The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC) is set to impose the 10.2% service tax on sale of cyber space by websites to advertisers. The move follows a recent ruling by the Authority for Advance Ruling that Google Online India Pvt Ltd, the Indian arm of the US-based search engine, is liable to pay service tax while selling space on the Net.

Though the authority is a quasi judicial agency and its ruling is merely binding on the party concerned, revenue department sources said the CBEC now planned to make the authority’s opinion a norm and tax all cyber space sale by websites to advertisers. The turnover of the online advertisement industry in India is estimated to grow over 50% to Rs 162 crore in 2005-06. This is, however, just about 2% of the size of the total advertisement pie.

Alok Kejriwal, CEO, contests2win, said, the move would bring in a level-playing field. “Because of the difference in service tax implications earlier, some online publishers would seem less expensive if bought directly rather than being routed though a full media services agency,” he said.

More: financialexpress.com

Malaysia will start its trial programme for digital television in September with an initial funding of RM75 million to pave the way for the national digitalisation drive in broadcasting.

The trial programme will be led by Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).

Deputy Information Minister Datuk Donald Lim said the allocation would allow RTM to buy digital equipment for its transmission centre as well as the digital TV transmitter system.

With the installation of the digital transmission system, RTM would be able to provide digital TV broadcast for households in the Klang Valley, he told Bernama in an interview at Angkasapuri, here.

More: bernama.com.my

Non-availability of live commentary of the India-Pakistan cricket series on the All India Radio (AIR) has left both public broadcaster and advertisers in bad taste, but according to industry sources a financial arrangement between Dubai-based ARY Digital (radio rights holder) and Prasar Bharati was possible provided both had been more realistic.

As per Prasar Bharati’s communication, ARY had initially asked for $2,50,000 for live broadcast of three Tests and five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) on AIR. Subsequently, ARY brought it down to $2,00,000. But Prasar Bharati’s offer to ARY was $80,000 and because of the big difference in price, the deal could not go through.

However, the industry sources tell a different tale. According to them ARY was looking to bring down the prices by 30-35% to reach a mutually convenient figure so that AIR would have managed to recover a bulk of its money through advertising.

More: financialexpress.com

Global hospitality chain Marriott Group of Hotels introduced its bedding package that has ‘Revive’. The collection will be introduced across 2400 Marriott hotels worldwide and in India.

According to an official release, the collection includes plusher mattresses, softer sheets, more pillows and a new, fresh, white look. The transformation is part of Marriott’s global bedding initiative which will utilize over 30 million yards of fabric enough to stretch more than two thirds of the way around the world. By year end, the company expects that 628,000 beds at approximately 2,400 hotels worldwide, across hotels worldwide, across eight brands, will have the new look and feel.

To spice up the occasion, Marriott also launched a Revive Calendar for 2006 which has 14 celebrities including Sharmila Tagore, Soha Ali Khan, Dj Aqueel, Yuvraj Singh, Shilpa Shetty, Malaika Arora Khan and Amrita Arora.

More: indiantelevision.com

Hero Honda Motors Ltd., which recently retained its World No 1 two-wheeler manufacturer position for the fifth consecutive year, made a clean sweep of the “NDTV Profit Car & Bike Awards 2006″, winning top awards in the two-wheeler category.

While Hero Honda was adjudged the ‘Bike Maker of the Year’, “Achiever” the new 150-cc offering from the company was adjudged the “Bike of the Year” at a glittering ceremony held here last evening.

The jury comprising eminent motor experts, writers and automobile enthusiasts adjudged Hero Honda’s Glamour as the ‘Bike of the Year’ in up to 125 cc category. ‘Bike of the Year upto 150 cc’ went to Hero Honda’s Achiever, the company’s latest addition in its vast portfolio of products.

The most coveted amongst these awards was the ‘NDTV viewers’ choice award in the bike category’ that was awarded to Hero Honda “Glamour”. This award truly exemplifies the customers’ enduring trust and faith in the company.

More: indiantelevision.com

Nexage Inc., a Washington-based wireless software and services company, has launched PhoneCast, an end-to-end mobile video solution for wireless carriers, content providers and media companies.

PhoneCast helps customers to watch live TV, live events and sportscasts, and video on demand content on their mobile phones globally. PhoneCast MVS is a production and distribution Studio for Mobile Channel, allowing companies to broadcast their existing live channels or build their own unique TV channel, and is 3GPP / 3GPP2 and Window Media standards compliant.

PhoneCast reduces the complexity involved in ingestion, management, publication and distribution of video content, including streaming, thus offering media companies and content providers to offer TV programming and mobile video services directly to mobile users, states an official release.

More: indiantelevision.com

Years and years of toil, perseverance and faith and finally things are paying off!

That was the sentiment shared as Hanuman Director V G Samant, Toonboom CEO Joan Vogelsang and Color Chips Chairman Sudhish Rambhotla met at a special function organized by Toonboom Animation Inc to honor special contribution to the development of the Indian animation industry.

The brief ceremony which honored Samant and Rambhotla was held at the Taj Residency at Hyderabad. Rahul Commerce head Dhiren Shah was also presented with the Toonboom trophy.

“Hanuman creator VG Samant was the first person that Toonboom worked with in India” said Joan as she presented Samant with the trophy, adding that ” He had tremendous vision and thought ahead of his time which is why he took on our software Tic Tac Toon, which was the first complete paperless software for animation”

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For a variety of reasons, 2005 will be remembered as a landmark year in Indian animation, chief amongst them being Hanuman. The Indian Box Office success of the Silvertoons created, Sahara Percept produced 2D feature Hanuman has made the monkey God a torch bearer for all those following the original content path in the Indian animation industry.

2005 will also be remembered for Crest announcing 3 feature films through its wholly owned US subsidiary Rich Crest and for the complete ’script to screen’ work that Paprikaas animation sudios did for the 90 minute 3D animated Italian feature
X Ed Lo.

remembered for Crest announcing 3 feature films through its wholly owned US subsidiary Rich Crest and for the complete ’script to screen’ work that Paprikaas animation studios did for the 90 minute 3D animated Italian feature X Ed Lo.

More: indiantelevision.com

Speed is a characteristic that Indian game studios have always displayed, be it in getting profitable or be it in getting the right kind of positioning. Displaying that same swiftness, and also solidarity, India’s leading game developers today announced the formation of iGITA (Indian Games Industry and Trade Association) at NASSCOM Animation and Gaming India 2006.

The founding members of this association include Dhruva Interactive, Electronic Arts, Hungama, Indiagames, Mauj, Microsoft India (Entertainment & Devices Division), Mobile2Win, Paradox Studios, Small Device and Tinfo Mobile. The members are scheduled to meet next week to create a committee and elect officers.

Speaking to Animation ‘xpress, M2W CEO Rajiv Hiranandani stated,” iGITA will be focused on creating a platform for interaction and collaboration between international as well as local gaming companies and associations. It will also play a vital role in encouraging investments in the Indian gaming market and in making vital recommendations that impact policy initiatives to stimulate growth in this arena”

More: indiantelevision.com

Overwhelmed audiences gasping in awe, cinema halls across the globe reverberating with the mighty Aslan’s roar, worldwide box Office collections at $530 million in 5 weeks!

A faithful adaptation of C S Lewis’ masterpiece, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe directed by Andrew Adamson and produced by Walt Disney Pictures & Walden Media is as expected, taking a lion’s share of Box Office collections worldwide. The blockbuster distributed by Columbia Tristar (India) roars into Indian Cinema halls on Republic Day.

The movie is a marvellous mixture of moving human performances, cutting-edge, photo-realistic techniques in CGI animation and animatonics and prosthetic make up. The CG and animation effort was lead by Rhythm & Hues Studios with overflow tasks handled by Sony Imageworks and Industrial Lights and Magic while the animatronics, prosthetics and make up effects were done by Weta Workshop and K.N.B EFX.

From the Indian VFX perspective the icing on the cake, rather quite a good part of the cake itself is the role that Rhythm & Hues India has played in the making of this CG extravaganza.

More: indiantelevision.com