MUMBAI: Talk about good timing. With just about six weeks to go before the "mini world cup" (the Champion‘s Trophy in Sri Lanka that kicks off on 12 September), Sony Entertainment Television (SET) and MAX, the World Cup Network, have something worth crowing about. Brand ambassador Kapil Dev received the Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century Award last night at a ceremony in London.
Chosen from among an impressive line-up of nominees, the celebrated all rounder is recognised for leading India to victory during the 1983 World Cup and was India‘s ace strike bowler for a decade and a half. "On behalf of the World Cup Network I would like to extend my heartiest congratulations to our brand ambassador Kapil Dev. This award is a recognition of Kapil‘s fantastic performance throughout his career and is symbolic of the iconic status that he has achieved since he began his career in 1978. We are truly proud to be associated with him as a key part of our team at MAX that will change the way we will present the ICC Tournaments to our viewers," Kunal Dasgupta, CEO, SET India Pvt Ltd was quoted as saying in an official release.

MUMBAI: The 23rd Annual News and Documentary Emmy Awards this year have a record 1,654 entries, up from last year‘s 1450.
PBS leads the final tally with 41 nominations, while CBS follows with 26. The awards that recognise outstanding achievement by individuals and programmes broadcast during the 2001 calendar year will this year take place a day after the first anniversary of 9/11 in New York City.

According to an official release, the awards will pay tribute to the role of broadcast journalists in covering 9/11 and the war in Afghanistan, and will reflect that same excellence in the coverage of news in other key areas affecting world culture including the AIDS crisis as a world health problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

The numerical breakdown, by broadcast and cable entities, as compiled by the independent accountancy firm of Lutz and Carr, LLP -

NEW DELHI: The temperatures have cooled a bit on the the vexed issue of the introduction of conditional access systems (CAS) among the cable fraternity. Mollified by the assurances extended to them by information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj on the matter, cable operators who had gathered in the capital this evening decided to call off the indefinite strike that had been scheduled to kick off from midnight.

The cable operators, after their meeting with Swaraj, were initially undecided on whether to continue with the day-long strike or be content with a token hour-long blackout which they have been resorting to in Delhi and Mumbai.

"We will decide amongst ourselves whether to continue with our planned day-long strike or withdraw our agitation after the minister‘s assurance," Rajiv Vyas, chief operating officer of HTMT told indiantelevision.com after attending the meeting with the minister. The meeting was attended by about six people, which included independent cable operators too like Delhi‘s Rakesh Dutta and Vikki Choudhry and Naidu from Hyderabad.

Well the decision appears to have been that there will be a three-hour blackout from 9 pm tomorrow night to midnight. However, the indefinite strike that was initially planned has definitely been called off.