India to capture share in global media pie

New Delhi, Aug 12: With mergers and acquisitions ruling the roost in the global media, India is set to capture its share in the 90-billion-euros global entertainment industry with Mipcom 2007 scheduled to be held at Cannes in France from October 8-12 this year.

The event will provide a chance to global television and film producers and distributors, broadcasters, digital media content providers and advertising brands to trade in content across all platforms.

While announcing its partnership with the world's largest audio-visual and digital content market Mipcom 2007, industry chamber Ficci informed that India has been invited to the event as the 'Country of Honour'.

The revenues from the Indian television industry are expected to grow to 11 billion dollars by 2011 from the current 4.2 billion dollars.

The event will bring together audio-visual players from over 100 countries under one roof to help forge new business deals and help the participants share new practices that are redefining business models around the world.

Business worth 10 billion dollars is expected to be generated for entertainment companies from Mipcom 2007.

''Considering the rapidly growing importance of India's film, television and animation sectors, quality content will continue to be a crucial driver for the development Indian media,'' said Ficci Secretary General Amit Mitra.

Country's leading audio-visual companies companies like Zee TV, UTV, TV18, Sun TV, NDTV, Balaji Telefilms, Sony, The Times of India, Sahara, INX Media, Bag Films, DQ Animation will be representing the Indian delegation.

''Currently, the entertainment industry is going through hyper evolution and the priority for any company involved in this business is to stay ahead of the competition, understand all the fast changing business models and increase their global visibility. In 2015, revenue from pay television and cable and satellite channels in India will be the largest in Asia,'' said Reed Midem Director Paul Johnson.

At present, India is the world's third-largest pay TV market with revenue from advertising and TV subscriptions growing at 17 per cent in 2006 to 4.2 billion dollars. This figure is likely to more than double to 10 billion dollars by 2011 and reach 16 billion dollars by 2015.

''CEOs and leading international television and film production and distribution companies, broadcasters, digital media companies and acquisition executives representing all distribution platforms are participating at the event, which will guarantee India's reach to international audience for its content,'' he added.

India had 1,16,120 million television homes in 2006, of which 61 per cent have pay TV and the penetration is forecast to rise to nearly 90 per cent, increasing by an estimated 185 million television homes in 2015. The DTH satellite market also set to grow to 38 million by 2015 from 2.6 million subscribers in 2006.

During the event, two of India's biggest media barons Subhash Chandra of the Zee Network and Ronnie Screwvala from the UTV Group will speak about the emerging sectors in the Indian media market, especially film, animation and their international development.

Ficci will also bring out its report titled ''Indian Content on the move'' in collaboration with Ernst and Young.

UNI