Cable operators and control room owners in the western state of Maharashtra are hoping political heavyweight Sharad Pawar will help them secure their demand for the complete scrapping of entertainment tax.

Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, a coalition partner in the state government, will be meeting a committee representing cable operators on Sunday. The panel will apprise Pawar of what they term as heavy handed treatment from the authorities on the issue of entertainment tax arrears, Mumbai-based Live Satellite Media promoter Atul Saraf, who is on the committee, said.

The issue has been hanging fire for over six months following the doubling of entertainment tax per connection per month from Rs 15 to RS 30 in municipal areas and from RS 10 to RS 20 in other parts of the state. It may be recalled that operators went on strike over the issue in August 2000 after which a committee representing operators, the government and consumers was set up to resolve the issue.

Fashion Television has adopted the adage if you can‘t beat them join them and agreed to "change its programming to suit Indian sensibilities".

FTV director-general Francois Thiellet, who was in New Delhi on a two-day trip till Tuesday, had an extended meeting with information and broadcasting minister Sushma Swaraj. The meeting ended with an assurance from Thiellet that the contents of the channel would be suitably changed.

Thiellet also had discussions with other Indian broadcasters to work on how FTV could be "Indianised". ‘Financial Express‘, quoting sources, said FTV may get into a strategic alliance with an Indian broadcaster for an India-specific fashion channel.

It was earlier reported that FTV Director Michel Adam would be coming down but it was Thiellet who landed up instead.

Accompanying Thiellet as part of a high-powered FTV delegation were Manivel Malone, managing director for Asia, and Marie-Paule Jensen, executive producer. The team met senior government officials on Monday and discussed the cassette prepared by the "monitoring cell" set up by Swaraj.

Thiellet‘s visit came after a parliamentary panel led Swaraj decided last Thursday to convey to the FTV bosses that they drop some of their "objectionable" programmes.

There‘s a positive buzz around Zee News these days. The place is a hive of activity as budget day draws near and the channel is savouring a lot of positive feedback for its excellent coverage of the Gujarat earthquake.

With new entrant Aaj Tak from the India Today stable in direct competition for the Hindi viewership, 2001 Budget coverage may well set the tone as to who will ultimately rule the Hindi news segment.

Zee News head Satish Menon said on Monday that the channel was being repackaged and come budget day the viewer will see and feel the difference. Zee News turning digital from 1 February was just one part of that effort, Menon said. They had roped in Novacom to improve graphics and there were other features being added which would make the channel a must see for the Hindi news buff, he added.

Zee News has the largest share amongst news channels in the country and commands more than 55 per cent relative shares of this market (as per INTAM, ORG-MARG, data for a 10 city average). Menon is pulling out all the stops to make sure it remains that way.