The government has cleared the proposal by World Tel to invest Rs 2,817.5 million in India. It will pick up a 49% equity stake in a venture to provide information technology-based services, e-commerce, Internet and other related services. The government has also cleared a proposal by BBC Worldwide India, but no details of what BBC was seeking to do were available at the time of writing.

MTV HONOURS INDIAN SINGING VETERAN

MTV India has selected melody queen and veteran singer, Lata Mangeshkar as the "Apna Artist of the Millennium". She will be featured on special shows such as MTV Essential, MTV Made in India and MTV Non-Stop Hits.

ESPN STAR SPORTS RENEWS CONTRACT WITH ASTRO

Sports caster ESPN STAR Sports has renewed a carriage deal for ESPN and STAR Sports for the next few years effective 1 November 1999 with digital satellite DTH operator Astro in Malaysia, operated by MEASAT Broadcast Network Systems Sdn Bhd (MBNS).

MAPLE LEAF COUNTRY GETS BOLLYWOOD

The first ever pay-per-view Bollywood movie channel is being launched by B4U in Canada on Christmas day this year. This service launched on the Bell Express Vue platform, marketed and promoted by Asian Television Network International Limited (ATN), is hoping to reduce piracy as movies would be available within 8-12 weeks of their theatre release.

"Bring Home Bollywood" will be the catchline for the new service.

INDIAN VIEWERS EXPECTED TO SINK IN TITANIC

Star Movies is premiering the US $200 million movie, "The Titanic", on 31 December as its new year feast.

The most expensive film also the biggest grosser of the millennium is costing the official sponsor Samsung US $1 million. Star plans to repeat the film twice on the same day. It would be aired once at 8.00 pm and then at midnight.

ZEE TV?S NEW YEAR BONANZA

Zee and Wizcraft have submitted a Rs 30 million proposal to the Maharashtra government which envisages a show of gaiety, culture, and celebration of the new millenium to be presented at a prominent Mumbai beach, Chowpatty on Millenium Eve. The programme will have seven sequences ranging from Indian dances to Indi-Pop.
Over 164 broadcasters are expected to broadcast the mega show which is expected to attract an attendance of 4500 people.