Unveiling the pan Asian media and entertainment major's future plans to The Financial Express, UTV Interactive's chief executive officer Biren Ghose said, "We have already developed the software to re-purpose the television-type content into 3, 5 and 7-minute duration to be digitised and coded for Internet files."

Talking about the company's ambitious project, he said, UTV has already initiated steps to become an animation hub for servicing clients worldwide, having trained and built a base of 450 animators at Asia's first Animation School in Mumbai.

The new animation world creations are likely to be christened `UTV Toons', he hinted.

At current rates, he pointed out, the complex animation job could be done in India at $20 per minute as compared to an average of $7,500 per minute required for a `webisode'.

"If we could procure a 13-Webisode job for a client abroad, it could fetch us $ 0.5 million straight. Shooting Webisodes is a complex and time-consuming job, as the bulk of 2-D animation programmes are done by hand against the backdrop of elaborate sets with the help of actors, camera crew and supporting staff." He added, "We are working with Microsoft for Interactive training and spent over $2.5 million on software and technology for creating interactive modules."

Mr Ghosh, who was in Ahmedabad in connection with signing an agreement with city-based IceNet ISP provider, said that UTV proposed to enter broadband pockets in 10 to 15 cities during the next six months. It is in advanced stage of negotiations with local providers in Pune, Delhi and Bangalore. In Mumbai, it has already reached 1,000 homes.

He said that while the two regional channels, `Kemchho.com' in Gujarati and `Tamizha-Tamizha.com' in Tamil, are in the narrow band, Asia's first on demand audio-video streaming portal `Sharkstream.com' from Singapore is in broadband.

With broadband connectivity promising to be the order of the day, he exuded confidence that the television-type programmes for Internet of shorter duration is sure to happen in the West, and will soon be popular in Asia.