MAM
Play By The Rules With PPL India
Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) is India’s largest organization licensing and monetising ‘Public Performance rights’ and ‘Radio Broadcasting rights’ for over 3 million national and international songs across 340+ top-notch music labels like Aditya Music, Anand Audio, Lahiri Music, Muzik 247, Saregama, Sony Music, Speed Records, SVF Music, Times Music, T-Series, Universal Music, Venus to name a few.
Each year the music industry produces hundreds of songs, many of which resonate with the audience and become a part of our cultural ethos. In the last few years, there has been an intense drive to increase compliance from users of copyrighted sound recordings for public performance purposes. Enforcement authorities as well as judiciary have played a major role alongside simplification and rationalization of tariffs by PPL.
The implementation of digital initiatives such as PLUS have speeded up the process of obtaining a license and the response from businesses and event management companies has been heart-warming. India is now at par with some of the most developed markets in terms of copyright compliance and is seeing this revenue go back into the development of artists and repertoire. In its endeavour to further increase compliance, PPL is consistently taking efforts to identify defaulters and ensuring that they are dealt with, under the relevant provisions of law.
Commenting on the same, Rajat Kakar, MD & CEO, PPL India said, “I am delighted that there has been a huge surge in establishments taking on performance licenses for both background music and events. I am thankful to the users of sound recordings for coming forward to obtain licenses in large numbers. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the enforcement teams across the country for ensuring that the rightful earnings of owners of sound recording are being protected.
The technology initiatives and professional work processes, at PPL, are ensuring that right owners are being fairly compensated. India is being seen as a shining example of copyright compliance and ethical practices by international agencies that seek to protect intellectual property rights. I urge the few misguided non-compliant users to come forward to obtain a license for usage of sound recordings for public performance and play music by the rules.”
Under the Copyright Act 1957, each and every establishment or individual must obtain consent from the copyright owners of the music before they intend to play it publicly. PPL by virtue of controlling over 3 million songs, makes this process a simplified one by offering a single window license for usage of all its members’ works.
PPL’s dominant share of International, Hindi and Regional music is available to users for Public Performance and Radio Broadcast.
PPL encourages all users to procure the requisite License to avoid legal proceedings against them. As any offence under Section 51 & 63 of the Copyright Act of 1957, is an infringement of PPL’s copyright and punishable by law.
Brands
ZEEL transfers syndication business, invests Rs 505 crore in IP push
Restructuring, stake buy and FCCB moves signal sharper content strategy
MUMBAI: In the content economy, owning the story is half the battle monetising it is the real game, and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is doubling down on both. The company has approved the transfer of its syndication and content licensing business to its wholly owned subsidiary ZI-IPR Enterprises, alongside an investment of Rs 505 crore aimed at strengthening its play in content intellectual property (IP) acquisition, management and monetisation. The move, effective April 1, 2026, will see the business transferred on a slump sale basis at book value, including all associated assets, liabilities and commercial rights effectively consolidating IP operations under a more focused structure.
At its core, the restructuring signals a strategic shift. As content consumption increasingly fragments across digital and global platforms, the value of IP lies not just in creation but in how efficiently it can be distributed, repackaged and monetised across markets. By housing its syndication engine within ZI-IPR Enterprises, ZEEL appears to be building a more agile and scalable ecosystem, one that can better extract value from its vast content library while adapting to evolving distribution models.
But the company’s ambitions are not limited to restructuring. ZEEL has also approved an investment of up to Rs 20.09 crore in Culture of Real Experiences (CORE), acquiring a 51 per cent stake in the entity. The move expands its footprint into the broader creative and experiential space, suggesting a push beyond traditional broadcasting into areas where content, culture and immersive experiences intersect.
At the same time, ZEEL has moved to tidy up its financials, approving the redemption of $23.9 million in outstanding foreign currency convertible bonds (FCCBs) and cancelling an unused $215.1 million commitment. The twin steps are expected to ease pressure on its treasury, freeing up capital and improving financial flexibility as the company invests more aggressively in its IP strategy.
Taken together, the decisions reflect a company in recalibration mode streamlining legacy structures, sharpening its focus on content ownership, and exploring new avenues for growth. In a market where the lines between television, streaming and experiential entertainment are increasingly blurred, ZEEL’s latest moves suggest it is not just creating content, but building a system to make that content travel further and pay better.
