Cable operators and control room owners in the western Indian state of Maharashtra are threatening a total statewide blackout over the issue of non-payment of entertainment tax arrears.

Operators switched off feeds in many towns and cities across the state on Monday. Pune, Miraj, Sangli, Kolhapur and Pandurpur witnessed the first closures after revenue officials sealed control rooms in these places for non-payment of entertainment tax arrears. Nagpur, Akola, Ahmednagar, and Nashik were some of the other cities which joined them.

Mumbai-based Live Satellite Media promoter Atul Saraf, who is on the committee of the Union of Cable Operators and Cable Room Owners (UCOCRO), said there was a meeting scheduled later in the afternoon in Mumbai and it was likely that there would be a total and indefinite shutdown after that if their demands were not met.

Queried on what sort of feedback they had received from the big multi-systems operators (MSOs) like Hathway (in which Star has a 26 per cent stake) and Siti Cable (promoted by the Zee group), Saraf said they too were likely to support the action. "Ram Hindurani of In Cable (promoted by the Hindujas) was party to the discussions we‘ve had and backs us fully," Saraf said.

Matters came to a head on Sunday in Pune when UCOCRO representatives from all across the state gathered for a meeting to thrash out the the issue, which 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 in August 2000 over this after which a committee representing operators, the government and consumers was set up to arrive at some sort of understanding.

Nitin Gadkari, leader of the opposition in the state legislative council, was present for the meeting. A notable absentee however was political heavyweight Sharad Pawar, leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, a coalition partner in the state government, who was originally scheduled to attend but backed out in the end.

Pacific Century Matrix on Saturday enhanced its broadband satellite services with the addition of Alive Networks - the first international travel and learning company, using a unique combination of media channels - including TV, Internet, mobile devices and printed travel guides.

Alive‘s television channel is multiplexed onto PCM‘s DVB/IP satellite platform. The service joins the bouquet of other PCM television and data services being transmitted from Hong Kong, via PCM‘s C-Band transponders on the AsiaSat 3S satellite. Currently four transponders are used to support PCM‘s services to television broadcasters, Internet Services Providers, multinational corporations and content providers, across the Asia-Pacific region from the Russian Federation to Australia and from the Pacific Ocean to the Middle East, covering more than 66% of the world‘s population, according to a company release.

PCM will undergo further dramatic expansion with the launch of its own broadband satellites, specifically designed for the burgeoning converged multimedia, IP data and Internet markets. The first satellite is scheduled for operation in mid 2003.

The Indian media industry is finally coming of age and trying to adopt structures and procedures in line with international norms. For the first time, the two principal bodies representing TV Broadcasters and advertising agencies have inked an agreement that sets out the basis of the professional and commercial relationship between their respective member groups.

Ramesh Narayan, president Advertising Agencies Association Of India and Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta, treasurer Indian Broadcasting Foundation, exchanged the historic agreements they signed on Friday.

At a press conference in Mumbai to announce the deal, Narayan said: "The members of AAAI comprising nearly 80 per cent of the advertising agencies will get preferential treatment in terms of ad rates and credit payments. Besides there will be a committee set up for defaulting ad agencies." Dasgupta chipped in: "There has been no standardisation till now. The idea is to weed out those agencies which are into sharp short-term practices."

The agreement comes into effect from April 1. The arrangement is that both parties work under the principle of partnership, mutual interest and equity of law. All AAAI members and IBF members will get automatic benefits enshrined in the agreement. Within a certain credit period AAAI members will guarantee payments to channels. Advertisers who move business through AAAI members will get preferential treatment in terms of rate and credit.