Avinash IPS will have new parents from this week.
Star Plus‘ supercop, just six weeks old, has been snatched from Miditech and handed over to UTV for rearing. Industry sources say Star was none too happy with the way the plainclothes policeman, who hasn‘t yet set the ratings charts on fire, was being brought up by Miditech. UTV, on the other hand, has ambitious plans for the adopted baby.UTV associate creative director Neeraj Naik feels viewers have thus far not been able to interpret Avinash as a supercop, which he was meant to be. The first task of the UTV team then has been to define Avinash‘s role as a supercop, making him faster on his feet, quicker on the uptake, and consequently more pro-active. "He is being moulded such that he will be able to outwit the antagonist ( who, incidentally, will also be smarter and cannier) on a psychological as well as a physical level," says Naik.

Naik says the re-worked Avinash is indigenously built, with plenty of involvement from the channel as well. The difficulties of working on a project earlier handled by another production house have been diminished as Avinash IPS is shot more on a location specific rather than a set specific basis. While most of the cast remain the same ("We will have to work around Sachin‘s ( Sachin Khurana, who plays Avinash) potential" maintains Naik) a new character in the form of Inspector Deshmukh has been added to the script, which is being handled by Abhigyan. Deshmukh, says Naik, has been styled as a colleague in the police department who lives life by the book, and is a mite envious of Avinash too. The first episode to be handled by UTV is directed by Zaighum Ali. Previously, too, Avinash has had different directors for different episodes.

Avinash IPS had made its debut in the 11 pm slot on 31 May, replacing the year old Kahaani Jurm Ki, also a Miditech production. Avinash was conceived as a fearless IPS officer who takes on the world of crime with his sharp mind and matching bravery. The sixth episode, telecast last Friday, was the last directed by Miditech. UTV, that has taken over, also has the Damocles sword of ratings hanging over it if it hopes to rear Avinash to manhood.

BBCi has announced that aspiring writers can apply to become a part of a six member team that will create Cleaners, a sitcom to be developed exclusively over the internet, through BBCi.
An official release says that for the first time the whole process - from the initial plot outline to the final draft - will be available for public viewing. The format has been developed by the BBC‘s television comedy development unit and the storyline will rotate around a group of late-night office cleaners.
The six writers selected will work at a virtual writers‘ table, viewable by everyone but accessible only to the writers. As the writers discuss characterisations, storylines and make decisions on their individual roles within the group, BBCi users can log on to www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom and tune in to the conversations.

Users can even be part of the process by adding their comments and ideas and on a weekly basis chat with one of the writers. The release states that the British broadcaster views the initiative as an opportunity to see something evolve as well as providing educational value and an insight into how an idea is turned into a fully fledged project.

Under the guidance of the BBC development staff, the writers will produce an episode of Cleaners, which when completed, will be read out and streamed via BBCi by actors, therefore completing the process. The successful writers will be announced on 2 August and the scheme is due to end in mid-November.

BBCi is the name for the BBC‘s interactive services working across the web, digital television and hand held mobile devices, providing a single signpost and easier way of getting to the BBC‘s great information, entertainment and education services.

Arianespace has successfully launched two communications satellites: Stellat 5, built by Alcatel Space for the new Stellat joint venture; and N-STAR c, produced by American manufacturers Orbital Sciences Corporation and Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems for Japanese telecom giant NTT DoCoMo. Both satellites were launched last Friday within minutes of each other.

Flight 153, which carried the ninth and tenth payloads carried by Arianespace this year, was the ninth commercial launch of the Ariane 5 launcher. Arianespace has signed up eight new payloads so far this year. Flight 153 was performed by an Ariane 5 launched from Europe‘s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Built by Alenia Spazio, this satellite will be optimised to provide broadcast services, telecommunications and IP based networks. With a mass at lift-off of about 2 700 kg, it will provide 24 active Ku-band transponders with coverage over Europe and the Eastern coast of the Americas. The satellite will have an operating lifetime of about 15 years.