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FremantleMedia, Sony BMG sign 50:50 JV
MUMBAI: Fremantle International Distribution (FID) has signed a joint venture agreement with Bertelsmann’s music publishing business, Sony BMG to maximise opportunities in the expanding popular culture and music event programming market.
Currently, the global music DVD business is estimated to be worth $3.5 billion and is growing at a rate of 10 per cent annually. In the UK, 200 million DVD units were sold in 2004 alone, of which 15 per cent was music-related, valuing the music DVD business at ?60.7 million.
The 50:50 joint venture will see FID, which has distribution operations in London, Berlin, Madrid, Singapore, Sydney, New York and Miami and Sony BMG, which has established relationships with major music artists and on-the-ground DVD operations in over 50 markets, unite their global sales operations in TV programme and DVD distribution. The new venture will provide a unique one-stop-shop for major music artists and other popular culture properties with international appeal.
Under the agreement, the pair will jointly exploit Sony BMG’s back catalogue of TV properties as well as invest in music event programming that has the potential to be exploited on television and DVD internationally. The aim is to create and distribute four to six new TV/DVD properties per year and to co-ordinate the international exploitation across all media to fully maximise the potential of each event.
Commenting on the deal, Fremantle International Distribution managing director David Ellender said, “Demand for event pop culture and music programming internationally is strong and we have proven strength in related genres through American Idol, Project Runway, and existing Sony BMG music titles such as Britney Spears: In the Zone, Maroon 5, One Night with Rod Stewart and other music specials. The joint venture will enable us to create with Sony BMG even bigger scale product in these genres and allow Fremantle International Distribution to share in the global DVD market, which will benefit from the TV exposure we can deliver.”
Sony BMG UK Visual Media’s Solomon Nwabueze added, “No one has yet combined international DVD and TV exploitation in one entity. Artists and creative talent have to enter multiple deals with no co-ordination between TV and record companies. The music television distribution business is more akin to a ‘cottage industry’ dominated by numerous specialist companies allied to establish record companies or independents with DVD sales focus, not TV. We see this as a logical next step that will be mutually beneficial for both parties and artists.”
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
