News Broadcasting
Simon Cowell’s Syco Entertainment inks $125 mn Got Talent securitization deal
Mumbai: Global media and entertainment investment bank ACF has recently advised Syco Entertainment, which resulted in Simon Cowell securitizing the “Got Talent” franchise by signing a groundbreaking $125 million deal.
The Got Talent franchise includes America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent formats that have been commissioned in 72 territories worldwide, including in India on Sony.
The deal will allow the company to use this war-chest to grow the business through a mixture of strategic acquisitions and organic growth projects.
As advised by ACF and law firm Memery Crystal throughout the complex investment deal, Syco worked with their team in both the UK and US over a two-year period. The deal is the first of its kind as it includes securitization of various aspects of the Got Talent intellectual property, which comprise production margins and fees, digital income, franchise and original content sales, and sponsorship income. ACF’s innovative approach used a structure for the Got Talent format more commonly applied to the music industry’s royalty income streams.
ACF founder & CEO Thomas Dey said, “ACF worked with Syco to formulate this financial strategy to support its plans and managed the entire process as the lead bank. Our brief was to create a structure to enable the company to maximise the full potential of its existing passive royalty income stream. ACF has created a winning formula using our extensive experience from across the media and entertainment industries. We are certain that this ground-breaking structure will be one that we will use for many media formats in the future.”
Syco Entertainment director Ian Rosenblatt OBE said, “ACF’s certainly got talent. Their team, led by the ever-tenacious Thomas Dey, delivered on their promises and introduced the perfect partners to achieve our goals.”
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
