First interactive weather channel launched in the US
Weather need no longer remain at the fag end of news shows.
InCable fails to pursue its application in Bombay High Court: ESPN
Despite filing an urgent application before the Bombay High Court, InCable lawyers today requested for the postponement of the hearing of the case, an ESPN Software spokesperson said today.
An urgent petition was filed by InCable Network on 8 January, 2002 in the Bombay High Court for restoration of ESPN and Star Sports signals which were switched off by ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. following the expiry of the period of the service contract on December 31, 2001. ?It appears that InCable is not keen on pursuing its application and instead, is using the pendency of the matter before the Honourable High Court to confuse and mislead its sub-operators and customers into believing that the ESPN and Star Sports signals will be restored shortly. InCable Network also continues to hold its own customers to ransom by charging them the usual subscription fees without showing them ESPN India and Star Sports India signals,? the spokesperson said.
Even though ESPN Software lawyers were present in court and ready to argue the case, InCable lawyers chose not to argue and instead requested for the postponement of the matter. Due to such a request, the Honourable High Court directed the matter to be taken up in the regular course and no date as such has been fixed for the next hearing.
Meanwhile, most cable networks affiliated to MSOs Hathway, Siticable and Wincable in Mumbai, as well as over 60 independent cable operators in and around Mumbai city, have signed the new service contracts for ESPN and Star Sports. Only the cable networks affiliated to InCable (that includes Seven Star which has a major presence in the western suburbs of Andheri-Juhu-Vile Parle) are yet to sign the new contracts.
?Regretfully it has also come to our notice that some cable networks affiliated to InCable are stealing the ESPN and Star Sports signals. This is a criminal offence under the Copyrights Act and the Indian Penal Code. We will initiate appropriate action against those cable network indulging in piracy of ESPN and Star Sports signals,? the spokesperson added.
When contacted, Ashok Mansukhani, executive V-P, corporate services, Hinduja Group said as the matter was sub judice he would not like to comment on this at this stage. X
Speaking to the media during what could be called a coming out party, Rajat Jain, executive vice-president and business head, MAX, said there would be a renewed focus on building the Max brand as a separate entity rather than as an adjunct of SET. The restructuring process that was undertaken last year had split SET and Max into two business units to give each channel the requisite focus, Jain said.
The aim is to build up Max for the future for which there will be adequate investment pumped in, Jain said, adding that once the new look channel went on air there would be some changes in the MAX logo and elements for all promotables like Maha Movie and Mera Movie, for instance, plus elements like promo end pages, menu pages, lower thirds, new packaging audio, etcetera. 
Queried on what the channel proposed to do with its cricket property (Max has the rights to cricket played in Bangladesh for the next six years), Jain said they would be utilising it but stressed that movies would be the main focus. 
Detailing what went into the new look of the channel, Jain said: Under the supervision of the channel‘s creative team, the new look has been executed by the top notch, International award winning design house, Belief which bagged a pitch that was open to seven other reputed international design houses from the USA and UK. Belief did the creatives on the new look that SET went in for at the end of last year as well. 
Jain says: "We have spent close to six months in conceiving and executing our new look. And I believe that all the time, and the quarter of a million dollars we invested in the project, has been well worth the effort. 
