When contacted Turner International India managing director Anshuman Misra confirmed that a move was on to get marketing and sales in-house. Without giving details, Misra said in the coming months Turner plans to be aggressive on the sales and distribution front. "We will be doubling our team by the year-end," he added.

The company had recently put out advertisements in leading dailies seeking marketing and distribution professionals and a recruitment drive is currently on. The cumulative strength of the India team is expected to go up to around 50 by the year-end from the current level of around 25, feel industry watchers.

Talks are on with Mediascope Associates for working out a strategic role in marketing and sales. Confirming this, Mediascope Associates managing director Rohinton Maloo said negotiations on this matter and other strategic matters for Turner's India operation are currently on. Turner India is expected to take full charge of marketing and airtime sales operations from August this year.

Mediascope Associates has been acting as the sales agent for Turner channels in the country for around five years, ever since Turner set foot on Indian soil. Turner India has been taking care of distribution.

Interpreting the move as a natural progression, industry analyst feel that by bringing sales, marketing and distribution under one roof Turner is getting its act together to consolidate India operations.

CNN International launched a South Asia feed from July this year. The channel will also be looking at a regional language programming at a later date. The positive market reaction to channels such as HBO and Cartoon Network from the Turner stable also goes well with the move to bring sales in-house, industry analysts feel. "They are certainly going to step up competition in the market," observed a senior marketing professional.