MUMBAI: The sixth successive International Exhibition and India's only established tradeshow and convention Cinema India 2006 began in Mumbai today. The three-day conference will take a look at Digital Cinema Technology, Film Production, Cinema Theatre Equipment and Multiplex Design and Solutions.

Global players in the film technology industry including Kodak, Real Image, Sim2, Projection Design, Panasonic and Kinoton will be present on the Cinema India exhibit floors. Valuable Media, E-City Digital and Real Image has set up digital cinema demos in their auditoriums o the floor of the expo.

The highlight of the opening day has been a panel discussion on FM Radio industry. The panel featuring India Today Group GM Commercial Uday Chawla, Radio Masti CEO Rajiv Mishra and BMG Deep Emotions Music Publisher Achille Forler discussed the opportunities and challenges of FM Radio. The session was moderated by Pro Sound Magazine editor Anil Chopra.

Explaining the challenges FM radio industry faces, Mishra highlighted the lack of effective government policies on the satellite radio sector. "FM radio is targeted at people on the move, while satellite radio is understood as a stationary medium. The repeater technology can change this scenario for satellite radio operators. So we need solid government policies on satellite radio," opined Mishra.

On Internet Radio, Chopra said the technology was not feasible in India at the moment. "But the cost will surely come down in the near future once the technology gets cheaper."

Speaking on the niche spaces for FM radio, Chawla said it depended on the intensity of competition. "If we have three or four players in a market, everybody would be targeting the same general audience segment. But once you have about ten players fighting out in a market, some of them would obviously go for niche segments such as western music and classic music," he said.