What is it: It's an ad package aimed at corporates with strong association with cricket and cricketers and those that want to associate their brands with this game

How does it work: When a cricket lover, for example, uses "Dhoni" as a search criteria on Google, advertisements featuring the cricketer will appear in the sponsored link section. Research shows that such searches rise exponentially when Team India is playing

What will it do for advertisers: It will allow corporates to cut through the clutter and sharply associate their brands with cricket

How much will it cost: Google says the price will be "market driven" i.e., the advertisers will bid for certain keywords and will be given space on the basis of these. For example, if two advertisers bid Rs 10 and Rs 5, respectively, for a particular keyword, the lower bidder will be given space below the higher bidder. The rates will vary from time to time on the basis of the traffic volumes generated by particular keywords

When will it be launched: In the third week of May

-Shaleen Agrawal

Howzzat!

Bucknor: Stop misusing technology

What: Steve Bucknor, ICC Elite Panel umpire, has accused TV companies of misusing technology to favour particular batsmen and teams. This, he says, portrays umpires in poor light and, worryingly, creates mistrust between players and umpires

How: According to Bucknor, mats (line graphics) that are used for LBW decisions are sometimes altered and balls that hit the bat and settle in fielders' hands sometimes disappear

Can it be done: Difficult to say. Television companies say it would take at least an hour of special effects generation to telecast what Bucknor says was done. They argue that since replays are telecast within seconds of the live action, there is no time to indulge in any skullduggery. But producers do enjoy considerable discretion in deciding which images, from the 12-25 cameras, they want to place before the third umpire

Now what: Obviously, Bucknor's allegations have stunned the cricketing world. Says former Indian wicket keeper Syed Kirmani. "Every decision is referred to the third umpire these days. Something has to be left to the human eye"

Result: The slightest hint of foul play could blast open a potential can of worms

-Krishna Gopalan

DadA Music In India

Musical revolution: Courtesy DadA

Dadaism is a cultural movement that began in Zurich during the First World War and reached its zenith during 1916-1920. It was a protest against the established cultural mores of that era and was characterised by cynicism, absurdity, irrationality and a rejection of aesthetics. Over the following decades, its influence continued to be felt in modern art. In music, the Dada movement drew inspiration from Africa, signalling a rejection of the more regimented forms of music and a return to nature.

Living Media India, which publishes this magazine and owns Music Today, recently launched four music albums inspired by this movement under the DadA label-Internal Activities, Ambient Spaces Chapter 01, Sonic Vibrations Episode 01 and Psy-meditation. Says Bollywood star Akshay Kumar, who released the albums at the historic Purana Qila in Delhi: "This music is so calm and soulful, it touches the heart." Adds Gurmeet Singh, Business Director of the Music Division of India Today Group: "DadA music connotes a revolution in the field of musical art and brings forth the hidden treasures of music and melody."

The label plans to release three to four albums every month at historical sites all over India, both in metros and in satellite towns. It proposes to launch over 30 compilations both in India and abroad during the current year.

-Pallavi Srivastava

P-WATCH
A bird's eye view of what's hot and what's not on the government's policy radar.

REALITY CHECK FOR PRE-PAID SUBSCRIBER BASE

If you are a pre-paid mobile phone subscriber, expect your friendly telecom operator to come knocking. The Department of Telecommunications (dot) has told mobile operators to verify the correctness of information provided by pre-paid subscribers within 14 days of activating services. The operators have been given five months to verify existing pre-paid customers who make up more than 75 per cent of the country's 90 million-plus subscriber base. "This is part of an ongoing process of improving and installing effective checks and balances, the modalities of which will be finalised by the last week of this month," says Telecom Secretary J.S. Sarma.

-Aman Malik

NEW PLAN TO BOOST INBOUND TOURISM

The ministry of tourism has chalked out a market-oriented plan to boost inbound tourism in the country. It has decided to court large travel operators like Kuoni and Le Passage who bring foreign tourists to India. The ministry will give them three-year interest-free loans over and above the brochure support of $10,000 (Rs 4,50,000) it currently provides. Says Amitabh Kant, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism: "The interest-free loans will be given to tour operators who will double their inbound traffic in the next three years, by when, the loan will also be repayable." He declines to quantify the loan amount each operator will receive or even the aggregate amount his department has set aside for the purpose. "The exact amounts disbursed will vary from operator-to-operator and will also depend on the kind of response we get," he adds.

-Shaleen Agrawal

SEBI WANTS MF DISTRIBUTORS TO BE REGULATED

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) is planning to regulate and control mutual fund distributors. Says M. Damodaran, Chairman, SEBI: "Traditionally, distribution, which is a very important part of the mutual funds value chain, has not been the focus of regulation. But we will do it after studying how it is done elsewhere. We think the Association of Mutual Funds In India is best suited to act as a Self Regulatory Authority, but it is not keen on assuming this additional responsibility. So we will have to see how it can be done." Recently SEBI prescribed guidelines for amortisation of new fund offering (NFO) expenses such that long-term investors aren't punished. SEBI now wants to ensure that investors are offered mutual funds products that are best suited to their (investors') interests and not the ones which offer maximum returns to distributors.

-Mahesh Nayak

FTAS TO BE MORE BALANCED

Prime minister Manmohan Singh's ambitious plans for Free Trade Agreements with the ASEAN and Sri Lanka have run into rough weather. All future pacts-yes, they will not be junked altogether-will have sops for the agricultural sector. Sources say the government will now have to balance economic logic and its political fallout a little more delicately.

-Shalini S. Dagar

Chidambaram: Hiring big time

I-T DEPARTMENT TO HIRE PEOPLE

Here's some bad news if you're a high spender. The Finance Ministry is planning to recruit 10,000 employees to sift through the data on "extravagant spenders" being collected via Annual Information Returns. The new employees will be drawn from other government departments which have surplus manpower. They will be trained for six months at a cost of Rs 100 crore. Nobody in the ministry has yet objected to this rather extravagant way of going about the job.

-Shaleen Agrawal