There seems to be no end to the modifications that are being envisaged for the Communications Convergence Bill. The revised draft of the Communications Convergence Bill 2001 has just been re-revised. Industry sources indicate that at the latest meeting of the Group on Telecom and IT (GOT-IT) held on 21 July, it has been proposed that within the ambit of high-powered Communications Commission of India that the bill envisages, there should be two separate bureaus - a carriage bureau and a content bureau.

Earlier talk was around content management remaining a part of the convergence bill. And the information and broadcasting ministry was to convene a forum for the media industry to discuss the nature of the "content" bureau within the CCI.

Information and broadcast minister Sushma Swaraj‘s idea was that all content, including that relating to the Internet, should be regulated by a content bureau. Swaraj wanted that communications should be delinked from the ambit of the bill, the sources say. The telecom and communications ministries strongly opposed this pointing out that the it negated the whole concept of convergence. It was after this that a compromise formula was adopted where there would be two bureaus - a carriage bureau and a content bureau.

The revised bill prepared by the sub-group under Fali Nariman will have to be sent to Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who heads GOT-IT, and the prime minister. Then it will probably be referred to the Standing Committee. After which we can expect it to be put on the government website for invitations for further suggestions from the public. In this scenario how the government plans to keep to its stated aim of tabling the Bill in parliament during the upcoming monsoon session remains a mystery.

One thing has been agreed upon though. When the bill is finally ready for introduction in parlaiment it will be piloted by the communications ministry, the sources say.

To read the January 2001 modification of the convergence bill click on the link below.

It‘s hoping to act as a guide in the maze that is Indian cable & satellite television today. Channel Guide a specific preview and menu channel which began its test run on 12 April 2001 may go for a formal launch tentatively on 15 August 2001, "We are in talks with major companies, the outcome of which will decide its formal launch," informs Ravi Deshmukh chief operating officer, Channel Guide India Ltd.

The channel is programmed to provide couch potatoes with a ready reckoner on TV shows. Its interactive menu allows viewers to explore, select and watch a variety of programmes, while browsing listings. "Channel Guide airs the programme listings of different channels between 9 am and 11:00 pm, reminding viewers about their favourite programme timings," says Deshmukh.

Currently the free to air channel has a million strong viewership, and receives inputs from 27 major channel among which are Star, Zee, Sony, HBO, ESPN, he reveals. The channel is available in nine states nationally: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Andra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa and Assam.

"So far we have received a good response, and we will do better after the channels which have been reluctant in providing us with information drop their inhibitions," emphasizes Deshmukh. "But the response is improving. English, Hindi entertainment and infotainment channels like Discovery and National Geographic, and other sports channels are already supporting us. Next month Bengali and Punjabi channels will join our bandwagon and the rest of the regional languages will soon be added."

Currently, the channel is carrying TV promos and listings gratis for its broadcasting partners. In time to come, it plans to start charging for its air time wherein channels like Sony or Zee or Star would be in a position to sponsor their own promo and interstitial programming blocks. Five of the 10 hours the channel will air will be free to air. Of the remainder, three will be set aside for broadcaster-sponsored promos, while local commercial advertising will go to account for the remainder two hours.

With an initial investment of Rs 100 million (10 crore), the channel has also plans to foray into to webcasting and cater to web savvy viewers and international audiences interested in Indian television fare.

"We have a long term vision for Channel Guide India. We cannot really commit when we will really break even, but our target has been set as June 2002," points out Deshmukh.

Fire & Ice, the popular nightclub in Mumbai‘s Parel suburb, now has its own in-house channel. Launched last Friday as Fire & Ice Weekend TV, the name given is because content is being developed over the weekend and the programmes are subsequently played throughout the week.

The content changes on a weekly basis. It is essentially in-house TV with music videos being played on the screen. "Though you won‘t get to hear what is being played as the DJ is playing music of his own, you can read interesting tidbits and background about the concerned artiste rolling at the bottom of the screen," says Clyde D‘Souza, president of Immersive Television, which produces the content for the channel. "You can also check out the action at foreign nightclubs, which have their own brand of merchandising - like leather jackets. For instance Ministry of Sound in the U.K.," D‘Souza said.

D‘Souza calls the concept "club TV" and hopes to take it to discos across India. D‘Souza pointed out that international sponsors have already shown interest and the ads for sponsors are done in an innovative manner. Citing an example, he said the ads for popular soft drinks have three-dimensional images "which kind of interact with the viewer and is a welcome change from the dry and drab audio video commercial."

The programming block also covers a wide array of events. From the Ritu Beri fashion show in Paris to the just-concluded Love Parade in Germany. There is also a small movie section where trailers of Hollywood films are shown along with the top three recommendations. The trailers are outsourced from film companies abroad. Adventure sports like bungee jumping are also featured.

D‘Souza said there was also an interactive element involved. For this he has tied up with UK-based OpenTV, the leading interactive television and media solutions company. However, before rolling out the service, he was waiting to see what kind of set top boxes would be introduced. D‘Souza said he had the expertise to develop the content for interactive television but there were still some final technicalities to be resolved.