Media baron Rupert Murdoch's STAR Network has plunged into India's Internet market, taking control of portal indya.com, a key part of its strategy to put television and the Internet on the same screen.
After taking control of indya.com, STAR will soon unveil a combined Internet and television strategy for advertisers which company officials say could serve as a role model for Murdoch's ambitious Sky Global Network platform.
India, a nation of one billion people, has more than 70 million television homes, and about half of them have access to satellite or cable TV. Its Internet subscriber base, currently around three million, is forecast to hit 15 million in two years.
The portal addresses the 15-30 age group and plans to build several services offered or negotiated over the Internet.
Indya.com has had its share of hiccups linked to the "dotcom" bust and has axed 40 people, or about 20 percent of its staff.
