Bertelsmann firms up India plans as others show interest

Not by design, but a strange coincidence has led these visits being dubbed as three important media events happening in the course of a single week.

With nearly euro 800-900 million investment in China, and with interests as varied as television, publishing (in India the company’s presence is confined to Random House), radio and music, the Bertelsmann chief assured that his company’s presence would be stronger in India as compared to China.

“We could be stronger here than in China,” Thielen responded when asked about his investment plans for India restricted as it is now to a BPO unit and publishing house Random House.

As a beginning, the company is likely to set up its local unit — Bertelsmann India —as part of long-term strategy for India looking into diverse media fields such as publishing and television.

While Parsons was here for the first time since he was made chairman and CEO last year —at a time when the company’s stock had plummeted, ad revenues were on a downward slide and subscriber sign-up rates had slowed down considerably as media reports suggested —his visit was bound to arouse curiosity, doused quickly by officials around Parsons who chose to keep journalists out.

Though Parson’s business intentions were not made public, it is learnt that he did meet up Subhash Chandra of Zee which has tied up a distribution deal with Turner, Sony’s Kunal Dasgupta and other media barons from the press at a private dinner, in addition to his meetings with officials from Time Warner stable.

Thielen on the other hand, said as his company had demonstrated its prowess in diverse media fields, publishing, television and strengthening their business process outsourcing unit here are their key interests in India. Bertelsmann has a BPO unit Bird Group set in operation nine months ago.

With business interests in television, radio, music and publishing in over 50 countries in the world, Thielen refrained from putting a figure to its investments in India but said he is keen on publishing (“important to get Indian works translated and sold”) and intent on picking up stakes in media houses. “Why, not,” retorted Thielen when asked whether his company would pick up stakes in Indian television companies.

Music is another area of interest to the company. In fact till about two years ago, Bertelsmann’s BMG Crescendo had a presence here but had to shut down following rampant piracy —plans to start may be recast if piracy is checked.