MAM
Star India seeks 2002 Grammy Awards sponsors
MUMBAI:The Grammy Awards are back. And they will be airing once again on the Star Network’s English language channel, Star World, and music service Channel [v] come 28 February, 6:30 am-9:30 am. Star India is looking for partners for what is being pegged as the world’s biggest music awards show. On offer are four associate sponsorships for Star World for Rs 1.5 million a piece while the presenting sponsor will have to shell out Rs 2.5 million. The Channel [V] deal relates to three associate sponsorships (Rs 1.74 million each) and a single presenting sponsor (Rs 2.49 million).
The 44th edition of the annual awards features 28 musical genres, ranging from pop and gospel to reggae to polka.This year’s new category entrant is Best Rap-Sung Collaboration taking the total number of awards to be handed out to 101.
Attendees will include the biggest bands in the world like U2 and Aerosmith, the man himself, Bob Dylan and current favourites like Nelly Furtado, Janet Jackson, ‘Nsync and Alicia Keyes. Among the frontrunners for the awards this year include U2 (eight nominations, including album of the year), India Arie (seven nominations), Alicia Keys (six nominations), Pierre Boulez (six nominations), Alison Krauss, Brian McKnight and Outkast (each with five nominations), and T Bone Burnett, Nelly Furtado, Train, Steven Tyler and Lucinda Williams (four nominations each).
The show will have repeats on the same day at 5:30 pm and on Sunday 3 March at – 11:30am on Star World while the repeats on Channel [V] will be on 1 March at 11 pm and Saturday 2 March at 5 pm.
The pitch that the Star Network is making to advertisers: “Associate your brand with the music industry’s biggest and most respected awards show and Target up-market English speaking viewers across India.”
Will advertisers bite?
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.
