Into its second year, this reality series, hosted by Zoom anchor Pooja Sharma, will give viewers a peek into the rigorous grooming sessions that the contestants have with celebrity experts including Hemant Trivedi, Dabboo Ratnani, Deanne Pandey, Dr. Jamuna Pai, Sandip Soparrkar, Pooja Makhija, Bharat and Dorris Godambe, besides featuring sessions where the former winners share their experiences with the contestants.

The series will show the contestants share their thoughts, experiences, aspirations of becoming Miss India and reveal the gradual transition in the personality and attitude of the contestants during the course of their training period, informs an official release.

This year’s competition has introduced a number of new award categories to find the most talented contestants such as ‘Miss Zoom TV Personality’ to the contestant with great looks, presence and the wit that will make her Zoom’s discovery of the year. (more…)

After years of uncertainty, India’s state-owned television network Doordarshan will begin broadcasting two free-to-air channels here with the idea of bringing “the essence of India to Great Britain” from April 16.

According to the Rayat Group, the private company in charge of the channels’ distribution here, the two channels, DD India and DD News, will start broadcasting 24 hours a day from April 16. The content will be mostly in Hindi.

The launch of the channels is expected to provide a base for further expansion into Europe. Doordarshan will be the latest channel targeting the Asian/Indian diaspora in Britain. The current channels bouquet includes STAR TV, Zee, Sony, NDTV, and others produced and distributed from within Britain, such as MATV and Raj TV. (more…)

AFTER the Indian cricket team’s ouster from the ICC World Cup 2007, the worst fears of advertisers and media agencies have come true. According to latest numbers released by the TV audience measurement firm Audience Measurement and Analytics Ltd (aMap), television viewership of World Cup matches has been shaved off by over 50% since India’s exit.

aMap’s data reveals that gross rating points (GRPs) of the matches have plunged to 13.89 from a GRP levels in excess of 40 during India matches. For instance, the GRP of the Australia vs South Africa (March 24) fixture, which was the first game after India’s exit, was 22.98. GRP for Tuesday’s West Indies vs Australia game (March 27) crashed further to 13.89.

Compare these numbers with the GRPs of matches where India played. India’s first match with Bangladesh delivered a GRP of 46.67. The game against Bermuda delivered a GRP of 40.75, while the ratings shot to 54.53 for the crucial match with Sri Lanka. The GRP for the World Cup opener between West Indies and Pakistan (March 13) was also a modest 36.83. aMap’s GRP figures for the first half of the matches also showed similar trend. (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…)

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…)

Non-availability of adequate manpower has resulted in 53 Doordarshan transmitters out of a total of 1,398 only relaying partial transmission.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi told the Lok Sabha today that the staff has not been sanctioned for operation and maintenance of a large number of Doordarshan stations and these have been operationalized with limited staff by way of redeployment.

Replying to questions, he said Doordarshan has 64 studio centres and 1,398 transmitters while All India Radio has 225 stations comprising 361 transmitters all over the country. (more…)

Nimbus had entered into a deal with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in February 2006 for the telecast rights to all matches featuring the Indian team till March 2010.

Many Indian fans, however, were not able to watch India’s series against the West Indies and Sri Lanka earlier this year and following their demands, the government brought out the ordinance asking the sports channel to share its telecast with the Prasar Bharati, which controls Doordarshan (DD) and All India Radio (AIR), albeit with a seven-minute delay.

The channel has pointed out that the arrangement is eating into its revenues as the Doordarshan’s footprint also includes places outside India. (more…)