Over 150 attendees from 67 organisations, including government, institutions, international corporations, Internet Service Providers and broadcasters attended the Delhi workshop on Digital Video Broadcasting and Internet Protocol.Dishnet DSL, a leading ISP and the first ISP in India to offer the DSL, broadband access, sponsored the workshop as an existing customer of PCM, along with other co-sponsors. Indiantelevision.com (this site) was the on-line partner for the eventSpeaking at the inaugural function, director engineering of Prasar Bharati Y Pratap highlighted the advantages of DVB and IP via satellite for broadcasters and telecommunications player. He said: "As IP via satellite can offer more bandwidth, the service offered can be many and the quality will also be of good quality".

During the same function, senior V-P sales and marketing of Pacific Century Matrix Loo Tong Mun said that the company intends to offer a global network that serves as a single resource for customers‘ worldwide requirements. According to Mun, there has been exponential growth in traffic over Internet and PCM, while exploiting the opportunities, will develop beyond Internet access to a caching and multicasting and content distribution facilitator.

Focussing on the advantages of satellite for IP, Mun said that it makes the whole process "distance insensitive" while being reliable and scalable mechanism for delivery.

Other speakers during the inaugural function included RRN Prasad of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Amitabh Singhal, secretary of Internet Service Providers‘ Association of India and Guru Hariharan of Call Centers Association of India.

Hallmark Channel US has announced that one of television‘s most recognisable shows "M*A*S*H" - will helicopter on to the channel in September 2003. The series will be cable exclusive to Hallmark Channel.
All 255 episodes of the sitcom were acquired under the deal with Twentieth Television. Each of the 255 episodes has been digitally remastered, an official release informs. The deal also includes the two-and-a-half hour M*A*S*H finale, which is still the most watched telecast in television history.

Executive V-P, programming, David Kenin said: " This is a series that will continue to drive the growth of Hallmark Channel and can be utilised in multiple dayparts. During its 11-year run, ‘M*A*S*H‘ aired in six different time periods on five different nights, and left the network ranked as the No. 1 sitcom on television. "

For nine of its 11 seasons on broadcast television M*A*S*H was a top five sitcom. It has been nominated for or won 23 Emmy Awards, 16 Golden Globe Awards, four Humanitas Prizes and six People‘s Choice Awards the release states.

M*A*S*H influenced by the Robert Altman film was produced and distributed by Fox from its premiere on 17 September 1972 to its finale on 28 February 1983 the release states. Cast Members include Alan Alda, McLean Stevenson, Wayne Rogers Harry Morgan. Guest appearances during the 11-year run of "M*A*S*H include Richard Gere, Brian Dennehy and the Oscar winning director of ‘A Beautiful Mind‘ Ron Howard.

Hong Kong-based satellite broadband service provider Pacific Century Matrix (PCM) is looking at forging alliances through one or more partners to offer its product in the country.

At the Workshop on DVB and Internet Protocol which took place in Delhi, PCM‘s India head Sandeep Bhargava told indiantelevision.com today that it was looking at increasing its customer-base in India.

Bhargava disclosed that the current list of customers of the company includes Internet Service Providers and even some broadcasters. He however added: "But I cannot tell you the names now as it is a competitive business and we are in the process of establishing a full-fledged operation in India."

The company founded in 1999, is a joint venture between Richard Li-promoted Pacific Century Group and European Aeronautics Defence & Space Company (EADS). The joint venture is a facility-based telecommunications services operator offering DVB/IP broadcasting services for TV broadcasters, a range of one-way and interactive broadband data delivery and network management end-to-end solutions for multimedia business, content and service providers.