MUMBAI: NDTV India is foraying into fiction-based programming with the launch of mini-series Bombay Lawyers, directed by Satyajit Bhatkal and produced by Popular Prakashan.

Starting from 21 July, the 13 episode mini-series will be aired at 10 pm every Saturday. The one-hour episode is centred on the lawyer?s firm ?Roy & Raghavan?, who are committed to work with integrity and dedication to fight against injustice in all its forms. Each episode will deal with different issues.

NDTV Media Limited CEO Raj Nayak says, "We have received encouraging response from the advertisers, who have shown keen interest on NDTV?s foray into fiction based programming. The channel will commission more such shows if the mini-series works wonders."

Calling it a new beginning for news channels to document the real, NDTV India managing editor Dibang says, "Bombay Lawyers is our way to focus on grass root level social issues without indulging in any kind of vulgarity or sensationalism.As we are Jubaan pe sach, Dil mein India, and have shows like Hum Log and Muqabala, the mini-series is another social responsible programme."

Isn?t it the same kind of crime show that news channels air to add TRPs but packaged in a different format?

Dibang denies that NDTV India is getting back into crime shows. "We have taken all the crime shows off air even though it meant loss of TRPs. Unlike other channels we are not after TRPs. Crime shows take camera to the bloody spot and thrust the microphone to the victim or any relative only to get quick news. Bombay Lawyers is a fiction based series which takes up specific issues and not cases."

Writer and director of Bombay Lawyers Satyajit Bhatkal says, "The programme is a courtroom drama about real issues, real people and real conflicts, but in the emotional grammar of fiction."
Considering that ad spots are high priced in GEC, what is the strategy to price the ad spots of the serial in a news channel?
"For the serial, we are charging five times higher than what we do for our news shows. The ad space for the serial is sold to seven companies. Co-produced by Lifebouy, the sponsors include HUL (earlier HLL), Garnier, Hero Honda, Lenovo, Grasim and Godrej," says Nayak.

The lawyers in the programme are played by Meeta Vashisht, Murli Sharma, Rushad Rana, Jyoti Dogra and Kadambari Kadam.

MUMBAI:NDTV Ltd may well be looking at bringing about structural changes in separating its general and business news which are currently housed in the same company.

There was no official announcement to this effect but the company said that its board had decided "to position the news and business news segments for their next phase of growth with the objective of encouraging entrepreneurship within the company." Also mentioned was that the proposed structure "should also allow growth opportunities through acquisitions and / or strategic tie-ups in India or abroad and benchmark the operations with global peers to enhance shareholder value."

NDTV is also open to diluting up to 10 per cent of its present paid-up capital. This, the company said, would be carried out at the option of the holders seeking conversion of securities into equity shares.

NDTV plans to raise Rs 4 billion through a mix of debt and equity. The board has approved the fund-raising scheme through preferential issue, Qualified Institutional Placement (QIP), follow-on issue, or rights issue constituting a combination of equity shares, convertible debentures, convertible preference shares and warrants etc.

The company has appointed ENAM Financial Consultants, BSR and Co and KPMG as advisors for the same, the company said.

The company has appointed ENAM Financial Consultants, BSR and Co and KPMG as advisors for the same, the company said.

MUMBAI:NDTV has posted a 27.5 per cent rise in revenues to Rs 676 million for the last quarter ended 31 March 2007, up from Rs 530.3 million a year ago.

EBIDTA (earnings before interest, depreciation, tax and amortization) stood at Rs 110 million as against Rs 65.1 million during the same period, representing a 69 per cent year-on-year growth.

Operating profits have more than doubled at Rs 54.7 million, up from Rs 25 million.

The consolidated results are not comparable to last year as they include costs incurred in setting up new businesses in NDTV Network PLC, the company said in a statement.

The NDTV board has also recommended a dividend of 20 per cent of the face value of shares (Rs 4), or Re 0.80 per share.

The company has taken up several new initiatives. NDTV Imagine has been incorporated to spearhead the group?s foray into mass entertainment. Starting with general entertainment, the company will expand into movies, regional youth and kids programming.

"The initial global portfolio of television channel includes the highly successful Astro Awani in Indonesia, a soon to be launched channel in Malaysia and another in the Middle East. Other Asian and African countries will follow," the release added.