Indian Space Research Organisation (Isro) and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) have cleared the decks for increased cooperation.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed yesterday envisages cooperation between the two Space Agencies in the peaceful uses of outer space and is expected to open up an enduring relationship between the two countries in studies related to satellite communications, operation of satellite ground operations and satellite mission management. The MoU also covers the areas of space based remote sensing, meteorology applications, use of sounding rockets, balloons and ground based facilities for space research and applications of space technology.

The agreement will also enable exchange of technical and scientific personnel to participate in studies and joint working groups to examine specific uses, according to the Indian space agency.

The MoU was signed yesterday by Isro chairman Dr K Kasturirangan and Dr Mucio Roberto Dias, president, AEB. Minister of state (space), Vasundhara Raje and Brazilian minister for science and technology Ronaldo Mota Sardenberg, were present on the occasion.

Doordarshan Mumbai‘s inhouse music-n-dance show Tak Dhina Dhin will soon reach an unsurpassed milestone of completing 250 episodes among the state broadcaster‘s programmes

The landmark achievement was celebrated in a unique manner at the YB Chavan Centre on Wednesday. Renowned singer Lata Mangeshkar was present as chief guest at the function, which also boasted several noted vocalists presenting compositions rendered originally by Lata. The event produced by Nina Raut was a long drawn out three hour affair which was attended by a select audience of over three hundred invitees who sat spellbound though the show, compered jointly by Adesh Bandekar and Vrinda Haire.

The highlight of the evening was when Lata, along with five renowned Marathi personalities from the world of music - Datta Daojekar, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Srinivas Khale, Mangesh Padgaonkar and Snehal Bhatkar were felicitated on the occasion.

The event will be telecast in the form of six half hour episodes, the first of which will coincide with the 250th episode of Tak Dhina Dhin. The show, according to DD officials, was the winner of the best TV show award at the Doordarshan awards ceremony held in December 2001. This unique programme has been on air for the last five years.

Pritish Nandy Communications Ltd will soon be Pritish Nandy Entertainment.

This was decided at a board meeting held yesterday. The purpose of the name change is to reflect the corporatisation of the business, an official release states. The company will however continue to use the current title Pritish Nandy Communications in all its content products and other projects.

The board also appointed Satyajit Mitra, attorney at law as director as well as member of the audit committee in place of film producer Yash Johar, who resigned from the directorship of the company.

MTV Networks is expanding its suite of channels available for digital distribution in America. Four new 24-hour channels for kids and music fans, including MTV Hits, MTV Jams, Nicktoons TV and VH1 Mega Hits will go on air shortly.
The aim, says MTV, is to expand and strengthen MTV Networks‘ digital offerings to 13 services. Cablevision is the first operator to sign on for services from the new package, says an official release, and will soon add MTV Hits and Nicktoons TV to their iO: Interactive Optimum digital service line-up.

MTV Networks chairman Tom Freston says: "Each of these channels was created in response to our audience‘s tastes and demands. We believe these new channels will help our affiliates as they continue to expand their digital business and help them grow their cable modem business."

MTVN‘s core digital services include VH1 Classic featuring the greatest music from the 60s, 70s and 80s with nearly 12 million subscribers. Noggin, the innovative, commercial free educational network from Nickelodeon and Sesame Workshop claims availability in over 22 million homes; and Nickelodeon Games and Sports (GAS) claims a subscriber base of 10 million. Nick Too, VH1 Country, VH1 Soul, VH Uno, and MTV Espanol complete MTVN‘s digital offerings. MTV2, with 40 million subscribers claims to have both analog and digital carriage.

MTV Hits will focus on the younger end of MTV‘s demographic, serving the 12-24 market with the music and artists they love. MTV Jams will feature the best Rap, R&B, Hip-Hop, and Soul music and artists. MTV Jams will replace MTV X across all digital cable services. Nicktoons TV, the first ever 24 hour channel built on Nickelodeon animation, will feature classic Nick originals like Doug and Ren & Stimpy to their cutting edge counterparts like Jimmy Neutron. Nicktoons TV will replace Nick Too in some areas on the American west coast.