It all seems to be happening on the news channel front. The latest on this is that global news channel CNN International, whose parent company is AOL Time Warner, is reported to be seriously looking at launching an India-specific channel in the not-too distant future.
This was revealed to indiantelevision.com this evening by a senior executive of CNN Asia Pacific. The channel executive said CNN may either go solo or in partnership.

CNN has in the recent past reportedly been in talks with the Prannoy Roy-led NDTV to start an Indian service, but apparently the two have decided not tie the nuptial knot and have decided to go their own ways. NDTV is currently going through its own pending divorce pangs with Star India, which has decided to set up its own infrastructure and news channel under Ravina Raj Kohli.

CNN had earlier been in serious talks with the leading Indian news network, the Living Media-run Aaj Tak. Industry sources say CNN and Aaj Tak had wooed each other for a while, and a pre-nuptial agreement had almost been signed, but differences on certain issues resulted in the arrangement falling flat.

With the two potential matches not turning out right and the woes of its own parent AOL Time Warner globally, the news was that CNN had put its India news channel marriage and conception plans on hold. But now with the CNN Asia Pacific exec saying that the US news network is still hungering after an India foray, the action in the news business is likely to hot up further.

Speculation that the broadcast of Formula 1 racing in Asia on Star Sports was in question can now be laid to rest with the sportscaster‘s assurance that coverage will continue till the end of the season.

The speculation had been fuelled due to reports of financial difficulties faced by the distributor of the programming in Asia.

ESPN STAR Sports Managing Director, Rik Dovey says there will be no break in telecast even in China and that the channel has secured rights to the event till 2005. One of the markets affected by the failed F1 broadcast deals is China, according to an ESPN Star Sports (ESS)commissioned survey, wherein F1 was ranked the fourth most popular television sport particularly with Beijing males. Overall, during the last season of the F1, viewership of the races on STAR Sports saw a 13 per cent rise in North and Southeast Asia over the previous season, says a company release.

F1 action will continue to be broadcast live each fortnight on STAR Sports Asia, STAR Sports India, STAR Sports Taiwan and STAR Sports Southeast Asia, the release says. Preview show RaceDay starts off STAR Sports‘ coverage with a look at the race ahead, predictions, scenarios and past performances and how those are likely to develop in the day‘s race. This is followed by live broadcast of the race before Chequered Flag gets airtime for a recap including highlights, analysis, rankings and results, the post-race press conference and the awarding ceremony.

The LA Convention Center will be the playground of the global television industry‘s best known names , for four days from 26 June.
The Promax&BDA global conference in Los Angeles next week will feature Jamie Kellner, one of the most powerful players in world television, as the opening keynote speaker. Kellner, founder of the Fox Network and the WB Television Network is now chairman and CEO of Turner Broadcasting System Inc, heading domestic and international networks such as TBS Superstation, TNT, The WB Network, Cartoon Network, Turner Classic Movies, Turner South and many more, including the CNN News Group.

NBC‘s entertainment president Jeff Zucker - the man behind Fear Factor, The Weakest Link and supersized episodes of TV‘s top comedies, will be on the opening day panel along wtih Mindshare North America‘s national broadcasting president Marc Goldstein and Endeavour founding partner Ari Emanuel. Other sessions will have branding and design specialist Lee Hunt scouring the TV globe to bring the best from the cable, broadband and satellite universe. The 24th annual BDA awards will be given away for the coolest creations for the screen on 27 June, while the Promax awards the following evening will feature prime examples of promotion and marketing excellence in the media industry. Key players from the world‘s advertising community will be on hand at the four day show to demonstrate how creative partnerships can boost ratings and revenue.

PROMAX&BDA are among the world‘s foremost organizations working on behalf of those involved in the promotion, marketing, and design of all electronic media and represent more than 4,200 member companies and individuals in over 60 countries.

Ek Mahal Ho Sapano Ka, the precursor to the tide of saas-bahu sagas that swept Indian television in the last two years, has just crossed the 900 episode milestone on Sony.
A product from the Shobhna Desai Productions stable, the original nightly soap that follows the happinesses and tragedies of a Gujarati joint family, Ek Mahal... claims to be the longest running soap on Indian satellite television. It still has some way to go though if it wants to catch up with the Marathi series Damini which completed 1,000 episodes on DD Sahyadri on 16 May.

Produced by Shobhna Desai, directed by Vipul Shah and scripted by Aatish Kapadia, Ek Mahal... is a bilingual serial, the Gujarati version - Sapana Na Vavetar - ran on DD Gujarati.

Ek Mahal... started its run on Sony in 1998, according to an official release. The serial, claims the release, commands a wide Indian audience in the UK and USA andhas been a launch pad for more than 200 Gujarati theatre artists thus far.