for an audition for Indian Idol for which registrations open from 23 March and closes on 29 March 29.

Each registration by an Airtel customer will be screened by the team at Sony Entertainment Television. The ones selected randomly will be called for an audition in Mumbai on 4 April and the selection will be conducted at the discretion of the television network, informs an official release. (more…)

In an attempt to ramp up activity on the channel, Star Plus has lined up a two day primetime programming treat for its viewers with an extended episode that will combine its biggest ratings drivers Kahaani…, Kyunki…. and Kayamath on 26 and 27 March from 10 pm - 11.30 pm.

Star India general manager - content and marketing Harsh Rohatgi says it will create a “visual spectacle,” for which the channel is hoping to rake in its “infrequent and lapsed viewers onto the show” as the plots for the three stories will converge into one grand episode.

A refreshed programming initiative is primarily executed to create and retain the buzz on the channel, adds Rohatgi. (more…)