Category: Over The Top Services

CricPlay recreates first-ever free ‘rewind series’ cricket matches amid COVID-19 lockdown

MUMBAI: CricPlay unveiled the country’s first-ever free ‘Rewind Series’ gameplay on its fantasy cricket platform that enables gamers to revisit some of the most historical cricket matches around the world by picking their favourite XI cricketers from a team of the pre-timed upcoming match.

CricPlay business head Gaurav Sarin says, “In times of crisis such as this, we believe people need a well-deserved break and we have worked hard to offer mobile gamers & sports lovers across the country some joy in reliving iconic cricket matches with the new exciting game that we conceptualised called ‘Rewind Series’. We invite every cricket-loving Indian to go ahead and enjoy rolling back the clock on our rich cricketing heritage over by over.”

In order to participate in this limited-period contest, gamers would need to download the CricPlay app from Google Play or log in to www.cricplay.com & register for the upcoming 'Rewind Series’ to play with a Cricplat-assigned ‘Rewind Expert’.

Every contestant joining the game would know the match year and player line-ups of both teams half-an-hour in advance, but the exact match date would be kept a secret until the start of the game to preserve the element of surprise. Winning players are eligible to win CricPlay Coins if they appear on the leaderboard.

Besides the ‘Rewind Series’, CricPlay features five major formats – Mega Fantasy Leagues, Super Leagues, Challenger Leagues, Star Contest and Daily Predictions. In the ‘Mega Fantasy League’ format, the app allows users the choice to play with other gamers across the country and win money, create private contests and invite their friends or join the ones created by them and compete with them in the same fantasy format.

Every team scores points based on the actual performance of the player picked during the match, and the highest-scoring team wins. ‘Super League’ is original gameplay where gamers can select a team per match and select power-ups like ‘Substitution’, ‘captain changer’ or ‘vice-captain changer’ for an enhanced gaming experience.

Challenger Leagues allow users to compete with each other on limited leader-boards & win prizes. Star Contest is one of the most innovative gameplays launched by CricPlay that enables its users to play with one of Cricket’s greatest minds. In ‘Daily Predictions’, gamers leverage their cricketing knowledge to determine a winning outcome before the match starts and win cash provided they have the highest daily consecutive correct predictions.

April 1, 2020
ALTBalaji associates with Amazon Pay, PayTM for cashback offers

MUMBAI: Keeping in mind the current situation and the ever-rising popularity for original content along with the viewers’ preference for convenient payment experiences, ALTBalaji, one of India’s leading homegrown OTT platforms, has associated with popular payment gateway Amazon Pay and Paytm. As part of the deal, Amazon Pay will offer 25 per cent cashback on ALTBalaji subscription whereas Paytm will offer a flat Rs 20 cashback on the subscription. The offers can be availed by android users in India. Using these gateways, customers can enjoy quick and easy checkouts with faster cashback.

To avail the offer via Amazon Pay, customers can go to the ALTBalaji website or android app, select the service of their choice and make the payment using Amazon Pay as the payment option. As a part of the deal, a cashback up to Rs 100 can be availed once per user on using Amazon Pay during the offer period. Valid from 1 April 2020 to 30 April 2020, the cashback will be credited instantly as Amazon Pay balance after completing the payment. Offer will be valid only on online orders made on the ALTBalaji website or android app using Amazon Pay.

On the other hand, Paytm’s flat Rs 20 cashback on the first Paytm wallet transaction is valid now till 7.59 pm on 7 April 2020. The offer can be availed once per user and will be received within 24 hours of completion of the transaction Also, the offer is applicable only on making payment on the ALTBalaji website or app by paying the entire amount using one’s Paytm Wallet.

On the association, Balaji Telefilms Group COO and ALTBalaji CEO Nachiket Pantvaidya said, “Our collaboration with Amazon Pay and Paytm is a step towards strengthening our relationship during these testing times with the consumers. Amazon Pay and Paytm are two of the most preferred gateways for digital audiences across the country. Through this partnership, ALTBalaji’s extensive library of homegrown, original premium content will now be even more accessible and affordable to a wider and newer set of audiences.”

With ALTBalaji subscription, consumers will get access to 60 originals created for the masses. ALTBalaji has built a legacy of creating iconic shows, like Apharan, Mental Hood, Code M, Mission Over Mars, Kehne Ko Humsafar Hain, Home, Gandii Baat, The Test Case, Bose: Dead or Alive among others, which have been lauded by audiences.

April 1, 2020
Eros Now expands existing partnership with BSNL

MUMBAI: Eros Now announced that it has further expanded its existing partnership with the state-owned telecommunications company Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), with a core focus of entertainment on demand consumption in tier 2 and tier 3 markets of India.

This launch of bundled subscription vouchers further strengthens Eros Now’s reach by bundling subscriptions and launching three new BSNL special tariff voucher plans that will provide consumers access to a wide variety of online content. These subscription vouchers are both affordable and convenient as consumers can save on subscribing to video streaming platforms without compromising on the entertainment portfolio offered by Eros Now.

BSNL offers its massive customer base with varied choices to choose the best tariff pack, and this alliance with Eros Now enables the telecom company to provide access to online entertainment. Eros Now is bundled for 24 days on the prepaid recharge pack of Rs 98, while the value of Rs 298 has Eros Now for 54 days and another pack of Rs 1,999 for 60 days that customers can choose from.

These prepaid recharge packs are a doorway for consumers to access Eros Now’s massive content catalogue including 12,000+ movie titles, original shows, music videos, short-format content – Eros
Now Quickies and much more. BSNL, which has a strong foothold in the heartland of India, further entices its existing customer base and potential customers by offering the best of entertainment available on Eros Now.

A recently-published Ovum-Amdocs report indicates that as many as 50 per cent of mobile users are willing to pay for a premium media service via their carrier bill if offered at a discount or with an extended free trial. These opportunities benefit both cellular telecom players as well as OTT platforms that generate a meaningful amount of subscription revenue through bundled offers.

Commenting on the development, Eros Now CEO Ali Hussein said: “India’s rural market is increasingly exploring entertainment options on the go. BSNL is one of the strongest telecom players in India and offering Eros Now’s entertaining content library to the customers is a step further in fulfilling audiences’ growing appetite for OTT. These numerous special tariff packs attract different customers who have varied choices and expand our reach by connecting with the heartland of India.”

BSNL director (CM) Sushil Kumar Mishra added, “Entertainment has been one of the key drivers to attain greater reach in the telecommunication industry in recent times; the trend will only grow in the years to come. We at BSNL always strive to provide customers with unparalleled services at an affordable price. The three-pack subscription vouchers offering Eros Now content allows the audience to explore the best of online video streaming service and its huge content library of entertainment.”

April 1, 2020
Disney+ Hotstar to go live from 3 April

MUMBAI: Star India has announced the upgrade of Hotstar to Disney+ Hotstar will take place on 3 April 2020. With a fresh new look and enhanced user interface, Disney+ Hotstar brings together the magic of Disney’s storytelling and the scale and technological expertise of Hotstar, giving users an unparalleled video streaming experience.

As people across the country practise social distancing and stay at home, Disney+ Hotstar is set to offer an unmatched entertainment experience for families with the world’s best superhero movies, unrivalled animated films, popular kids programming, recently released Bollywood blockbusters, exclusive Hotstar Specials shows, unlimited LIVE sporting action, and much more. Starting 3 April three distinct offerings – Disney+ Hotstar VIP, Disney+ Hotstar Premium and an ad-supported basic tier will be available, offering consumers an abundance of choice.

The Walt Disney Company APAC and Chairman, Star & Disney India president Uday Shankar said, “With the success of Hotstar, we ushered in a new era for premium video streaming in India. Today, as we unveil Disney+ Hotstar, we take yet another momentous step in staying committed to our promise of delivering high-quality impactful stories for India that have not only entertained but also made a difference in people’s lives, a promise that is even more meaningful in challenging times such as this. We hope the power of Disney’s storytelling, delivered through Hotstar’s technology, will help our viewers find moments of comfort, happiness and inspiration during these difficult times.”

From the comfort of their homes, Disney+ Hotstar VIP subscribers can explore the world of great entertainment in a language of their choice. Subscribers will now get expanded access to the entire Marvel Cinematic Universe and the best of superheroes movies like The Avengers, Iron Man, Thor Ragnarok, latest and biggest movies including The Lion King, Frozen II, Aladdin and Toy Story 4. Families can spend quality time together with engaging content and characters like Mickey Mouse, Gajju Bhai, Doraemon and Shin-chan. Stay entertained with the latest Bollywood movies like Panga, Tanhaji and more immediately after theatrical release, watch exclusive Hotstar Specials shows in seven languages like the hugely popular Neeraj Pandey’s Special Ops, Out of Love, Criminal Justice, unlimited LIVE sporting action, and STAR serials before TV and much more. Users can now enjoy all this at an affordable price of Rs 399/- for a year.

Subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar Premium will receive all the benefits of Disney+ Hotstar VIP, with the addition of access to English language content and 29 critically acclaimed Disney+ Originals, including The Mandalorian from executive producer and writer Jon Favreau; High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, a creative modern take on the hit franchise; and the live-action Lady and the Tramp, a timeless re-telling of the 1955 animated classic; and many more to come; as well as the latest American shows from studios like HBO, Fox, Showtime at the price of Rs 1499 for a year.

All existing subscribers will be automatically upgraded to their respective new subscription plan and will be charged the new rates upon renewal.

A separate Disney+ branded section will help users navigate the wonderful Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, and National Geographic content available on the service. Subscribers will enjoy the benefits of unlimited downloads of all Disney+ movies and shows, as well as personalized recommendations. Additionally, parents can navigate through the kids-safe mode to access age-appropriate content.

Users will continue to enjoy high-quality free content such as daily catch-up TV shows in eight Indian languages, a vast library of blockbuster movies like Housefull 4, Chhichhore, Badhai Ho, Komali and many more, and LIVE and on-demand news in eight languages from the leading news channels in the country. Disney+ Hotstar will also have a comprehensive sports clips offering for its free users, covering major sporting events such IPL, BCCI cricket series, Premier League, ISL and PKL, with all the exciting action from the day available as match highlights, key individual performances and match analysis.

As a prelude to the launch, Disney+ Hotstar will host India’s largest virtual red carpet event on 2 April with the premiere of The Lion King (in English, Hindi, Tamil & Telugu) at 6 pm followed by the popular Disney+ original The Mandalorian at 8 pm. Helping build a virtual community and conversations in these times of physical and social distancing, users will be able to interact on the social feed on the platform, as these premieres are happening. They can chat with their friends and family, share photos and badges with them and the rest of India, and also interact with some of their favourite celebrities who will be at the red-carpet premiere event with them, all while staying safe at home.

March 31, 2020
IN10 Media inks content partnership deal with ZEE5

MUMBAI: IN10 Media, a network with diverse offerings in the media and entertainment sector, has announced its two-channel content partnership deal with ZEE5. With this partnership, ZEE5 users will have easy access to IN10 Media’s infotainment channel EPIC TV, and youth-centric, 24-hour music channel ShowBox.

With the integration of both these linear television channels on ZEE5 app, users now can watch the wide repertoire of content from EPIC TV’s diverse tales about India to ShowBox’s original and innovative musical programs anytime, anywhere.

EPIC TV’s eclectic library of high-quality, India-centric content comprises of leading marquee shows like Regiment Diaries, Raja Rasoi Aur Andaaz Anokha, Indipedia, Umeed India and more. It is the only infotainment channel available on ZEE5, adding new flavours to the platform’s existing content library of 100+ originals, movies, news and its brand-new gamiﬁcation.

ShowBox recently ranked the fourth most-watched musical channel in the country (as per BARC Week 10-11 2020 data), offers various shows like ‘YO! Wassup’, an interactive show wherein viewers can send their picture to be displayed on the channel along with a message, ‘Swag Star’, a fun interactive chat show with known and budding artists, ‘Super hits with Drama Queen Swati’ a compilation of super hit songs with famous Red FM RJ- Swati, ‘Music Box Office’, a weekly show reviewing latest musical videos, and albums.

Commenting on the IN10 Media Syndication & Acquisition AVP Adita Jain said: “At IN10, our constant endeavour has been to make our unique bouquet of content available through various avenues and platforms for the users’ as per their preference. With an increasing number of people consuming content on-the-go, our association with ZEE5 reinforces our commitment of providing high-quality content with easy accessibility. Our vision is to truly utilize the digital space and continue to explore opportunities to expand our content offering nationally & globally.”

On the ZEE5 India business development & commercial head Manpreet Bumrah said, “We believe in providing content across languages, genres and clusters, as we aspire to be the super-app of entertainment. The larger vision at ZEE5, is to be able to build a rich repository of varied content across genres that makes a ZEE5 an investment for an individual to enjoy content viewing anytime, anywhere.”

March 31, 2020
MX Player emerges as top entertainment app of 2019 in India: Report

MUMBAI: MX Player has emerged as the top entertainment app in India, according to the annual FICCI Report on India’s Media and Entertainment Sector titled ‘The Era of Consumer A.R.T’. The ranking is based on apps classified under entertainment categories on iOS and Google Play. The entertainment streaming app that launched in February 2019 has dominated the market in terms of Monthly Active Users, followed by Hotstar, Tik Tok, BookMyShow, Jio TV, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix, SonyLiv, Airtel TV, and Voot.

Currently, MX Player has 280 million MAUs globally and 175 million MAUs in India.

Commenting on this honour, MX Player CEO Karan Bedi said, “We’re a young brand and I’m delighted that in this short time, we’ve emerged as the #1 entertainment app of 2019 in India. Our scale and penetration remain unparalleled and our aim is to keep innovating and experimenting with genres, stories, languages, characters to be able to cater to every palette, enhancing our product and making sure that users continue engaging with a fresh experience, every time they log into MX Player. Being an AVOD platform, we also offer our clients unparalleled reach across the length and breadth of India.”

India ranks as one of the fastest-growing app markets globally, where entertainment apps are driving significant consumer engagement. According to the report, total downloads among M&E categories grew seven per cent while total sessions grew across all M&E app categories with Entertainment growing by 31 per cent, music by 81 per cent and news and magazines by 40 per cent. Games grew by 36 per cent and MX Player recently added a gaming section that hosts high familiarity and easy to learn hyper casual games which users can enjoy even without data or internet access, and play in a competitive format.

Staying true to the promise of providing ‘Everytainment’ – the platform is emerging as the one stop shop for all things entertainment with its best in class offline video playing capabilities, critically acclaimed original series, a large online streaming repository of over 1,50,000 hours of premium content including live channels and catch-up TV, audio music and gaming.

March 31, 2020
Small, mid-budget movies may take OTT route before landing in theatres amid COVID-19 crisis

MUMBAI: A number of countries have come to a standstill along with major industries as the number of COVID-19 infections keeps increasing unabated. Theatres across India have shut down amid a 21-day-long lockdown and scheduled film releases in the country too are cancelled. Since the theatrical window is now a closed option, some of the producers and distributors might look at streaming platforms for an early release. Many major Hollywood studios have decided to make their movies available on streaming services in the US. Will India follow the pattern? Not immediately.

The economics of movies are far from simple. Production budget is not the only major investment for a movie and ticket sale is not the only source of revenue anymore. Hence, experts believe that large-scale films in India will wait for this crisis to get over to have a proper theatrical release but mid-scale or small-budget films have higher chances of looking at streaming releases.

SBICap Securities institutional equity research head Rajiv Sharma says that some of the movies which are ready to release and can not be released may find themselves with OTT names. Sharma says if this lockdown is beyond 14 April, producers and distributors will need liquidity, particularly the regional film makers as they will need to pay stuff, production costs. Hence, he thinks as such something needs to happen there.

Elara Capital VP – research analyst (Media) Karan Taurani thinks only the smaller-budget films of Rs 10-15 core range might come but larger-budgets will still wait for theatres to open. He thinks large-budget films will not come directly to TV or digital because the economics is very different, and too much money is at stake. Moreover, if budgets are very high, digital or satellite would not be able to compensate that budget.

“OTT players, especially deep-pocket ones like Netflix and Amazon, will be willing to pay for such movies as they are building their local /regional content libraries. This is a time to build that loyalty but the problem is Netflix or Amazon may find it easy but for other broadcasters who also have their OTT business may find it tricky given sharp pressure on the ad revenues on the TV side of the business. Nonetheless, they will attempt to pick a few, at least on the regional side, if possible,” Sharma adds.

During the lockdown, over-the-top platforms have already emerged as beneficiaries as viewers now don’t have any other option of entertainment. Some of the major platforms even have pushed a few premium content for free. While content-driven digital-only films are already turning out as big trend, the platforms might even look for direct releases of the ones which have postponed release for indefinite time. According to the FICCI-EY 2020 report, the filmed entertainment segment grew because of increased domestic theatrical revenues and growth in both rates and volume of digital rights sold. Digital rights continued to grow in 2019 with an increase in revenues from Rs 13.5 billion in 2018 to Rs 19 billion in 2019. Considerably, around 50 films made direct debut on digital platforms.

Taurani mentions that it all depends now on how many cases develop in the next 15 days and that is the deciding factor. Also, we have to see if people will move out or the government doesn't lift the lockdown. He also cited the example of China which has opened around 1000 screens and they have slowly started revising the ticket prices downwards to motivate people to come to cinemas.

Until there are no cases of infection or proper clarification that cases won’t rise in india, people will probably have second thought about going to the cinema. According to him, the occupancy of cinemas, which operates 30 per cent for the multiplexes, wil get at 8-10 per cent for start which will also lead to losses.

“Low-cost producers will be more interested in releasing on streaming platforms. Other than that, if they can get at least Rs 50-60 crore, they won’t mind. Later, they can even go for a theatrical release for lower but additional revenues,” Sharma states. Taurani is of the view that small-budget films will be able to easily recover the cost.

Members of the producers' guild, however, refused to comment when reached.

Big films like Sooryavanshi have postponed their releases in this unprecedented situation. Theatres across the country did not have to shut down for such long time except during the 1984 riots. As the media and entertainment industry is now in uncharted water, there are several pressing questions which will need more time to be answered.

March 31, 2020
Yuvraj Singh-backed Healthians joins hands with Likee to empower millions in fight against Coronavirus

MUMBAI: Short-video platform Likee has partnered with health-tech brand Healthians, backed by cricketer Yuvraj Singh, to raise awareness about the global pandemic, which has affected as many as 185 countries across the world. As part of the collaboration, several doctors associated with Healthians will interact directly with Likeers on the issue.

Over a period of five days, doctors and nutritionists associated with Healthians, which is one of India’s leading doorstep health test providers, will join live sessions conducted by the Likee Official India team. During the sessions, they will interact with Likeers and answer all their queries related to the dreaded virus outbreak. Apart from responding to queries, the medical professionals will use the opportunity to provide smart and useful tips on wellness and raise awareness about the pandemic.

The sessions will commence on Saturday – March 28, 2020, and will continue thereafter on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. There will be a one-hour session each day from 6 pm to 7 pm. Healthians co-founder Mr Deepak Sahni, Dr Pranava, Dr Deepak Parashar and nutritionist Saumya Shatakshi will interact with the Likeers during the drive. The five-day-long interactive session is expected to benefit millions of Likee users, who hardly have any source other than the Internet to gather information in this phase of an unprecedented lockdown.

Talking about the initiative, Abhishek Dutta, Head of Likee India, said, “It is our social responsibility to equip Likee users with all the information they need in this time of crisis. It is also imperative that the source of information is authentic and reliable. Hence, we have joined hands with Yuvraj Singh’s Healthians to empower millions in this war against Covid-19, ensuring people get maximum awareness while staying safe at their homes.”

Deepak Sahni, Founder and CEO of Healthians echoed the sentiments, saying, “In a situation like this people are bound to panic when they notice any minor symptoms and they are going through a lot of anxiety due to the lockdown when visit to hospitals are also restricted. Our collaboration with Likee is to reassure and empower them with information that’s relevant and meaningful so that their fears and doubts are allayed.”

The collaboration signifies the rightful and positive impact that a social media platform can have when the world is in the grip of an unprecedented crisis.

March 30, 2020
Multi-territory video streaming service Hooq files for liquidation

MUMBAI: Multi-territory video streaming service Hooq said last week that it has filed for liquidation as giant players are looking more into streaming services and the competition intensifies across the globe.

The service was launched in 2015 by the Singapore-based telecom company Singtel and was also backed by Warner and Sony. Along with India, Hooq was also available in the Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia.

“Singapore Telecommunications Ltd (“Singtel”) wishes to announce that HOOQ Digital Pte Ltd (“HOOQ”), a joint venture company in which Singtel has an indirect 76.5 per cent effective interest, has commenced a creditors’ voluntary liquidation. The liquidation of HOOQ is not expected to have any material impact on the net tangible assets or earnings per share of Singtel,” it said in a stock exchange filing.

According to media reports, Hooq said in a statement that it had been unable to grow fast enough to keep up with global and regional rivals, and also noted “significant structural changes” in the over-the-top (OTT) video market in the five years since its launch.

“Global and local content providers are increasingly going direct, the cost of content remains high, and emerging market consumers’ willingness to pay has increased only gradually amidst an increasing array of choices,” said Hooq.

“Because of these changes, a viable business model for an independent, over-the-top distribution platform has become increasingly challenged,” it added.

Hooq has appointed Messrs Lim Siew Soo and Brendon Yeo Sau Jin as its joint and several provisional liquidators. A shareholder meeting and creditors’ meeting have also been set for 13 April.

Back in 2018, Hooq struck a unique deal with India’s leading streaming service Hotstar. Under the partnership, HOOQ’s 6,000 hour catalogue of Hollywood TV shows and movies were made available for Hotstar Premium users. It also started offering more than Pay TV channels to their premium offering in partnership with brands across Asia.

Experts already warned about upcoming consolidations and exits in the media industry. Towards the end of 2019, Hong Kong-headquartered PCCW Media’s Asian video streaming service Viu also decided to fold its India operations.

March 30, 2020
Rising consumption of OTT content in the times of COVID-19

Our world is tranforming. With its 1.34 billion population, India is actually sitting on a ticking bomb ready to explode, if things are not taken in control swiftly and efficiently.

By far, it is pegged at doing things well and WHO plus the entire world is observing India closely to set an example in a scenario when it doesn’t have the best of healthcare crises systems in place. The WHO has applauded India for its swift response which includes grounding of domestic and international flights, suspending tourist visas, sealing the interstate and district boundaries and imposing WFH (work from home) for its large urban working populace. During these times, as social distancing has become the buzz word and meetings are converging on mobile screen windows, there is a change in how we are consuming media.

With more and more employers and entrepreneurs adapting to WFH, in this wait and watch scenario (due to the rapid spread of the novel COVID-2019), there has been an almost 20 per cent increase in viewership across several OTT platforms. The working professional is now able to save travelling time leading to an increase in consumption of video content and television content. Obviously, metros like Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru have become the highest contributors to the same.

Mr. Arun Fernandes (CEO- Hotstuff)

Even before India went into a self-imposed quarantine, the OTT markets in India were looking at growing 10 times to reach $5 billion by 2023. As the traditional work-life comes to a temporary halt, I believe, it will help the digital market upsurge, owing to a greater demand for content. OTT providers are seeing peaks in the consumption hours. The earlier peak hour of 8 am to 10.30 am (general commute time) now extends until 11.30 am. Similarly, the evening consumption hours now start at 6 pm as opposed to 8 pm and goes way beyond midnight.

An average of 21 per cent users in India use digital media, consuming an average of 1.7 hours of content a day. But in the past few weeks, there has been an extension. (Source: Statista) Netflix alone saw a surge of traffic increase (a jump of approximately 30 per cent+) in the weeks of February and March. About 30 video streaming services are currently active in India and as film theatres have shut down and eating out and hanging-out is no longer an option, people are turning to OTTs as their own way of coping with the monotony and relief from the grim reality of the pandemic.

Demand has also spiked due to closure of educational institutions and exams not breathing down the necks. The channels are also well stocked with fresh content. These are turning points in terms of the consumer lifestyle. With demonetisation, we adapted and evolved into a more savvy and discerning audience using digital modes of payments. Similarly, I believe that with these pivotal changes, we would look at a new habit of consumption of media and content and the novel COVID-19 protocols will, in time, coax new entrants to explore the digital world!

(The author is Hotstuff CEO. The views expressed are his own and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them)

March 29, 2020