MUMBAI: Forbes (India) has named What‘s On India Channel, as one of the 5 "Hottest start-ups to watch for in the year 2010". What‘s On India Channel is India‘s first and only consumer TV Guidance Channel that launched earlier this month.

The write up appeared in the magazine‘s year end special issue and states "There are over 500 channels available on Indian TV today pulling over 8,800 crore in advertising money. Yet most of us watch barely a tenth of these most of the times. It is just too damn confusing to figure out what programme is playing on all of those 500 channels at any given point. This is the problem What‘s On India is trying to solve, and in the process make itself into India‘s TV guide."

"The four year old company has built its own Electronic Programme Guide, which already reaches millions of subscribers through set top boxes of cable operators like Hathaway and DEN, and DTH providers like Airtel Digital TV and BIG TV.

But with the impending launch of its TV guide as a 24x7 channel across various cable and DTH platforms in January 2010, What‘s On India is looking to reach more than 20 million digital TV homes in the first half of the next year. The company will not just segregate available programming more effectively for viewers, it will also recommend programmes. Channels and other brands will also be able to advertise themselves on this new channel" it adds.

The magazine also highlights the channel‘s USP as "Indigenous solutions for Indian TV watchers" and emphasizes its "strong relationships with TV channels and cable and DTH operators."

Says Atul Phadnis, Founder, Promoter, CEO of What‘s On India, "Its just been a few days since we launched the WHATS ON INDIA channel. In this short while, both - consumers and the Television industry have given us an very emphatic thumbs-up, underscoring the immense need for a reliable and engaging solution to the constant viewer pain-point of "What should I watch right now". We are delighted to be listed in Forbes‘ Hottest 5 Start-ups. It‘s an acknowledgement of both - the huge viewer pain-point as well as the quality of the solution that the What‘s On India model provides."

Being the only such model in the marketplace, all operators have expressed excitement and welcomed the channel‘s launch. What‘s On India will be switching them on one-by-one.

MUMBAI: Its been raining stars at Radio City 91.1FM. Post Salman, Priyanka Chopra and Uday Chopra, the studios of India?s Leading Radio Network was graced by none other than the talented and very beautiful actress, Vidya Balan, where she spoke about her new movie ?Ishqiya?, on the evening show ?Joyride? with RJ Rohit. For that special connection to her role in the movie, Vidya Balan came dressed in her special character?s attire as in the movie.

Radio City?s evening show ?Joyride? is focused on de-stressing listeners, Vidya Balan along with RJ Rohit, reached out to listeners with an entertainment packed show, filled with on-air banter and melodious music from the soon to be released ?Ishqiya?. She even gave tips to female listeners of Radio City 91.1 FM about how they can woo Indian men, as they have different tastes and views from men across the world. 

A sustained focus on understanding listeners and leveraging the synergies of music expertise and innovative programming, allows Radio City to deliver a unique listening experience and be an integral part of the lives of listeners. Aggressively looking at spreading the Radio City experience to new markets across the country, Radio City 91.1FM is committed to growing the market and creating superlative content for discerning audiences.

MUMBAI: Australia Network is very proud to present the exclusive direct broadcast of a concert for Sydney Festival 2010 by internationally renowned music composer A. R. Rahman. On the same night he performs his only Australian concert, Australia Network will bring A. R. Rahman‘s unique outdoor extravaganza to the small screen for fans from Fiji to Delhi to enjoy. Dubbed the ‘Mozart of Madras‘ by Time magazine earlier this year, Rahman is best-known globally for his two-time Oscar winning score for the film Slumdog Millionaire.

Rahman‘s sole Australian performance will be held on Saturday 16 January on a stage set in the beautiful parkland of Parramatta Park. Australia Network will broadcast the entire event to 44 countries. Rahman will perform with an entourage of more than 40 Indian musicians and Bollywood dancers on stage, as well as high-impact lighting displays, choreographed moving video screens and audience interaction.

The A. R. Rahman concert is a free event made possible by the generous support of the NSW Government. It promises to be a night filled with colour, dancing and the irrepressible rhythms and melodies of contemporary Indian music. Australia Network Chief Executive Bruce Dover says "The concert and broadcast celebrates Australia‘s cultural diversity and provides a musical bridge between Australia and the region".

The concert will be co-hosted by Australian cricketing legend, Matthew Hayden and ABC presenter Miriam Corowa. Hayden said of the event "I am honoured and thrilled to be a part of A. R. Rahman‘s unique outdoor extravaganza and the Sydney Festival. Rahman was born in Chennai, a city that I have come to love and a part of India that is very special to me for many reasons. I am excited that many Australians will be able enjoy what millions of people around the world have come to love and appreciate, the incredible ‘Mozart of Madras and the amazing Indian musicians and Bollywood Dancers."

Join Australia Network for this exclusive A.R. Rahman concert on: Saturday 16th January: India 15:00, Hong Kong 17:30, Pacific 21:30.

MUMBAI: Everyday there is news, but some of them impact our lives more than others. CNN-IBN returns with its leading investigative show ?30 Minutes? which strives to capture the ?real news? behind ?breaking stories?. The show goes behind-the-scenes and way beyond headlines to bring for its viewers news that is insightful and sharp. The new season of 30 Minutes has begun from 10 January, Every Sunday at 9:30 PM and 11:30 AM.

This season, ?30 Minutes? delves deeper as it focuses on human interest stories that affect society. The first episode was on Social Networking which looked at serious issues like cyber stalking and social ambushing.

The show in its previous season has managed to bring some startling revelations which have made an impact with news of the likes of MK Subba, the Congress MP from Assam, who was actually a Nepali Citizen and an escaped murder convict; Surinder Singh, the Sikh Priest who was witness to Jagdish Tytler leading a mob that killed three Sikhs in 1984 riots spoke first to 30 Minutes. The show through its astute reportage in the past has brought many incidents into light which otherwise would be lost in the day to day clutter of news like the secret Charas fields in Himachal Pradesh, the hidden insurgency wars of the North East and the untold stories of Indian Gigolos who meet clients on the internet.

Speaking on the show Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief- IBN18 Network said ?30 Minutes examines news as it happens and brings forth human interest stories and relevant details on current issues. The leading investigative show inspects the grey areas of all the burning issues and news events of our times?.

MUMBAI: It?s been an exciting joyride for our talented participants of ?Lux Dance India Dance?. After being chosen into the top 18 amongst the lakhs of the dancers across the nation and abroad, the young contestants get the lifetime opportunity to perform in front of the Superstar of the century, Amitabh Bachchan. As a special judge on the show, Big B would encourage their confidence and also share dancing tips with them.

The Indian Icon on this iconic show, would also talk about personal experiences on his soon-to-be released, ?Teen Patti?. The real fun would be to watch the Disco Dancer (GrandMaster Mithunda) & Big B sizzle together with their unique dance moves on the stage. The duo had taken the entire nation by storm with their movie ?Agnipath? and now its time we watch out for their chemistry once again on India?s no.1 reality show.

Akash Chawla, Marketing Head of Zee TV, said, ?It?s a great pleasure to have Mr. Bachchan on our show. His presence will not only motivate our contestants but also make an exciting watch for our viewers.?

The episode will be telecast on January 29th, 9.30 p.m.

MUMBAI: This week NDTV Profit brings to you Q2P, a documentary by film maker Paromita Vohra that peers through the dream of Mumbai as a future Shanghai and searches for public toilets in Bombay, watching who has to queue to pee. The toilet becomes a riddle with many answers and some of those answers are questions - about gender, about class, about caste and most of all about space, urban development and the twisted myth of the global metropolis.

Q2P highlights the unavailability and conditions of public restrooms for women reflecting the state of the city, its citizens and their impressive yet disjointed efforts to move toward greater progress. Tune into NDTV Profit on this Saturday, January 9, 2010 at 10:00pm with a repeat telecast on the following Sunday at 5:00 pm only on NDTV Profit.