t last! International music followers have something to cheer about. MTV has brought its �uptown-sib� VH1 to India. The channel started free-view testing in the middle of last month but went officially on air on January 1, 2005. Going by the surge of new channels and lifestyle programming on Indian television over the past one year, this move hardly seems out of place. According to the channel, there is a huge gap in the Indian television market so far as international music is concerned and that is where VH1 will make its place.

Viacom�s VH1, which already reaches 112 million households in 130 countries, will be a 24-hour pay channel. At Rs 3, it is priced on par with siblings MTV and Nick in India. However, unlike MTV and Nick, which are a part of the One Alliance bouquet, it will be distributed by ZEE-Turner, the distribution arm of ZEE Telefilms and Turner International India. This can be explained to some extent by the fact that the channel is a niche offering and will also be available on ZEE�s DTH platform, Dish TV. According to industry sources, it will be a key ammo in the new bouquet ZEE is planning to launch with HBO as the driver channel. ... more