ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • Studio 100 Media closes deal with SPI International for digital rights to air 2D animation classics

    Studio 100 Media closes deal with SPI International for digital rights to air 2D animation classics

    Mumbai, 14 July 2022. The leading independent studio for kids and family entertainment, Studio 100 Media, has closed a multi-brand deal with global media company SPI International for digital exploitation of several 2D animation classic series from its extensive catalogue.

    The contract will give SPI non-exclusive worldwide AVOD and SVOD rights (with the exception of a few territories per program) on SPI platforms such as FilmBox+, FilmBox on Demand, Film1, ToonzBox and ToonzStream.

    The shows Maya the Bee, Heidi, Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland will be available on-demand in various language versions, including English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.

  • Ashwani Rana appointed as chief public policy officer of Zupee

    Ashwani Rana appointed as chief public policy officer of Zupee

    Mumbai: Mobile gaming platform Zupee on Thursday announced the appointment of Ashwani Rana as the chief public policy officer.

    He brings with him an experience of around three decades of senior leadership and his work is widely acknowledged in the area of Internet and telecom policies and regulations.

    Prior to his new role, Ashwani was associated with Meta as director of public policy for more than six years. Before Meta he was with Bharti Airtel for more than a decade as their chief regulatory office (operations). He has worked closely with top trade organisations in the country and headed many committees there. Over the years, he has led numerous policy initiatives at company and industry level. He holds Master’s in Business Law, Public Policy and Management.

    Congratulating Ashwani Rana on joining the organisation, Zupee founder and CEO Dilsher Singh Malhi said, “We are delighted to have Ashwani on board. With extensive experience of navigating a variety of regulatory challenges, he will be instrumental in steering Zupee through the evolving online gaming regulatory landscape.”  

    Speaking on his appointment, Ashwini Rana said, “This is an exciting time to be part of the online gaming industry that will have a transformational effect on the digital economy of India. I look forward to playing an active role in the growth of Zupee and working with the government and other stakeholders towards enabling policies for this sector.”

  • FanCode expects India West Indies series to grow its user base to 100 mn sports fans

    FanCode expects India West Indies series to grow its user base to 100 mn sports fans

    MUMBAI: Last year the Dream Sports owned digital platform FanCode had taken the media rights for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) till 2024. The Indian cricket team will play West Indies in an eight match series comprising three ODIs and five Twenty20 Internationals. The series runs from 22 July – 7 August 2022. 

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco highlighted the importance of matches being played during primetime. “We expect the event to grow our FanCode user base to 100 million sports fans.”

    The platform is being innovative in terms of its pricing. He explains that the focus has always rested on subscription packaging being inclusive and easily accessible for sports fans across the country. “For the India tour, fans will get to watch the entire tour of three ODIs and five T20s by paying just Rs 99. Fans will also be able to take a monthly subscription of FanCode, which will include events like The Hundred, and other cricket internationals featuring New Zealand, Bangladesh, Pakistan & Zimbabwe, in addition to the India West Indies tour for Rs 199. First, we are also creating an “ad free” premium subscription, where users will get to watch each match without ads for the price of Rs 159,” he explains.

    He further noted that the Caribbean is home to some of the most entertaining cricket played in the world. “Our partnership with Cricket West Indies is a comprehensive one, which includes close to 400 matches from the Caribbean featuring some of world cricket’s biggest and brightest stars, over a four year period. The partnership has allowed us to give millions of cricket fans in India the opportunity to experience FanCode and the many digital innovations we are bringing to fans in redefining their sports consumption experience.”

    He goes on to note that FanCode is the first-ever digital-only platform to host an India bilateral series and the entire coverage of the event will be customised for digital audiences. The aim he noted is to put the fan first. “Fans will now have the ability to choose the highlights they want to watch with the “real time highlights” feature, access real time stats like wagon wheels, manhattans, etc., through interactive overlays on the “Match Hub” and choose their commentator of choice.”

    FanCode, as had been reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, has sublicensed the broadcast rights to DD Sports. It marks the first time in over two decades that the pubcaster will air India cricket exclusively. “We are laser focused on providing great user experiences and solving for accessibility gaps that fans have in sports consumption & experience. DD Sports reach in smaller cities and towns is unbeatable, making it the ideal partner to help broadcast the tour on linear television while we continue to build a superior digital experience for fans nationally” he said.

    Talking about cricket properties that FanCode has besides WICB, he said that the platform also has partnerships with the English Cricket Board, New Zealand Cricket, the ICC, Afghanistan Cricket Board, Zimbabwe Cricket, Cricket Ireland, Cricket Scotland, KNCB (Netherlands), Cricket Namibia and Malaysia Cricket. It is the exclusive partner for Vitality Blast, The Hundred, which are events done by the English Cricket Board. For the record, The Hundred is both a recently introduced event and a new format. There are 100 balls per innings for example.

    Also Read: FanCode & DD Sports partner for exclusive TV broadcast of India tour of West Indies

    It is also worth noting that Vitality Blast was established by the England & Wales Cricket Board in 2003 as the first professional Twenty20 league in the world. It was back when the concept of Twenty20 cricket was alien to India. Sharing his views on The Hundred, he said the format has been well thought out and is innovative in achieving its goal of engaging younger audiences better. “The response for the event last year was very positive and we expect the fan base for the event to grow exponentially this year.”

    FanCode is also the ICC exclusive partner for all Pathway (World Cup Qualifier) events. It is also the exclusive partner for the cricket boards in Zimbabwe, Ireland and Afghanistan. In addition to this, it is a partner for New Zealand’s Twenty20 competition Super Smash.

    When asked if viewership for non India cricket is growing, he said, “Sports fandom has grown exponentially in India, especially among the youth. What has been missing is the depth in coverage of non-India cricket events and an integrated experience for sports fans. We are constantly striving to solve both these fan problems & the response has already been tremendous, as evident by over 50 million sports fans who have used FanCode”.

  • Netflix’s to showcase its global fan event Tudum on 24 September

    Netflix’s to showcase its global fan event Tudum on 24 September

    Mumbai: OTT platform Netflix has announced that its global virtual event Tudum is back. The event that it said garnered over 25 million views from Netflix fans in 184 countries around the world last year is returning on 24 September 2022 with five global events in 24 hours. At 11 a.m IST (10:30 p.m PT 23 September), fans will be treated to a fun look at what’s ahead from India.

    On 24 September, Tudum will span four continents with five events, taking fans on a trip around the world. The day will have exclusive news, never-before-seen footage, trailers, and first looks, as well as interviews with Netflix’s biggest stars and creators. The free virtual event is a celebration of Netflix fandom and is dedicated to sharing the scoop on over 100 fan favourite shows, films and specials from across the globe.

    At 11:00 a.m KST (7:00 p.m. PT September 23), Tudum kicks off with a show out of Korea. At 10 a.m PT, fans will get exclusive news from shows and movies coming out of the US and Europe, as well as an additional event which previews the great entertainment coming from Latin America.

    Finally at 1 p.m. JST 25 September (9 p.m. PT September 24), stars from Japan will close out Tudum with a celebration of  Japanese entertainment.

    Tudum is a Netflix Global Fan Event that will be available across Netflix YouTube channels in a number of different languages. 

  • Apple TV+ announces a new doc series Gutsy from Hillary & Chelsea Clinton

    Apple TV+ announces a new doc series Gutsy from Hillary & Chelsea Clinton

    Mumbai:  OTT platform Apple TV+ has announced Gutsy. This is an eight-part documentary event following former US First Lady, former US Senator and former US secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton and her daughter Chelsea Clinton as they celebrate the gutsy women who inspire them. It will premiere on 9 September.

    Based on the Clintons’ New York Times bestselling book, ‘The Book of Gutsy Women’. The docuseries features Hillary and Chelsea as they embark on a journey to speak with women artists, activists, community leaders and everyday heroes who show us what it truly means to be gutsy. The Apple TV+ series shows Hillary and Chelsea as you’ve never seen them before, revealing their special mother-daughter bond and the unique, multi-generational way they approach the important and timely issues highlighted in each episode.

    Joining the Clintons are some of their personal heroes,  who have made an impact in their community and on the world. They include Kim Kardashian, Megan Thee Stallion, Dr. Jane Goodall, Gloria Steinem, Wanda Sykes, Amy Schumer, Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson.

  • BBC Studios’ flagship content and customer event BBC Showcase relocates to London

    BBC Studios’ flagship content and customer event BBC Showcase relocates to London

    Mumbai: BBC Studios has announced that its flagship content and customer event “BBC Showcase” will return as an in-person experience in 2023 with a fresh focus on upstream creative projects from across its range of production houses, labels and partners.

    Taking place on 27-28 February, BBC Studios’ “Showcase” will relocate to London following nine years in Liverpool.

    BBC Studios CEO global distribution Rebecca Glashow said, “As the market, and our own business changes, so does “Showcase.” Expect to see our offer to customers evolve from a content juggernaut to a series of highly curated match-making opportunities that brings our most valued partners, producers and programmes together so the richest conversations can take place.”

    BBC Studios Productions CEO Ralph Lee said, “Reconnecting with customers for those early co-pro and pre-sales conversations was invaluable to our producers at the recent natural history, science and docs days and we’re looking forward to doing the same thing, across the whole range of our content at “Showcase.”’

    The “BBC’s Showcase” began its life in the Old Ship in Brighton in 1976 when 25 European buyers squeezed into the old seafront hotel to watch classic BBC shows like Fawlty Towers, The Good Life and Doctor Who. During the 1980s, the event moved around Sussex, Bournemouth, Edinburgh, Bristol, Stratford-Upon-Avon and Harrogate before returning to Brighton and then, in 2012, finding a new home at Liverpool’s ACC. The last two “Showcases” were virtual.

    Alongside the new look “Showcase,” BBC Studios will maximise its global network of local experts, from L.A. to Beijing, to bring content to customers in ways and times that best suit them throughout the year.

    Of “Showcase’s” association with Liverpool, director content sales Louise McNab said, ‘We owe all at the ACC and the city of Liverpool a huge debt of gratitude for hosting us for many memorable years. The welcome we received was unparalleled and we had some wonderful times that will live long in the memory. I’d like to thank everyone involved for the part they played.’

    The BBC Studios’ international production and formats teams will also be at “BBC Showcase” and will present their newest slate of launches to global partners, sharing fresh ideas and key successes from around the world.

    Further details about BBC Studios “Showcase” will be announced in the forthcoming months.

  • Content consumption on OTT apps increases the growth of smartphone users, finds ZEE5 Intelligence Monitor research

    Content consumption on OTT apps increases the growth of smartphone users, finds ZEE5 Intelligence Monitor research

    Mumbai: Over 50 percent of smartphone users in the metros are planning to replace their gadgets within the next six months, according to a research conducted by the OTT platform ZEE5.

    In its fourth edition knowledge series ‘ZEE5 Intelligence Monitor’ report, the video streaming platform highlighted the latest trends prevailing in the Indian smartphone industry.

    The ZEE5 research discovered the consumption of an exciting and wide variety of content on OTT apps is another new driver for this upward movement. The post-covid trend is to grab the latest model; with latest features’ scoring well above price as the key motivator.

    The research also found that brand reputation, features and technology are the leading factors that determine consumers’ preferences. Moreover, two out of five viewers intend to purchase a phone which costs Rs 30,000 or above; with a higher tendency among the 35-44 age group. Besides uncovering the fascinating new consumer behaviour and the contrasting preferences between metro and non-metro consumers in their smartphones’ purchase and usage, the ‘ZEE5 Intelligence Monitor – Smartphones Consumer Insights and Trends Report’ also highlighted the symbiotic relationship between smartphones and OTT platforms.

    Launching the report, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises chief operations officer – revenue Rajiv Bakshi said, “By deep diving into the smartphones segment, we have unearthed amazing new insights on user behaviour which can lead the brand marketers to attract millions of customers eager to upgrade and replace their smartphones. We hope this report will act as a guidebook for marketeers and smartphone brands and serve to be distinctive for the industry at large. Marketers and business leaders can use these findings to make smarter business decisions and hyper-target campaigns utilising the ZEE5 platform to connect with audiences in 12 languages.”

    The report also said that 70 per cent of the non-metro respondents are inclined to buy their next smartphone online. The research revealed that men are more brand conscious and have twice the share of women consumers in the Rs 50,000+ segment. Women appear price and deal-conscious & dominate the Rs 10,000 segment.  

    ZEE5 Intelligence Monitor report also uncovered transformative consumer behaviour, attitudes, and aspirations across multiple industries ranging from e-commerce, EdTech, and online gaming to smartphones, presenting an unmatched opportunity to advertisers to access a hyper-enriched predisposed audience cohort across multiple demographics and geographies.

  • David Beckham’s documentary series coming soon, and Netflix to produce it

    David Beckham’s documentary series coming soon, and Netflix to produce it

    Mumbai: OTT platform Netflix is in the production of a documentary series about global football star David Beckham. The multi-part series will go beyond the shine of stardom to explore Beckham’s humble working-class beginnings in East London, and the drive & determination that led him to become one of the most recognisable and scrutinised athletes of all time.
     
    It will feature a mixture of never-before-seen personal archive footage from the last 40 years and interviews with David Beckham, his family and friends, and key figures who have been part of his journey both on and off the pitch.
     
    The project is helmed by Academy Award-winner Fisher Stevens (PALMER, And We Go Green, The Cove) who serves as director and executive producer, along with Academy Award and Emmy Award-winning producer John Battsek (One Day in September, Searching for Sugar Man, Winter on Fire).
     
    The production companies are Studio 99 in association with Ventureland.

  • Eros Now announces partnership with Fetch TV; expands in Australia

    Eros Now announces partnership with Fetch TV; expands in Australia

    Mumbai: South Asian OTT platform Eros Now owned by Eros Media World (a global entertainment company) on has announced that Eros Now has expanded its presence in Australia through a partnership with the leading Australian content aggregation platform Fetch TV. Fetch viewers will now have access to Eros Now’s rich content library across multiple languages & genres. 

    The collaboration is in line with Eros Now’s strategy to focus on growing direct-to-consumer relationships while strengthening and expanding key distribution partnerships.  This new distribution partnership with Fetch TV provides over 6,30,000 active Fetch subscribers with access to Eros Now’s rich content of over 12,000 Indian movies, originals, music, short-form content, and more across several languages and genres.

    Eros Now CEO Ali Hussein said, “Streaming platforms are gaining popularity worldwide and have emerged as a key driver for multilingual content across a wider audience segment. Fetch TV has been a leading aggregator of streaming services and other entertainment content in the Australian market for over 10 years. This collaboration will certainly help us enhance our horizons in terms of international audience and their preferences, and further strengthen our offering.”

    India enjoys a strong connection with Australia generated through its shared colonial history, growing Indian diaspora in the region, Bollywood, cricket, and tourism. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics data, with over two per cent increase, Indians comprise the third largest population base in Australia. Additionally, Australia is among the most popular destinations for Indian students. With a good mix of young, old, and native South Asian population base, demand for Indian content has surged across the continent.

    Commenting on the collaboration, Fetch TV chief content and commercial officer Sam Hall said, “We are witnessing a huge demand for streaming services amongst our customers and have observed a shift in demand for multilingual content from traditional linear channels to streaming. We are thrilled to collaborate with a South Asian streaming leader like Eros Now to offer existing and future Fetch subscribers’ access to popular and high-quality South Asian content.”

    Fetch combines free-to-air TV channels, catch-up, premium linear channels, streaming apps, and movies all in one place. It offers an intuitive user experience (UX) and universal voice search to make it easy for users to find and view content. First time users of Eros Now will have access to a one month free trial on Fetch, allowing them to enjoy Eros Now’s premium content such as “Ram Leela,” “Go Goa Gone,” “Padmavaat,” “Manmarziyan,” “Tanu Weds Manu Returns,” “Raanjhana” and more.

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  • Netflix signs exclusive deal with Microsoft to launch its ad-supported plan

    Netflix signs exclusive deal with Microsoft to launch its ad-supported plan

    Mumbai: Netflix on Wednesday announced a deal with Microsoft as its global advertising technology & sales partner. The streaming service revealed its plans to introduce a new ad-supported subscription plan for consumers, in addition to their ad-free basic, standard and premium plans in April.

    This means that all ads served on Netflix will be exclusively available through the Microsoft platform.

    “Microsoft has the proven ability to support all our advertising needs as we work together to build a new ad-supported offering. More importantly, Microsoft offered the flexibility to innovate over time on both the technology and sales side, as well as strong privacy protections for our members,” said Netflix’s chief operating officer & chief product officer Greg Peters.

    Netflix’s long-term goal is to offer more choices to consumers and a premium better than linear TV brand experience for advertisers.

    “At launch, consumers will have more options to access Netflix’s award-winning content. Marketers looking to Microsoft for their advertising needs will have access to the Netflix audience and premium connected TV inventory. All ads served on Netflix will be exclusively available through the Microsoft platform. Today’s announcement also endorses Microsoft’s approach to privacy, which is built on protecting customers’ information,” said Microsoft president of web experiences Mikhail Parakhin.