DD World to beam in UAE through E-vision
A channel carriage agreement was signed at Abu Dhabi between the Directorate General of Doordarshan, Broadcasting Corporation of India (Prasar Bharati) and the Emirates Cable TV and Multimedia llc E-vision. The agreement was signed by Ambassador of India to UAE K.C. Singh for the Directorate General of Doordarshan and Humaid Rashid Sahoo, Chief Executive Officer for the Emirates Cable TV and Multimedia Llc (E-vision).

An Indian embassy release said the agreement provides for the downlinking and distribution of DD World signals in the UAE through E-vision’s cable network. This agreement will enable comprehensive distribution of DD world signals all over UAE.

A number of other Indian commercial channels have already negotiated separate agreements with E-vision for a similar arrangement.
Doordarshan has commenced encryption of the transmissions with effect from October 2 and has worked out a detailed marketing and distributing arrangement for DD World thereafter.

Presently, E-vision reaches over 10,000 homes each in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and proposes to expand its reach to cover 175,000 homes by June, 2001. It proposes to cover the whole of UAE by 2005.
UNI

News Corp likely to buy Hughes, DirecTV
News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch is reportedly engaged in discussions with General Motors (GM) to acquire Hughes Electronics and its DirecTV satellite broadcasting unit for more than $ 55 billion in stock and cash.
Sources close to Murdoch were quoted as saying the purchase of DirecTV would fill a crucial gap in News Corp.’s worldwide satellite broadcast holdings, grouped under the name Sky Global Networks.

GM is considering taking a combination of Sky Global stock and cash from News Corp in the deal.

General Motors, which owns 30 percent of Hughes but 100 percent of its voting stock, has come under increasing shareholder pressure to liberate Hughes and unlock its value, USA Today reported.

Murdoch is gearing up for any bidding contest with other prospective buyers of DirecTV by bringing in John Malone, who controls the Liberty Media empire through a share swap, it added.
PTI

Manju Singh’s Janam Samjha Karo on DD1
From October 23 viewers can tune into a new show Janam Samjha Karo to watch marriage video albums. On this unique show, designed on a set symbolic of a wedding, Farida Jalal invites special guests and interacts with viewers through their marriage videos, letters and a contest. The show also features Anita Kanwal and Shagufta Ali in the comic interludes.

Janam Samjha Karo is all about shaadi - its meaning, its celebration and its major role in our lives. Divided into four segements, it showcases marriage videos in Aap Ki Shaadi, Kuch tum socho kuch hum soche provides a communication platform, Leelaji Sheelaji is the comic interlude and Hum saath saath hai talks about enduring relationships.

So, if you want to view and show your D-day to one and all, you can send your marriage videos, letters and stories to Janam Samjha Karo.