ZEE TV: AN INTERNATIONAL UPDATE

Zee TV is on a roll internationally. According to Zee TV international operations head Bhaskar Majumdar, the network has applied for a licence for carriage on one of the Canadian platforms. He adds that it is in conversation with Multichoice to get into the Mauritian market.

He estimates that Zee TV has managed to sign on nearly 160,000 subscribers in Europe with major gains coming from Germany, Holland and Portugal where the network has carriage on local systems.

"We are planning on going digital in Europe," says Majumdar. "But we will have dual illumination for a three year period with Zee TV available in both digital and analogue mode."

He points out that going digital will enable the network to bring its 24-hour music channel Music Asia and its news and current affairs channel Zee India TV to Europe.

"We have achieved phenomenal success in the US too," says Majumdar. "Our deal with Echostar has resulted in 30,000 subscribers signing on in just six months. He adds that Zee TV has a similar penetration in Africa too. "Zee TV is available right now in New York and Chicago on the East Coast to Denver and Houston in the mid-west to Seattle and San Franciso on the West Coast. On the African continent, it has connectivity in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania, Madagascar and Uganda."

Majumdar reveals that Zee TV has signed a memorandum of understanding with Time Warner and is expected to sign a cable carriage contract for the US market by next month.

Meanwhile, the network is working on taking the digital route for all its channels beamed over India in the next few months. Zee TV has been working on hiring the best of talent internationally to help it in its digital rollout.