| MUMBAI:
Sony BMG Music Entertainment is bringing the Columbia Records label to India. Columbia
Records will create a platform for mainstream Indian talent to be developed and
marketed within India and to a growing global audience. Said
Sony BMG Music Entertainment MD Shridhar Subramaniam, "Sony BMG is committed
to identify and develop new Indian music talent and we believe that the time for
breaking artists that are independent of the Indian Film Industry is here. We
are very proud to be launching this label and just like everywhere else in the
world, Columbia will be a hallmark of excellence here in India too." Columbia
Records will have a 360 degree business model. This model, as per company, will
assume a small but significant return on sales at the physical level with essential
contributions coming from the integration of digital, publishing and artist management
revenues. Columbia
Records India label head Sandeep Chauta said, "Although Bollywood music has
found success in mainstream India, most of the songs are commissioned by film
directors in a unique format where music producers are required to create music
that fits to a specific situation in the film. This is exactly the reason why
there is a need for a label that will allow the real expression of music." Dating
back to 1888, Columbia Records was one of the first music companies to produce
phonograph records and create a business for sound recordings. | 
