Zee Interactive Learining Systems has announced two tie ups involving the Bombay Stock Exchange and Electronic Data Systems.

ZILS claims to have invested Rs. 500 million in its business and aims at injecting another 500 million over the next two years.

Reports state that this year the company expects revenues of Rs. 450 million. By 2005-2006 the company is looking at business of Rs. 5 billion. ZILS is aiming to grab at least 15 percent of the e-learning market in the next few years indicate reports. ZILS considers its arch rival to be Tata Infotech with both companies looking at a 25 percent market share.

One of ZILS‘s new ventures involves Bombay Stock Exchange Derivatives launching BSE‘s certification on Derivatives Exchange (BCDE) web based On-Line Test at 50 Zed Career Academies of across India. The test has been approved by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

An official release informs that this test will benefit capital markets professionals involved in the derivatives trading such as brokers, sub-brokers, dealers and salespersons in derivatives, mutual funds, foreign institutional investors. The facility will enable the market participants to comply with the SEBI guidelines. As per the guidelines at least two people should be certified in the institutions dealing with trading in derivatives.

Speaking on the joint venture with BSE CEO ZILS Dilip Mahapatra said, " The scope of this partnership is immense, as SEBI has made it mandatory for all brokers, sub-brokers, FIIs, Derivative Dealers, Mutual Funds and all other institutions trading in derivatives to have at least two professionals certified in Derivatives".

Candidates who wish to take the fortnightly test can register themselves at the nearest Zed CA centre. The list of centres for registration is available on www.zcaonline.com the release states. Certificates will be issued by BSE Training Institute to students who have successfully completed the test.

Participants can take a demo test before the actual test. They will be given an analysis of their performance through a graphic display. The ZILS test engine known as LITMUS, also offers administrators the flexibility to set the parameters like random or sequential generation of questions, single or multiple-choice selection of answers. It also helps to program the logic of the test including the difficulty levels of the questions.

In a related developement ZILS also announced that it would provide back end support to Electronic Data Systems. EDS claims to be a $21.5 billion US based IT services company. ZILS will create content as well as customise it for EDS.

According to Dilip Mahapatra the contract is time bound contract with a revenue sharing arrangement. The alliance with EDS is part of ZILS‘s endeavour to create a space for itself in e-learning by setting up the infrastructure to deliver, manage and access content. .

The government has permitted 13 companies to set up 14 uplinking hubs and teleports in the country. It has liberalised the uplinking policy to permit private companies incorporated in India with permissible foreign/NRI/OCB equity to set up uplinking hubs for leasing or hiring out their facilities to the broadcasters, the United News of India has reported.
All television channels, irrespective of their ownership, including equity structure or management control, have been permitted to uplink from India provided they undertake to comply with the broadcasting (programme and advertising) codes laid down by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry.

The thirteen companies permitted to set up uplinking hubs in the country are Essel Shyam, Sun TV, Television Eighteen, TV Today Network, Jain Studio, Raj TV Network, Entertainment TV Network, Hyderabad based Ushodaya Enterprises, Bangalore based Technology Media Group, Intelvision, Asianet Communications, Digital Broadcast India and Sahara Sanchar.

The move follows finance minister Yashwant Sinha‘s budget announcement that customs duties on earth stations has been reduced from 35 per cent to 25 per cent. Specifically referring to the duty reduction on earth stations, Sinha in his budget speech had said this was keeping in mind India‘s potential to become the uplinking hub for South Asian countries.

Numero uno Hindi entertainment channel Star Plus has claimed an all time high prime time channel share of 24, as per market research agency AC Nielsen‘s latest TAM data.
Leading the way is Star Plus‘ newly reworked top soap Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, whose 20-year leap has successfully raked in ratings, from 10.5 (before relaunch) to 13.1 (week 88), a channel release claims.

The growth registered citywise is Mumbai (22%), Kolkata (18%) & Delhi (14%) over the previous week.

The week day prime time (Mon-Fri, 8-10 pm) zooms to 71 per cent riding on the strong performances of the 9 pm shows, the release states.

The release further says that rival Sony Entertainment Television‘s top shows Kkusum and Kutumb have registered a 13 per cent drop in TRP by 13% in the week. Zee shows, does not figure in the top 50 at all.

The data is for the week 3-9 March and covered nine cities - Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Kanpur, Ahmedabad, Chennai and Kochi.