MUMBAI: SAB, the family comedy entertainment channel has once again garnered high prime time GRP than Star One and Sahara One as per TAM data for week 16th.

As per the recent TAM report, SAB?s prime time GRP is 20 vis-?-vis 18 of Sahara One and 19 of Star One. The family comedy strategy has proved to be a winner for SAB and the ratings are clearly reflecting the popularity of its various shows ? Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah, FIR, Jugni Chali Jalandhar and Gunwale Dulhania Le Jayenge.

Mr. Anooj Kapoor, Business Head, SAB TV stated, - ?We have again achieved higher prime time GRP?s in comparison to our close competitors Sahara One and Star One. This clearly indicates that SAB is ensuring viewers a wholesome dose of refreshing comedy and light-hearted family based entertainment.?

SAB has been gradually but steadily increased its hold in the general entertainment genre. It has successfully managed to entice the entire family to watch television together with its new and innovative content.

MUMBAI: Biztech2.com, India‘s No 1 portal for Business IT decision makers from Web18, a Network18 Group company recently brought to its users its Virtual Tradeshow Platform, ‘The Biztech2.0 Enterprise Technology Show - A Virtual Experience‘. The tradeshow was an offering in social networks and rich media, combined to bring to the user an unprecedented level of Web-based interactivity at previously unseen levels.

With close to 3000 IT decision makers from across India logging on for the event, which took place from 22nd of April 2009 to the 25th, the tradeshow has become an instant hit with IT decision makers. Highlights of the event included high-profile keynote presentations and live webcasts from industry leaders and technology gurus.

Support for the event came from leading technology giants like Microsoft, Cisco, Oracle, EMC, Aspect, Airtel, IBM, Tata Communications, Checkpoint & Novell.

Leveraging the latest, cutting-edge Web2.0 and video technologies, Biztech2.com‘s Enterprise Show offered everything and more that a physical show would provide with greater convenience as IT Leaders could choose to attend conference keynotes, visit pavilions, download exhibitor brochures in their virtual event bag, chat with other IT Leaders and the IT Community whenever and wherever they chose to. IT Leaders could also exchange business cards too.

Commenting on the initiative Surya Mantha, CEO, Web18, mentioned, "The Internet today has evolved to such an extent that we can actually leverage a platform of this sort. Today‘s CXOs are under grueling pressures, where even attending an industry event can become a problem. However, the virtual experience guarantees a highly comprehensive interaction environment, where IT buyers can come and be part of virtual social gathering and spend a good amount of time exploring their environment, interact with Industry experts and much more. Biztech2.0‘s (Web18‘s) entry into this space reaffirms our commitment to being a part of the ongoing evolution of communities online."

Although many software mega vendors have been using the ‘Second Life‘ Medium to host Web-based events, this platform goes even further. Built in association with 6Connex, a DesignReactor company, it is built to provide quick and light access to a user through a Web browser and a standard internet connection.

Ivor Soans, Managing Editor-Enterprise Technology, Network18, said, "We wanted this VirtualExperience Platform to redefine and revolutionise how Indian IT Leaders made use of conferences and trade expos and the huge success we have witnessed reaffirms our belief that this Internet-enabled medium is the future of IT Leader networking and knowledge-enhancement for better informed, smarter IT buying decisions."

The simple fact is that the changing face of the Internet has brought with it in the past many innovations. With technological capabilities increasing exponentially, Virtual Tradeshows are just the first step in creating a new level of social communication and awareness.

Being a resource on enterprise technology, and innovation, Biztech2.com‘s Virtual Tradeshow platform furthers its commitment to technological innovation, by helping IT buyers make Smarter and future-proof decisions.

Although the live event was successfully concluded on April 25, the platform will be open to viewers for the next 85 days, giving anyone who missed attending the event an opportunity to experience the rich content and features available on Biztech2.com‘s Virtual Tradeshow platform.

MUMBAI: The BBC?s India Election Train and its team of journalists depart Delhi today to embark on a three week journey across India. Reporting to the world, in 12 languages, across 14 BBC services, they will investigate the stories and personalities behind India?s forthcoming election.

Along the way, the BBC will investigate a variety of topics, with a key one being India?s response to the current economic crisis. Others include: entrepreneurial culture in the state of Gujarat; globalisation, India?s economic and security issues Mumbai; the IT industry, e-governance and marginalisation in Hyderabad; the influence of Maoist insurgents in Bhubaneshwar; India?s youth and their take on the modern world in Kolkata and the urban? rural divide, caste wars and organised crimes in politics in Patna and Allahabad.

The BBC train will travel from Delhi to Ahmedabad on the first leg of the trip, before moving on to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata (Calcutta), Patna and Allahabad, before returning to Delhi.

On board the train will be journalists working for BBC World Service English, BBC Hindi, BBC Urdu, BBC Tamil, BBC Bengali, BBC Chinese, BBC Vietnamese, BBC Burmese, BBC Somali, BBC Swahili, BBC World News, BBC Arabic television, BBC Persian TV and BBC.Com/news.

Mark Perrow, Assignment Editor, BBC World News, who is leading the project, says: ?The BBC?s India Election Train is an excellent way to get as close as we can to real people across India, and helps us pool our resources to create the best possible multimedia coverage of this vast election. Over the next three weeks, we?ll be visiting a diverse range of communities across the country, finding out what really matters to them.?

Mr Jilani came to the ICC headquarters in Dubai to express his disappointment at the decision and to pass on the concerns of the Pakistan people and their government at this difficult time for cricket in that country.

"We had a very fruitful and amicable meeting," said Mr Jilani.

"We did not agree on every point but I am confident the ICC is committed to making sure international cricket will flourish again in Pakistan. Mr Lorgat has explained the decision-making process to me and the reasons why that decision was taken.

"The ICC is a very important body and cricket cannot be revived in Pakistan without it so I am very happy that Mr Lorgat is determined to make sure the game survives and thrives in our country.

"Having spoken to Mr Lorgat I now know the ICC will not let Pakistan cricket fall back during this difficult time," he said.

"We want teams to return to play cricket in Pakistan as soon as possible and we are willing to assist the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to prepare for that time. Unfortunately, the security situation is not something we control and nor is it something that is the fault of the PCB.

"Our number-one priority is to deliver a safe, secure and successful event and the uncertainty created by events within Pakistan created a huge question mark over our ability to do that," said Mr Lorgat.

MUMBAI: The 360 degree communication agency, India News Communications Limited bags the exclusive advertising and publicity rights for the ‘Nauchandi Mela‘ being held at Meerut from 20th April to 20th May, 2009. The INCL Group has also entered into alliance with P7, the 24 hours National Hindi News Channel as the media associate of the Nauchandi Mela.

Commenting on this achievement, Mr. Prashant Kumar, Director & CEO, INCL says, "Consumer fairs like Nauchandi Mela is a wonderful platform for different brands to get them across to a large section of semi-urban and rural audience. Envisioning this huge scope and a promising market opportunity television channels like P7, Colors, Zee TV and brands like Idea, Reliance, Iodex, Piaggio, Godrej, Luminous, PNB, Tata Tea among many others made an active participation in the event".

MUMBAI: All eyes will be on Casey Stoner as the Ducati rider returns to the twin circuit of Motegi after a dominating performance in the season-opener in Qatar.

It was a perfect start for the Aussie at Losail (Qatar). Stoner was fastest in all three 2009 pre-season tests, then every track session, including a lights-to-flag victory in Monday?s rain delayed night race, which he won by a whopping margin of 7.7sec from reigning world champion Valentino Rossi.

While Rossi was outpaced, the next best in the field, George Lorenzo, was as many as 16sec behind Stoner, forcing some of the experts to predict 2009 to be a two-horse battle between Stoner and Rossi. And the second round of that battle will be available live and exclusive on Ten Sports, the most watched sports channel in the Sub-continent.

Live telecast of the Japanese Grand Prix starts at 9:30 AM IST, for the qualifying round on Saturday, April 25 while the Grand Prix of Japan will be telecast live on Sunday, April 26 at 8.15 AM IST.

Stoner may not have the best of records at Motegi, but Ducati did have a hat-trick of wins starting 2005, courtesy of Loris Capirossi. However, Stoner has good memories of riding in Japan as he clinched the championship in 2007 when he finished sixth.

Stoner is confident he can ram home his early advantage in his new carbon fibre chassis GP9 during Sunday?s 24-lap race, saying: ?We had a good race there last year but I haven?t really had too many good races in Japan. I?ve always been quite fast and I think now?s the time to start performing a little bit better.

?And hopefully I don?t lose points like I did at the beginning of last year. This would be the best idea, so I can try to have some better races throughout the season instead of just at the end.?

Rossi, who has excellent memories at Motegi where he secured the 2008 MotoGP World Championship with a 1.9sec victory over Stoner in last September‘s event, is hoping to put up more of a fight as compared to his outing in Qatar.

?My memories of last year at Motegi are incredible, because it was such a special victory after two years without the championship,? he said. ?This year of course will be very different, it?s only the second race and it will be quite strange going there so early in the championship.

?In Qatar, we had one or two small areas that could have been better, so we will be trying hard to improve our setting during the practice time so that we?re able to run at the front on Sunday. I expect that Stoner will be strong again, so we just need to reduce the gap to him so that we can put up more of a fight,? said Rossi.

The 4,801m Twin Ring circuit at Motegi was purpose-built by Honda in the late 1990s as a test track. It is the home of all things Honda. The track was built for a dual purpose, hence the two circuits, one as the only oval track in Japan, for the American Indy Racing League, the other for the hugely popular road events, including the Japanese MotoGP since 2004.