DISNEY INDIA
From 'Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil' to 'Satyabhama': Watch new Malayalam movies on OTT platforms like Netflix, Disney+ Hotstar, Prime Video
Discover the latest additions to your streaming lineup with this week's new OTT releases. From the comedy-drama 'Guruvayoor Ambala Nadayil' to the Hindi debut of 'Aavesham', and the gripping crime thriller 'Satyabhama', these films promise entertainment across Disney+Hotstar and Prime Video. Additionally, upcoming Malayalam releases like 'Turbo' and 'Malayalee from India' offer a diverse mix of genres to cater to every viewer's taste.
T20 World Cup final sets peak concurrency at 53 million, just shy of record high
The T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa peaked at 53 million concurrent viewers, though it fell short of last year's India-Australia 50-over World Cup final in terms of peak viewership. Led by Rohit Sharma, India clinched their first major ICC trophy in 11 years with a thrilling seven-run victory
India’s T20 cricket world cup victory likely to boost ad revenue
India won the T-20 Cricket World Cup after 13 years, boosting cricket's revenue potential. Disney Star, the official media rights holder, expected $2.2 billion in advertising revenue. The game, blending US-style marketing with Bollywood glamour, saw high ad prices. The tournament, held partly in the US, ended with a dramatic final. Legends Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli retired from T-20 cricket after the victory.
India in T20 World Cup final, Disney Star hikes ad rates
Star Sports is the official TV broadcast partner of the tournament. Prior to the tournament, the broadcaster had quoted spot buy rates of ₹13-26 lakh per 10-second slots for India and knockout games. The average ad rate for all 55 matches of the tournament works out at ₹6.5-7 lakh due to lower than expected demand from advertisers.
Fremantle India's 'Bad Cop' garners 3.1 million views on Disney+ Hotstar
The show was also listed on Ormax Media’s 5 most watched OTT shows and Movies for the time period 17 – 23 June 2024 with 3.1 million views within four days of its release. Bad Cop, which has been reimagined for India by Fremantle India, is based on RTL’s original German drama of the same name. The shows cast includes Gulshan Devaiah, Anurag Kashyap, Harleen Sethi, Sushmita Aiswaria and Saurav Sachdeva.
Tata Play’s loss widens 3-fold as DTH takes a hit
Tata Play’s net loss for fiscal 2024 surged more than threefold due to heightened competition in its direct-to-home (DTH) TV distribution business. The company reported a net loss of Rs 354 crore for the fiscal year ended March 31, compared to Rs 105 crore the previous year. Revenue from operations fell by over 4% to Rs 4,304 crore, while expenses rose 1.47% to Rs 4,761 crore. The DTH segment posted a net loss of Rs 247 crore, while the broadband business saw a narrower net loss and a 27% revenue increase.
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Anil Jayaraj quits as CEO of Viacom18 Sports
Anil Jayaraj, Viacom18's sports CEO, resigned after nearly three years. His departure coincides with Viacom18's merger with Star India under Reliance Industries. Sources revealed Jayaraj submitted his resignation on Monday, but Viacom18 did not respond to requests for comments
Graphic India's animated shows grab top spot on Disney+ Hotstar
Graphic India's animated shows, The Legend of Hanuman and Baahubali: Crown of Blood, have achieved top positions on Disney+ Hotstar's rankings in India. The milestone marks a groundbreaking success for Indian animation. Creator Sharad Devarajan aims to showcase Indian talent and stories globally. Graphic India plans to expand into theatrical animation, including an upcoming project with Neil Gaiman.
TV channel rates may soon go up by 5-8%
In January, leading broadcasters raised their base bouquet rates by 10%, with Viacom18 going for the highest increase of over 25% due to the addition of Indian cricket rights and increase in the market share of general entertainment channels. The new pricing was to come into effect in February.
Sony Pictures looking at multiple candidates to replace NP Singh
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is reportedly considering multiple candidates to replace its India CEO, NP Singh, who is retiring. Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) has hired Disney Star executive Gaurav Bannerjee as its next CEO, although no official word has been provided by the company. Singh, who has been with SPNI for nearly three decades, will transition to an advisory role once the new CEO takes charge.
Sony eyeing M&A opportunities in India post termination of Zee deal: Tony Vinciquerra
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is in discussions for potential merger and acquisition deals in India following the collapse of its merger deal with Zee Entertainment. The deal between Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) and Zee couldn't go through due to regulatory issues and the deterioration of the Indian entertainment giant's financials. SPE's India arm held discussions with Viacom18 in 2020 to combine the two businesses.
Disney Star onboards 19 sponsors for ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024
Disney Star announced 19 sponsors for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, including Dream 11, Maruti, and more. The tournament, starting on June 1 and featuring 20 teams, will have 55 matches played across the US and West Indies. Matches will be broadcast on Star Sports and streamed for free on Disney+ Hotstar.
Sony appoints Disney's Banerjee as new India CEO
Sony has appointed Disney executive Gaurav Banerjee as its new India CEO to lead television and media businesses. Banerjee, previously head of content for Disney's Hotstar and TV channels in Hindi-speaking markets, will join Sony in about two months. Disney declined to comment. Sony recently scrapped a merger with Zee Entertainment.
IPL 2024 audience reach on TV, digital platforms hits a record
IPL 2024 became the largest ever edition in terms of audience reach on TV and digital. The official broadcaster Star Sports recorded an audience reach of 546 million for 67 matches, with more data yet to come out.
Viacom18, Star India move CCI for merger approval
Viacom18 and Star India have sought CCI approval for their merger deal, assuring minimal competition impact in India. The merger deal may face intense CCI scrutiny since the combine will dominate both the TV broadcasting and streaming markets in the country with over 100 TV channels and two streaming platforms — JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar.
Reliance Industries seeks CCI approval for Viacom18-Star India merger
Reliance Industries, led by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, has sought approval from the Competition Commission of India (CCI) for an $8.5 billion merger between Viacom18 and Star India Pvt Ltd (SIPL). The merger aims to combine the entertainment businesses of Viacom18, part of Reliance Industries, with SIPL, a wholly-owned subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (TWDC). Post-merger, SIPL will become a joint venture held by RIL, Viacom18, and TWDC subsidiaries.
Reliance, Disney seek India antitrust nod with cricket rights assurance
Reliance Industries and Walt Disney have applied for antitrust clearance for their $8.5 billion media merger in India, arguing that their combined influence, particularly in cricket broadcasting, will not negatively impact advertisers. The deal, announced in February, is anticipated to face close scrutiny due to its potential to establish India's largest entertainment entity, with extensive TV channels, streaming services, and cricket rights. The companies have assured the Competition Commission of India (CCI) that the cricket rights were obtained through a competitive bidding process, and competitors can bid when these rights expire in 2027 and 2028.
Disney said to sell 30% stake in Tata Play to Tata Group, valuing co at $1 billion
The deal came as the India’s media landscape is going through a major shakeup. Disney signed a binding agreement in late February to combine its India Unit with viacom 18 media pvt, creating an $8.5 billion entertainment giant that will have 750 million viewers and dominate the sector in the world’s populous country.
Disney+ Hotstar unveils a revamped platform to tap advertisement money
Disney+ Hotstar has launched a new version of its self-serve platform ahead of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024. The upgraded platform offers seamless ad experiences in five languages. The platform offers end-to-end automation and a campaign setup process of less than three hours. It supports ads for live sports and entertainment. It will give incentives for first-time advertisers, making it accessible and efficient for businesses of all sizes.
NCLT sets the ball rolling on merger of Reliance's arm Viacom18 and Star India
The merger scheme has two stages: the transfer of Viacom18's TV and streaming assets to Digital18 and the demerger and vesting of these assets from Digital18 to Star India. As consideration for the scheme, Viacom18 will transfer streaming platform JioCinema to Digital18, which will pay the company a consideration of Rs 24,186 crore through an allotment of 24.18 billion fully paid-up shares of Rs 10 each.
Anime Kingdom: OTTs step up investments to draw youth
Anime content is taking centre stage on over-the-top (OTT) platforms in India as streamers look to ape the traditional TV model of offering diverse content slate that caters to different age groups and demographics, amid the summer vacation for schools and colleges.
Star Sports records 51 crore IPL viewers in 51 matches as race to playoffs intensifies
Disney Star, the broadcaster of the Tata IPL, has achieved remarkable viewership milestones as the tournament nears its finals. Star Sports, which airs the tournament, has garnered 51 crore viewers in the first 51 matches, a 5% growth from the previous high of 2019. The broadcaster also saw an 18% growth in minutes of total watch time, with 35,600 crore minutes spent. The IPL continues to attract fans with high-scoring matches and intense games.
ICC rights may bleed Disney's streaming entertainment business
Disney's streaming profit faces loss due to ICC rights on Disney+ Hotstar. Iger expects weaker Q3 tied to Indian sports. Zee Entertainment disputes ICC TV rights in arbitration.
Watch T20 World Cup for free! Disney+ Hotstar to stream mega cricket event without a charge
T20 World Cup: Disney+ Hotstar announced that Indian smartphone users can stream the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup for free on their OTT platform, following the success of a similar model during the ODI World Cup and Asia Cup. The T20 World Cup 2024 will be held in the USA and the Caribbean, featuring 20 teams across multiple venues. Scheduled to start on June 2, shortly after the Indian Premier League, the event is highly anticipated by fans, especially those supporting the Indian cricket team led by Rohit Sharma.
Star India's sports losses widen by 50% to $342 million in H1 FY24
Star India's sports business operating loss reached $342M for six months till March 30, surpassing $228M last fiscal. Walt Disney's revenue hit $504M, with costs at $786M due to IPL cricket programming expenses. Ad revenue doubled to $221M.
Walt Disney incurs $2b+ goodwill impairment charge linked to Star India in 2nd quarter
The US entertainment giant, which has signed a merger deal with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), has recorded a $1.3 billion non-cash goodwill impairment charge related to the India merger deal, as per a regulatory filing.
Paramount Global exited Reliance's Viacom18 with attractive returns: Top executive
Paramount Global's recent sale of its 13.01% stake in Viacom18 to Reliance Industries has allowed the company to exit its Indian joint venture with a profitable return on investment. Paramount fully divested from Viacom18 for ₹4,286 crore, while continuing content licensing agreements. The transaction is expected to close by the end of 2024 or early 2025, pending regulatory approval. The merger agreement between RIL, Walt Disney's Star India, and Viacom18 will impact the ownership structure, with RIL and Viacom18 set to hold a majority stake in the proposed merged entity.
Temasek sells 10% stake in Tata Play to Tata Sons for Rs 835 crore
Tata Play, India's largest DTH firm with 21 million subscribers, has intimated the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) about the change in shareholding, according to one of the persons, who did not wish to be identified. Under the DTH rules, licence holders are required to inform the ministry about a change in shareholding or partnership or foreign direct investment pattern.
Disney+ Hotstar eyes 450 million viewers from free streaming of T20 WC
"Disney+ Hotstar will stream the T20 World Cup for free on mobile, having achieved tremendous success with the 50-over WC in 2023," said a source close to the development, adding that CTV audiences will have to subscribe to either Rs 299/three months or Rs 499/three months plans to stream the event.
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