Sagar Entertainment will be investing up to Rs 1.4 billion in expansion. It has also kicked off global vision with the signing of a US $ 4.16 million co-production deal with an Indonesia based company.
The Ramanand Sagar promoted Sagar Entertainment is planning an investment to the tune of Rs 1.40 billion for their expansion projects of setting up a film city at Baroda and also for their foray into the Internet related activities projects. Out of the Rs 1.4 billion investment outlay, the company is investing around Rs 400 million in a state-of-the-art film city in Baroda. The complex is expected to house around 10 studio floors, with the first studio being commissioned as early as June this year. The Sagar Baroda Film City will have an artificial lake, 14 permanent residential cottages and multitude of outdoor locations, not to mention hi-tech post production facilities. ‘‘The facilities are mainly designed to cater in-house for Sagar Entertainment, any surplus or additional capacity will also be available on hire,‘‘ said Jyoti Sagar of Sagar Entertainment.

With regard to the Internet related projects, the Sagars have planned an entertainment based portal, webcasting their programmed software to an already captive worldwide audience, that the group enjoys due to the global successes of its programmes like Ramayan and Shri Krishna. ‘‘Webstreaming would let users the world over download TV like video off the Internet and watch it in the comfort of their homes computers,‘‘ states Jyoti Sagar. ‘‘And though in its infancy stage in India, the technology will mushroom to allow streaming with full length features, all of which would be allowing for downloading with a fee,‘‘ he added. The portal will also utilise the merchandising route to generate revenues for all of their products. And playing a very integral role in fulfilling these global ambitions of the Sagars, would be their new marketing offices being opened up in Dubai, London and New York.

When asked Mr Sagar as to how the company was planning to raise the money for these projects, he refused to divulge any information and only said that talks were on with some financiers for the same. It is also know from sources that any route of financing could be adopted be it debt, equity or private placement. In another major development, the Sagars have also signed a CO-production deal worth around $4.16 million with Parkit Films Group of Companies for producing a 104 episode serial. ‘‘The serial is essentially a costume drama based on a Persian Classic, the serial is being produced with the International audience in mind and will be simultaneously telecast in India and Indonesia,‘‘ said Mr Sagar. ‘‘Reflecting the collaborative effort, the serial will boast of an Indonesian-Indian cast and crew, with locations in Bali, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma and India, adding to the international flavour.‘‘ Headed by Raam Punjabi, Parkit Films Group of Companies are amongst the largest film and TV production houses in Indonesia‘s, with their programming software being telecast on a multitude of channels within the Asian footprint.

Americom Asia-Pacific (AAP) last week announced the appointment of Elias B. Zaccack as Managing Director, based in Singapore, replacing Cynthia Dickins. Dickins who had been the face of Americom Asia for quite sometime now will be shifting to Bethseda, Maryland, USA following her promotion as Vice President, International Sales for GE Americom. Zaccack was earlier regional sales manager Asia PAcific for Scientific Atlanta.
AAP is a joint venture between GE American Communications (GE Americom), based in Princeton, NJ, and Lockheed Martin Global Telecommunications (LMGT), headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland. AAP‘s GE-1A, a Ku-band satellite will be launched and fully operational by the end of 2000. AAP currently has offices in Singapore, New Delhi, and Beijing.

Channel V has adapted a new strategy to lead the market (or is it for survival?). The earlier confused channel will now refocus itself and concentrate on more businesess including the Internet, radio and merchandising. The channel will make a foray in the radio arena through FM radio. It has not ruled out Internet radio as another platform.
The emptying coffers of the channel has forced it to restructure its activities and adapt an agressive marketing approach to lure advertisors. It has drawn a three-point revenue plan - "e-commerce, merchandising and syndication".

The channel will enter the merchandising business and is in talks with distributors for the same. It is in the process of designing ad campaigns for this business stream. The rival channel MTV has already finalised its merchandising plans.

[V] will not ignore the WWW. It‘s website www.vindia.com recently won the "Best Indian Website of the Year" award at the Abby 2000 awards ceremony. Abby 2000 is hosted by the Advertisers‘ Club of Mumbai. The youth channel will acquire portals and enter the broadband arena. It plans to an create online youth channel. It will also webcast tailor-made programmes specially for the Internet.

We just can‘t say another one bites the dust, for the new channel Sabe TV which belongs to Shri Adhikari Brothers Television Network which has been a household name for the television viewers for quite a long time. And it comes as no surprise that the production house decided to launch their own channel after producing more that 35 sitcoms for various channels. The brothers had a official launch meet for the announce the launch of their Rs 1.25 billion channel, Sabe TV, in their home town Ahmedabad.
The Shri Adhikari Brothers name tag will definitely be easy to sell considering the production house has churned our hits after hits on various channels and in many languages and has been doing it consistently for a long period of time. The launch of the channel, which will be beamed off the Asiasat-3, was also done in a very unique manner. The brothers roped in the lissome Karishma Kapoor, who announced in the launch party "Jab Dekho Sabe Dekho", to hand over goodies to cable operators, a strategy obviously intended at improving its relationship with the cable operators.

As far as the channels programming is concerned there is no doubt that the channel will definitely get some big hits for their own channel in the same way that they did for others. The channel has also roped in high profile producers like Sachin and Ravi Rai for production of popular serials.

Also the channel, to set itself apart from the rest of the channels, has announced that it will not have any films on air. Instead the channel is focusing exclusively on up to 30 original programmes from all genres. Sabe will also air few popular Shri Adhikari Brothers serials which are aired on other channels.

The Securuties and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has finally given the much awaited green signal to media, entertainment and telecom companies who had been demanding since a long time the 10 per cent Initial Public Offering (IPO) norm which was earlier enjoyed only by Infotech companies.
The board meeting held by Sebi decided on allowing knowledge based companies in the media, entertainment and telecom sector to offer a minimum 10 per cent shares to the public through IPOs. Earlier to this, the norm was a minimum 25 per cent IPO.

One condition, however, is added which says that minimum 2 million shares should be issued and the size of the public offering should be atleast Rs 500 million. This norm is to ensure enough floating stock in the market. Also 75 per cent revenues and profit of such companies should come from one of media, entertainment or telecom businessess.

MTV India has announced a new Director Communications. The former Good Relations (India) employee Charlotte Lester has replaced Hemant Kenkre. Charlotte will report directly to the MTV India Managing Director Alex Kuruvilla.
Hemant Kenkre has left the channel to pursue his cricketing passion and has joined the cricketing portal www.cricketnext.com as CEO.