ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • OTT experts discuss future of India’s hybrid market

    OTT experts discuss future of India’s hybrid market

    MUMBAI: The new dawn of media industry in India is experiencing a complex co-existence of traditional and digital media. With enhanced internet penetration, over the top (OTT) players have started gaining a strong foothold as well as being challenged by the threat from international leaders of the game. The OTT industry is maturing by exploring new opportunities in the hybrid Indian market.

    To discuss the complexity of the market including problems like piracy, lack of regulatory practices, monetisation, business models, and emerging technologies, experts from different sectors convened at the Cable and Satellite Broadcasting of Asia (CASBAA) OTT India forum 2018.

    Network18 Digital CEO Manish Maheshwari started off the session with a keynote by explaining how data explosion in the last two years has changed the scenario of video consumption in India. The launch of Reliance Jio in September 2016 led to widespread adoption of 4G technology. Consumption pattern has become more individualised, something that most speakers agreed upon. OTT services have directly jumped to mobile, giving better user interactivity.

    During this tricky transition, the platforms are experimenting with various kinds of business models. Foreign players heavily depend on SVOD but Indian players mainly use AVOD but intend to shift to SVOD in the future. A new B2B2C model is also emerging.

    Indiantelevision.com founder, CEO and editor in chief Anil Wanvari moderated the session with Shemaroo Entertainment CEO Hiren Gada, Viacom18 senior VP, head of marketing, licencing and partnerships at Voot Akash Banerji and ZEE5 digital head Archana Anand. Speaking on the issue of monetising properties, Banerji said that it has to be looked at as an opportunity and not a challenge. Experts agreed that if content creators can come up with quality content, subscribers will not hesitate to pay with Netflix being a classic example.

    Internet’s reach to even the remotest parts of the country has not restricted OTT to be just an urban phenomenon. The rural appetite for content is growing and so not just local players but even international names like Amazon and Netflix are eager to feed them. They are even banking on blockbuster content. The myth that the internet was only reserved for short format content has been broken and so longer ones are on the rise.

    Due to factors like social category and economic status, Indian consumers won’t pick a single type of content or model. “Hybrid market will exist as long as India continues to be hybrid,” said ZEE5 digital head Archana Anand.

    Other than content, the low-latency end user experience is also very important to satisfy the audience. Though the infrastructure is still evolving in India, the content delivery market is in a promising state. Many measures are also being taken to curb the issue of piracy. Discussions are also going on to bring the OTT players under a regulation but with liberty.

    By creating content of different flavours, experimenting with business models, discussions on a regulatory body and developing infrastructures, the OTT market in India is maturing with both opportunities and challenges. To sustain in the race, the platforms should choose either a niche strategy or a way to reach the mass but not a midway definitely.

    Also Read:

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    CASBAA lauds India; calls for more broadcast, satellite reforms

  • Viu and Phantom films join hands for its upcoming movie ‘High Jack’

    Viu and Phantom films join hands for its upcoming movie ‘High Jack’

    MUMBAI: The premium video-on-demand service Viu, by Vuclip and PCCW, is teaming up with Bollywood’s ace production house Phantom Films to produce their upcoming movie HIGH JACK, further fortifying its strength as a pioneer in original content. Adding to its repertoire of insights driven content, Viu is taking the plunge into Bollywood. Today’s news is another step in the direction of its brand philosophy to create compelling and engaging content for millennials.

    Directed by Akarsh Khurana, the film will feature digital sensation Sumeet Vyas, Pyaar ka Punchnama fame Sonnalli Seygall, RJ Mantra, Kumud Mishra along with Nipun Dharmadhikari and Amey Wagh. The story of HIGH JACK is about a group of first time hijackers who get themselves into hilarious situations, following a comedy of errors. The plot takes interesting twists and turns and is interspersed with new age screwball comedy. The film is slated to hit cinemas on the 20th of April.

    Viu India – Country Head, Vishal Maheshwari said, “Being in the content creation business, Viu is focused on innovating and providing an enriched experience for its Viu-ers. With the evolution of OTT and consumers’ tastes, quality content rules and that’s why collaborating on a film like HIGH JACK is apt for us. Like Viu, Phantom Films is known for exceptional audience experiences, and it gives us great pleasure to partner with them. This film is another step towards showcasing the best content on our platform.”

    Says Phantom Films , Producer, Madhu Mantena, “Associating with Viu gives us great insight into the online content watching audience’s mindset, and thus we partnered with them on HIGH JACK, which brings some of the best web content talent together for the first time. It’s been a great experience, and we are confident that the audience will love this madcap film.”

  • Harmonic and Veygo team up to deliver end-to-end ott solution, successfully deployed by indonesia’s AMTV

    Harmonic and Veygo team up to deliver end-to-end ott solution, successfully deployed by indonesia’s AMTV

    MUMBAI: Harmonic (NASDAQ: HLIT), the worldwide leader in video delivery technology and services; and Veygo, a leading provider of multiscreen user experience software solutions for the broadcast, media and entertainment industries; today announced they have teamed up to create an end-to-end SaaS solution for OTT video delivery. Veygo’s Meta_Video Player™ for content and subscriber management, secure player, analytics and applications, has been integrated with Harmonic’s Electra™ media processor and VOS™ 360 media processing SaaS to provide operators with a cloud-based, pay-as-you-grow solution that speeds up the time to market for OTT offerings. The combined Veygo-Harmonic solution has been successfully deployed by Indonesian streaming provider AMTV for its new premium multiscreen service.

    “Today’s OTT service providers are keen on providing exceptional quality of experience to end-users on every screen,” said Jean-Christophe Perier, Founder and CEO at Veygo. “The secret behind our winning solution with Harmonic is an off-the-shelf application combined with real-time analytics enabling unparalleled QoE monitoring and personalization capabilities, thus boosting user engagement and retention for multiscreen service providers.”

    Harmonic’s VOS 360 SaaS handles the entire media processing chain from ingest to playout, compression, packaging and OTT delivery for both live and on-demand content. Being a cloud-based solution, it offers video content and service providers increased agility and scalability, which are critical in the OTT environment. OTT services can be scaled up and down based on actual needs, a capability that is particularly useful for managing ad-hoc events.

    “The workflow integration between Veygo and Harmonic solutions is absolutely seamless,” said Aldo Bon Suriasantika, COO at AMTV Media. “Working with two specialists in their respective fields — Veygo for data-driven user experience and Harmonic for cloud-based media processing — allows us to focus on the content and marketing aspects of our new multiscreen business, entrusting the technology and content delivery to the experts.”

    “A typical predicament for content providers is the desire to swiftly launch an OTT service without having the time or the resources to integrate technology solutions from multiple vendors and validate a platform,” said Tony Berthaud, Vice President of Sales, APAC, at Harmonic. “Harmonic’s open architecture solutions philosophy and extensive range of pre-integrated ecosystem partners help to speed up and uncomplicate that process. Harmonic and Veygo are at the leading edge of new OTT technologies, enabling innovations such as low-latency OTT delivery via the new CMAF specification.”

    Harmonic will showcase its award-winning Electra and VOS solutions portfolios at the 2018 NAB Show, April 9-12, in Las Vegas at booth SU810. Further information about Harmonic and the company’s solutions is available at www.harmonicinc.com.

  • YouTube views for Hindi dub of ‘Sarrainodu’ soar

    YouTube views for Hindi dub of ‘Sarrainodu’ soar

    MUMBAI: Telugu actor Allu Arjun as well as the South Indian film industry has hit a new milestone. Telugu-language action film Sarrainodu, after being released in 2016, was dubbed in Hindi and Malayalam. The Hindi dubbed version has been raking in the views becoming one of the most watched Indian movies on YouTube.

    Since the day the Hindi version was uploaded on YouTube, it was super hit and created new records. In a span of nine days, the film garnered 25 million views with 1.75 lakh likes.  Now, after six months, 145 million viewers have watched the Hindi version on YouTube. Moreover, the movie now has more than 5 lakh likes.

    The success of the film again proves that the increased use of social media is helping regional content to reach audiences across the country. The success of Sarrainodu has banked, to a large extent, on Allu Arjun’s increasing following in North India. The success of the movie also indicates the Indian audience’s growing affinity for video-streaming services.

    Other than social media, the Boyapati Srinu-directed film was also a hit at the box office. According to reports, back in 2016, the film raked in Rs 127 crore at the box office. It was the fifth South film to enter the Rs 100 crore.

    Also Read:

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  • OTT players up the ante with niche content

    OTT players up the ante with niche content

    MUMBAI: With the digital era progressing at a geometric rate, India’s media and entertainment industry has seen the proliferation of a number of over-the-top (OTT) players, including many international players. As a result, several niche genres of content are finding a place to grow. Viewers are coming to associate each platform with a type of personality represented through its content.

    According to FICCI’s 2018 report, digital subscription in 2017 grew by 50 per cent, riding on the back of niche content. Global content, sports and, increasingly, OTT-only content are also other factors behind the whopping growth of rising viewership on digital.

    India’s burgeoning OTT market already has more than 40 OTT players according to estimates. To draw viewers, each platform has to make a separate identity for itself. Subscription-based video on demand has, however, a long way to go as only three per cent of Indian households are paid subscribers of online video-streaming services. To attract more paying subscribers, the video platforms need to come up with content which users will think are worth paying.

    Despite making inroads into several developed countries, Netflix is yet scraping the surface of the Indian arena. Its major international competitor, Amazon, has left it far behind here. However, Netflix has created its signature with its large number of original series such as The Crown, House of Cards, Bojack Horseman, Stranger Things etc. Moreover, other than the originals, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, Rick and Morty, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Sherlock are streaming on Netflix attracting a large number of binge watchers. A report by Netflix stated that 88 per cent of its Indian viewers are binge watchers, the third highest in the world. The country finishes series in three days compared to the global average of four days.

    But the country lacks in good local content. Though it has added some famous Hindi movies to its library, it does not have enough regional content to offer. Realising the demand, Netflix announced a new multilingual original series in partnership with Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment.

    Compared to Netflix, Amazon Prime Video is doing good business in India. According to App Annie’s February report, Amazon Prime Video had 13.4 million active users but Netflix had 6 million active users. One of the main reasons for its success is that Amazon has a brilliant movie library for India’s Bollywood crazy fans. The e-commerce major has potential deals with five big long production houses-Yash Raj Films, Excel Entertainment, Dharma Productions, Vishesh Films, and T-Series. Data shows that Indians don’t mind consuming longer content on data connections. Viewers love to watch Hindi movies on the platform. Amazon realised early on that in multi-lingual India, you can’t make do with just Hindi and so delved into regional content as well.

    Star India’s OTT arm Hotstar is sprinting here with its large content library. The live streaming of sports matches is one of its best features. For multi-lingual audience, it offers a wide range of catch-up content in several languages while urban folks can watch shows from HBO, Disney, Fox such as Game of Thrones and Westworld.  

    IPL streaming on Hotstar is one of the biggest boosts for it. This year, it will be telecast in six languages – Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bengali. 

    Among other platforms, Voot has youth-centric TV shows including Big Boss, MTV Unplugged, Roadies, Splitsvilla. Gaurav Gandhi’s successor as Voot COO is likely to bring some change. Sony Liv also has exclusive rights of cricket matches from several countries.

    Amidst a huge number of OTT platforms and a long list of contents, content discoverability is a major issue. In this context, almost every platform is unable to satisfy audience with proper suggestions despite having a large variety of contents. To enhance their recommendation engines, the platforms have to implement artificial intelligence and machine learning. However, a recent study showed that none of these are yet able to beat good old word of mouth.

    OTT players have the work cut out for them here. From branding themselves to ensuring there’s something for everyone, the challenges lie spread out.

    Also Read :

    Hotstar Trends 2017: Women, small town, cross-language consumption rises

    Amazon’s content spend at $5 bn a year, confirms report

  • Netflix hires TV vet Sameer Sabnis as manager for physical production

    Netflix hires TV vet Sameer Sabnis as manager for physical production

    MUMBAI: Netflix India is plumping up its local talent. Amongst the latest to be hired is television veteran Sameer Sabnis who joined the company earlier this month as manager –physical production.

    In the Netflix scheme of things, Sabnis is expected “to help manage both internal and third party co-productions from an international originals perspective to support international original series. Responsibilities include establishing and curating vendor and staff/crew relations, reviewing budgets and supporting/suggesting best practices from pre production through delivery.”

    Sabnis has extensive work experience having worked with Star India and Fox Television Studios as technical director and as vice-president- creative and production. After a short stint with Reliance Mediaworks in 2011, he moved onto media advisory practice  Benchmark Media Advisory Services for five years. Following that he turned consultant helping Discovery Communications on its production management during the launch phases of Discovery Kids and Jeet and is also advising the Sameer Nair-headed Applause Entertainment as it builds its programming slate.

    Sabnis is believed to have a keen eye for the picture having worked as a cinematographer and director of photography and producer and director for numerous TVCs, documentaries and sports films.

    Meanwhile, Netflix continues to search for more of the core team that it wants to bring on board as it ramps up its local production slate in the country.  Among the positions it is looking to fill up include: director international originals in India, manager post-production –international originals etc.

    Also Read :

    Pleased with India progress, says Netflix’s Reed Hastings

    Localised content the way forward for Netflix in India

    Indians among top commute streamers for Netflix

  • Deshpande appointed Network18’s non-exec director

    Deshpande appointed Network18’s non-exec director

    MUMBAI: Eros International Group CEO and MD Jyoti Deshpande has been appointed as non-executive director of Network18 Media & Investments. The appointment was approved by the board of directors of Network18 at a board meeting today.

    The board has also noted the resignation of KR Raja from the directorship of the company with effect from 21 March.

    Deshpande, who is stepping down from her executive role after more than 17 years, will move on to head the media and entertainment (M&E) business at Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) as president of the chairman’s office.

    She will start her role at RIL from April 2018 but will continue to remain as a non-executive director on the board of Eros.

    In her new role at RIL, in Deshpande will lead the company’s initiatives M&E to organically build and grow businesses around the content ecosystem such as broadcasting, films, sports, music, digital, gaming, animation as well as integrate RIL’s existing media investments such as Viacom18 and Balaji Telefilms with a view to build, scale and consolidate the fragmented $20 billion Indian M&E sector.

    Deshpande has over 25 years of experience in media and entertainment across advertising, media consulting, television and film. She has been part of the leadership team of Eros International Plc since 2001 and as Group CEO & MD, she has spearheaded Eros’s growth as a global leader in Indian filmed entertainment.

    Prior to joining Eros in 2001, Deshpande has worked for 7 years in the field of advertising, media consulting and television with companies such as J Walter Thompson India, Mindshare, Zee Television and B4U Television. Ms. Deshpande has a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and Economics from Mumbai University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration (MBA) from SPJIMR, Mumbai University.

    MUMBAI: Network 18 has announced Jyoti Deshpande as new non-executive director. The media professional with overall more than 25 years of experience in media and entertainment field worked as group CEO and MD of Eros International group earlier.

    Network 18’s Board of Directors approved the decision on Wednesday. The resignation of KR Raja from the directorship of the company with effect from 21 March has been noted by the board too.

    From next month, Deshpande will take up the responsibility in Reliance Industry Limited. She will lead the company’s initiatives M&E to organically build and grow businesses around the content ecosystem.

    Prior to her role in Eros, J Walter Thompson India, Mindshare, Zee Television and B4U Television. 

    Though stepping down from her executive role after more than 17 years, Deshpande will continue to remain a non-executive director on the board of Eros.

    Also Read:

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  • Mobile Viewpoint to showcase Artificial Intelligence-driven production and storage solutions at NAB 2018

    Mobile Viewpoint to showcase Artificial Intelligence-driven production and storage solutions at NAB 2018

    MUMBAI: Mobile Viewpoint, a leader in IP contribution solutions, will use NAB to showcase three new products that use Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) to automate low-cost delivery of content from remote locations, and improve efficiency of content indexing, storage, and search. In addition, Mobile Viewpoint will also exhibit its broader range of IP contribution solutions at the event, which takes place in Las Vegas, 9th-12th April 2018.

    Artificial Intelligence is the subject of much industry hype but is now maturing to feature in practical applications. Mobile Viewpoint is incorporating AI capabilities into two new products that will allow smaller broadcasters and brand owners to automate live content production and delivery without having to invest in costly camera crews, production facilities and distribution platforms. They are targeted at sports stadia and other live events, including studio and field news production.

    In addition, Mobile Viewpoint will also launch a new Smart storage solution that uses AI for voice, object and speech recognition to enhance video content indexing, logging and search.. Details for all three products will be announced in late March.

    Mobile Viewpoint’s solutions meet the broadcasters’ requirements for fast, simple and cost-efficient content contribution as they adapt their strategies to meet the rapid rise in online content consumption. Alongside its new AI-based solutions, Mobile Viewpoint will also exhibit its complete Multicam Wireless IP transmission portfolio at NAB, which includes the WMT TerraLink-4C Multicam rack mount bonded transmitter, and the WMT AirLink H.265-enabled encoder backpack device. Both transmitters feature multiple (2-4) H.265- encoders and 8 channel audio, enabling multicamera, OB and 360 productions that can be remotely controlled.

    Mobile Viewpoint will also showcase the EyeLink wearable 4G action camera, and demonstrate LinkMatrix, an online dashboard that allows users to manage their complete live IP-based production workflow. LinkMatrix provides a clear overview of all live feeds from the field, and turns them into real online TV channels by creating playlists, adding logos and  graphics, advertising insertion, and pre-roll. Content can then be published live on any social media platform or CDN instantly.

    Finally, and following a strategic OEM agreement reached in February, Mobile Viewpoint will also demonstrate its IP-based multicamera transmission solutions with CP Communications, a provider of live event broadcast production solutions in the USA. These solutions are used by CP Communications to produce live coverage of sports events – large and small – such as the New York Marathon and college football games. CP Communications’ customers include MLB Network, IMG, and New York Road Runners’ (NYRR).

    Mobile Viewpoint, CEO, Michel Bais said: “As the industry continues to adapt to new consumption habits and a thirst for live content grows, broadcasters must adapt to new ways of working. We are also adapting our solutions to meet those needs: artificial intelligence will bring new and exciting capabilities to the next generation of content solutions, and we’re delighted to be able to showcase our own AI products at NAB this year. These will add to our existing, strong line-up of mobile content contribution solutions, already in use globally with customers such as BBC News and Sky Sports..”

    To find out more about Mobile Viewpoint’s solutions visit its booth in Central Hall, stand C2807 at NAB at 7th-12th April.

  • YuppTV to stream IPL 2018 in several international markets

    YuppTV to stream IPL 2018 in several international markets

    MUMBAI: South-Asian content OTT platform YuppTV has announced that it has been awarded the exclusive digital and television media rights for IPL 2018 by Star India for Europe, South America, South East Asian countries and non-exclusive rights for Australia.

    Commenting on the announcement, YuppTV founder & CEO Uday Reddy said, “By bagging the exclusive digital media rights for the Vivo IPL 2018, we are enabling live, on-the-go access to the cricket tournament for our users. Our endeavor is to provide them with seamless, real-time access to all the matches and allow our viewers from across different geographical boundaries to watch their favorite teams in action on their preferred device.”

    Scheduled to take place from 7 April to 27 May 2018, IPL 2018 will witness eight teams playing this season, including Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, which are back in action after serving a two-year suspension.

    With enormous anticipation and such high stakes in the offing and an exciting line-up of teams, cricket fans the world over have the perfect window to catch every swing and ball of the league thanks to the YuppTV app.

    Also Read:

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