iWorld
PlayboxTV taps Samson Jesudas as new director & business head
New Delhi: Integrated Internet media distribution company PlayboxTV has named Samson Jesudas the new director and business head. Apart from the new role, he will continue to oversee the ISP Business.
As part of his new remit, Jesudas will be responsible for building nationwide PlayboxTV-OTT business using last-mile cable operators as business partners. He would also be responsible to ensure quality of service, corporate governance and customer experience as a key to success. Furthermore, he will play a significant role in the transition of local cable TV operators to the next level of the digital world and train them to give quality digital services to their end subscribers be it broadband or OTT, said the company on Wednesday.
Playbox founder & CEO Aamir Mulani said, “Samson has impeccable business and leadership skills. On behalf of the company’s board members, we welcome him on both of his new roles. We have complete faith in his extensive experience and visionary leadership that will drive the company forward.”
Microscan founder & CEO Sandeep Donde remarked, “Samson is a key person in building Microscan’s retail broadband business and with his amazing network skills and business relationships we feel he’ll do wonders on his additional role building nationwide OTT business.”
Jesudas added, “I am thankful to the board members and management to acknowledge my work and offer this huge responsibility. Furthermore, I am deeply humbled and honoured to lead the company with all my core values to bring positive outcomes to the company’s performance. I am delighted and look forward to working with the team.”
iWorld
Anirudh Ravichander and Universal Music India join forces to take South India’s sound to the world
The composer behind 13 billion streams launches Albuquerque Records with UMI as its exclusive global partner
MUMBAI: Universal Music India has struck an exclusive partnership with Albuquerque Records, the freshly minted independent label of singer-composer Anirudh Ravichander, in a deal that bets big on South India’s booming pop and hip-hop scene going global.
The arrangement, announced on 17 March, will see Universal Music India handle future pop and hip-hop releases by Anirudh himself, as well as artists signed to the new label. A first release is already in the pipeline for April, featuring Anirudh.
The numbers behind the man are hard to ignore. Debuting in 2012 with the viral sensation “Why This Kolaveri Di”, Anirudh has since clocked over 13 billion audio streams across more than 770 tracks, cementing his position as the No.1 South Indian artist on Spotify by total streams. His fingerprints are all over some of the Tamil film industry’s biggest musical moments, from Hukum and Vaathi Coming to Arabic Kuthu and the A23 Theme.
But Albuquerque Records is a different beast. Built for the non-film space, it is designed to nurture independent talent and champion the next wave of Indian pop voices. “Universal Music India’s leadership in pop and hip-hop made them the natural partner,” said Anirudh. “I’m excited to take independent voices to audiences around the world.”
Universal Music India’s chairman and CEO Devraj Sanyal was equally effusive. “Anirudh represents the future of Indian music, bold, original, and with enormous potential,” he said. “Identifying transformative talent is our superpower, and this partnership reflects that belief.”
Sanujeet Bhujabal, managing director of Universal Music India, framed the deal as more than a distribution play. “Albuquerque Records represents Anirudh’s bold artistic vision in the world of pop and hip-hop,” he said. “True to his legacy of innovation, this partnership is set to establish yet another landmark creative space, this time for the emerging world of iPop and beyond.”
For Universal Music India, the deal deepens a long-running push into South India’s four key language markets: Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Telugu. The label already has regional imprints, film partnerships with Maddock Films and Excel Entertainment, and a growing non-film roster. Landing Anirudh, arguably the south’s most bankable music brand, is a statement of intent. South Indian music has the streams. Now it is coming for the world.
