News Broadcasting
Bertelsmann triples profit; Eyes purchases
MUMBAI: The German giant is roaring! Bertelsmann is eyeing acquisitions after its music and TV units helped triple half-year profits, more prominent being Bill Clinton’s memoirs and top music acts.
According to media reports, Bertelsmann chief executive Gunter Thielen said that he was ready to use his group’s $ 2bn (?1.36bn) war chest to invest in growth. Although Thielen declined to comment, it is said that Bertelsmann is looking for acquisitions including part of the British Broadcasting Corporation Worldwide.
But the media reports indicate that BBC has talked to the German group and its bigger US rivals Time Warner and Disney about a possible sale of its BBC Worldwide unit, which owns assets such as magazines and stakes in TV channels.
The world’s fourth largest media group, after years of declining sales at the group, saw the revenues at its music unit BMG and television arm RTL Group rise strongly, while cost cuts across the group also helped earnings, says a company statement.
“Bertelsmann is steadily increasing its scope for investments to strengthen our core businesses and expand in new growth markets. We will pursue appropriate opportunities when they become available.” Thielen is reported to have said in a statement.
“The BMG music division’s recorded music triumphs and RTL Group’s excellent business performance made an essential contribution to this rise in earnings,” he added.
Strong sales and earnings growth at television broadcaster RTL and music unit BMG helped Bertelsmann, owned by the founder’s family and a Belgian investor, to post operating earnings of 596m in the six months to June, up from 186m a year ago, the reports inform.
Former United States president Bill Clinton’s My Life and music acts, including rapper Usher and singer Dido, helped sales increase 3.2 per cent to $ 8.1bn after years of decline. Adjusted for currency effects and portfolio changes, they rose 4 per cent. Cost cuts across the group also helped.
It sold a science publishing unit in 2003 and has consolidated TV station M6 since February.
Bertelsmann’s music division BMG, which last month merged with Japanese electronic giant Sony’s Sony Music, had 74 million euros in earnings, up from a loss last year, as sales rose by 10 per cent despite the still weak global music market, say the reports.
News Broadcasting
TV9 to host What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 in Delhi
PM Narendra Modi to keynote two day forum on India and the world
NEW DELHI: TV9 Network is gearing up to host the fourth edition of its flagship What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 on March 23 and 24 in the national capital, bringing together a wide spectrum of voices to debate India’s place in a shifting global order.
The summit will open with a keynote address by Narendra Modi, setting the tone for this year’s theme, “India and the world”, as the country positions itself at the crossroads of economic growth, geopolitical shifts and technological change.
From cabinet ministers to chief ministers, business leaders to cultural figures, the event promises a crowded stage and a lively exchange of ideas. Union ministers such as Piyush Goyal and Jyotiraditya Scindia are expected to attend, alongside state leaders including Mohan Yadav, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Bhajan Lal Sharma, Nayab Singh Saini and Bhagwant Mann.
Political voices from across the aisle, including Smriti Irani, Akhilesh Yadav and Asaduddin Owaisi, will also join the conversation, ensuring that the debates are as diverse as they are dynamic.
Adding a cultural and sporting touch, personalities such as yoga guru Swami Ramdev, poet Kumar Vishwas and cricketing names like Sourav Ganguly, Axar Patel and Arshdeep Singh are set to share the stage. Global business leaders and diplomats will further widen the lens, reflecting the summit’s international outlook.
Speaking ahead of the event, TV9 Network managing director and chief executive officer Barun Das, said India stands at a unique moment in history, combining demographic strength, technological capability and entrepreneurial energy. He noted that in uncertain times, honest conversations and bold ideas will shape the country’s trajectory.
The summit will explore themes ranging from economic growth and governance to innovation, sustainability and culture, positioning itself as a platform for dialogue at a time when the world is in flux.
With a packed agenda and a high-profile guest list, What India Thinks Today Summit 2026 aims to do more than just talk. It seeks to capture a moment where India is not only part of the global conversation, but increasingly helping lead it.
