Could this happen in India? Wouldn‘t our big broadcasters just wish it were so. The heavyweight showdown between reigning heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis and former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson on Saturday night (Sunday morning in India) registered a massive 1.8 million pay-per-view buys in the US. The telecast generated $103 million of pay-per-view revenue, the highest-grossing pay-per-view event in history.
The 1.8 million buys represents the highest figure for a heavyweight pay-per-view prizefight since 1997. In fact, it is the first prizefight to do more than one million buys since 1999, when two fights surpassed the one million-buy mark. The buys consisted of 1.2 million buys from cable systems and 600,000 from satellite homes throughout the US.

Lewis, a three-time heavyweight champion, retained his title by scoring a dominating 8th round knockout victory. The event was presented by Budweiser and promoted by Lion Promotions, Main Events and Fight Night, Inc. in association with Prize Fight Promotions, LLC.

The showdown was co-produced and co-distributed by SHOWTIME and HBO. In India the fight aired live on Sunday morning on Star Movies.

After celebrating business excellence through awards and featuring seasoned veterans of the business world, CNBC India now targets the whiz kids who are making it big in corporate India.

A new show called Young Turks goes on air on the business channel tonight. The series, a half-hour weekly show, will analyse the factors contributing to the success of the corporate climbers. It will celebrate the achievements of a whole new business generation and the culture of change that is being represented by them, says the channel.

Every week, the serial will profile two personalities, either young managers in highly influential positions in Indian corporates, or young entrepreneurs who have successfully implemented their ideas in real life.

The show airs on Tuesdays at 8:30 pm with repeat telecasts on Saturdays at 8:30 pm and Sundays at 7:30 pm.

The Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2002 may still be awaiting clearance by the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament), but the wheels are moving in other areas.
The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has issued a set of specifications as regards the analog set top box that is the cornerstone of the roll out of the proposed conditional access system.

This specifies the performance parameters for analog set top boxes to be used by subscribers for viewing pay channels through the cable distribution system.

The second part of the six-page report outlines the specifications for digital set tops.

The systems - both analog and digital - are primarily intended for sound and television signals operating between 30 MHz and 1 GHz.

On the issue of subscriber management systems, which is one that has particularly worried broadcasters, the document states: "Operators free to choose but it should ensure consumer interest by efficient responsive and accurate billing and collection. At the same time an arrangement must be made between the broadcaster and the cable operator for access to the relevant data relating to the respective channels for billing purposes."

As far as general requirements go it is stated that: "It should be mandatory for the manufacturer / operator / service provider to declare to the subscriber the capability of the set top box and its inter-operability on other networks so that the subscriber is under no illusion whatsoever regarding the same. The manufacturer should ensure that compatibility / interfacing of set top box with standard consumer electronic goods such as television audio systems and VCRs in the country."

The BIS notification states that all the standards are subject to revision and invites comments on the issue on or before 15 June.

Click here for link to full draft of the set top box specifications put up on the Bureau of Indian Standards website.