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.