The British Broadcasting Corporation has announced that it will launch a new, wholly-owned commercial subsidiary, BBC Broadcast Ltd. It will begin trading on 2 April 2002.
The new company will emerge from the current Broadcasting & Presentation (B&P) operation in BBC Television, according to an official release. The aim of the new arm is to bring a broad range of channel creation and management services under a single management team. BBC Broadcast is to be headed by current director of B&P Pam Masters, who will take over as managing director of the new subsidiary.

BBC Broadcast‘s functions cover management, promotion and play-out of content across all platforms including TV, radio and the internet. The company?s remit will also include the creation and execution of branding, cross-media promotional campaigns, subtitling and other disability access services. It will offer a comprehensive range of play-out and channel management services that can be tailored to broadcasters? requirements.

Key services include: new channel launches, play-out and channel management; channel branding, promotion and packaging; and access services encompassing subtitling, audio description and sign language. BBC Broadcast currently provides services for 17 public service and commercial television channels, 5 national radio networks, 39 local radio stations and BBCi.

Approval for the venture was granted by the British secretary of state for culture, media and sport, Tessa Jowell. Director Roger Flynn says: "This approval means the BBC can press ahead with trying to increase commercial revenues as part of the ?1.1bn savings and efficiencies target the Government set us when the licence fee was reviewed two years ago."

Varied renditions of the National Anthem will feature on all television channels in the country on Republic Day as the country gears to celebrate its 52nd Republic Day tomorrow.
The initiative is the brainchild of BharatBala Productions, and is backed by the Confederation of Indian Industry. The producers have got celebrated vocalists like Lata Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Pt Bhimsen Joshi, Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, DK Pattamal and Jagjit Singh to sing Jana Gana Mana for the small screen. The music for the project has been arranged by AR Rahman and the films have been directed by Bala and Kanika. The duo of Lata and Asha are scheduled to make their appearance together in a common rendition.

Each film has the artists singing the Anthem in their own style, according to a release, giving music buffs a chance to see the subtle variations that the musicians bring to the Anthem. These exclusive films will be telecast throughout the day tomorrow on all TV channels including Star News, Aaj Tak, Set Max, Doordarshan, Doordarshan Metro, DD International, DD Sports and all DD regional Kendras, Channel V, B4U Music & Movies, Universal, MTV, etc, Sahara, Sabe TV, Asianet, Eenadu TV, Raj TV, Sun TV, the Zee channels and Jaya TV & Vijay TV.

BharatBala Productions are veterans in the television field and have created several televison commercials. Their recent efforts include films such as Maa Tujhe Salaam-Vande Mataram, Vande Mataram 2 and Desh ka Salaam.

BharatBala Productions have also made a documentary titled, Gurus of Peace which involved filming peace laureates like Nelson Mandela, the Dalai Lama; Mikhail Gorbachev; Yasser Arafat; Shimon Peres and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.