The total telecom subscriber base (including fixed and mobile services) of India has moved up 39%, to touch 81.31 million in the quarter ending June 2004, as against 58.7 million during the corresponding period last year.
Korean chaebol Samsung is betting on flat screen TVs to expand its market share in the domestic colour television market. Flat screen models now occupy about 30 per cent of all CTV sold in India. This is expected to go up to 40 per cent in 2005 and then to 80 per cent by 2007.
ITC's Foods Division on Wednesday announced the launch of `Mint-O Fresh', a hard-boiled mint candy in two flavours. This launch extends the Mint-O brand, which has till now been present only as compressed mint tablets, to hard-boiled candy.
Samsung India Electronics Ltd, subsidiary of the Korean electronics major Samsung, will be investing $7 million (approximately over Rs 32 crore) in its air-conditioner factory. This was announced by Mr R. Zutshi, Director (Sales) of Samsung India.
LG Electronics India Private Ltd will be investing $250 million in India by 2010. MD Kwang-Ro Kim said, out of the fresh investments, about $60 million would be made in manufacturing GSM mobile phones in the country.
In a bid to take on TVS Victor and Hero Honda Splendour, the country’s second largest two-wheeler manufacturer Bajaj Auto Ltd (BAL) has launched its 125 cc Bajaj Discover in Maharashtra. The Discover is priced at Rs 39,605 for the kick-start version and Rs 42,511 for the electric start version.
Satellite radio player WorldSpace India has launched two 24-hour channels dedicated to Indian classical music, adding to its existing 30-channel offering. While 'Shruti' is dedicated to Carnatic Music, 'Gandharv' will air Hindustani Music.
Although ASC Enterprises, promoted by Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra, switched off Doordarshan channels on its direct-to-home (DTH) platform on Wednesday, India-Australia cricket is still available to Dish TV subscribers.
Humour channel SAB TV plans to launch new programmes by the end of this fiscal. President-Sales and Marketing, Kanta Advani, says the new programming initiatives will be a fair mix of humor and information based programmes, in line with the brand positioning of “all smiles, no tears”.
There are changes happening at RK Swamy/BBDO’s Delhi operations. Vice-president and Head, Delhi branch, Tarun Ahuja, has put in his papers. Ahuja is yet to decide on his next assignment.At the same time, the agency has appointed Shams Kabir as Media Director, to be based in Delhi.
In a refreshed attempt to reconcile its position in the industry, Indian Music Industry – the cash-strapped consortium of 50 music companies, has sought for a shelter in the leadership of Vijay Lazarus, who is famed for his contribution in the Indian music industry achieving global recognition. Lazarus’ appointment as the full-time President of IMI comes as a shot in the arm for the organisation in its battle against rampant piracy.
With less than a month away to hit the tube, StarOne is preparing to unveil its offerings to the media. Scheduled for a November 1 launch, the channel has organised an upfront presentation of offering on October 7. While STAR India intends to eat into the pie of the likes of Sony Entertainment Television, many believe that the elder sibling STAR Plus will not be spared either.
At a glittering ceremony in the Capital on Wednesday, Coke and McCann Erickson swept a number of honours at the Dainik Bhaskar Indian Marketing Awards 2004. In the individual categories, Prannoy Roy of NDTV was crowned as the Media Person of the Year, Harit Nagpal of Hutch bagged the Marketing Person of the Year award and Sam Balsara of Madison walked away with the honour for the Media Services Person of the Year.