ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • Lukup Media receives unified license, commercial dual play services to start from Jan

    Lukup Media receives unified license, commercial dual play services to start from Jan

    MUMBAI: India’s first on-demand and multi-screen TV service provider Lukup Media has received the unified license to launch data services across the country. This will enable the company to offer internet access along with television, video on demand and other services through a single connection to consumers.

     

    Lukup Media is also running field trials on a new Gigabit wireless platform that operates outside the licensed spectrum and can be used to offer 1Gbps network connections to buildings and apartment complexes.

     

    According to the company, this is also expected to significantly reduce the cost of creating network infrastructure and thus lower the cost of internet access.

     

    “While we use optic fiber on the last mile managed by cable networks to reach homes now, the new Gigabit wireless platform will enable us to reach consumers where we do not have partnerships with local networks and will enable us to operate in semi-urban and rural areas where telecom network infrastructure is poor,” said Lukup founder and CEO Kallol Borah.

  • Ronnie Screwvala’s Arré acquires video streaming venture Apalya

    Ronnie Screwvala’s Arré acquires video streaming venture Apalya

    MUMBAI: In a bid to strengthen its video play capabilities, Ronnie Screwvala’s digital media brand Arré has acquired a 100 per cent stake in Apalya Technologies, founded by Vamshi Reddy and Shiva Bayyapunedi.

     

    Reddy, who heads the company as CEO and Bayyapunedi, who is the chief technology officer, will join the founding team of Arré with immediate effect.

     

    With this acquisition, Arré aims to be the country’s leading digital content and platform brand, combining its multi-genre, multi-format content plans with a formidable technology platform.

     

    Apalya is a technology company with a proprietary video platform, strong engineering talent as well as content access relationships with telecom operators. This transaction will be effected via a 100 per cent buy out of shares from all investors including IDG, Kalaari, Cisco, Mumbai Angels and the founders among others.

     

    Apalya runs the OTT platform in partnership with more than 10 mobile operators across four countries, reaching 10 million subscribers annually and currently earning Rs 40 crore in revenue with positive EBITDA margins.

     

    With the telecom ecosystem and service offerings in India undergoing a rapid change with the 4G rollout coupled with the rapidly growing appetite for video, Apalya is rightly positioned to leverage this opportunity.

     

    The company has also made in-roads in various international markets and plans to expand and launch services in the Middle East/Africa and some parts of South-east Asia over the next six months.

     

    Screwvala said, “The OTT space is throwing up massive opportunities that brings together the twin forces of scale and creativity. We’ve already seen this space take off in the US and in other mature markets and we will partner with many and work closely with some on co-creating the next level of digital content. We are a digital-first and digital-only company and our focus is and will remain creating original content in all forms and these will differentiate us and yet allow us to be complimentary to many of our peers.”

     

    Arré co-founder and MD B Saikumar added, “This acquisition gives us wings to move rapidly from being a content player to a ‘content & platform’ player. We aim to operate at the intersection of creativity and technology and the Apalya acquisition is a key move in that direction. Besides, content will need tremendous distribution focus and Apalya’s telecom relationships will add power to our pursuit of reach and access. Digital advertising and Digital payments are seeing seismic growth shifts and Arré will be well positioned to exploit these twin revenue lines for its content offerings.”

     

    Reddy said, “Arré and its founders represents the next wave of digital innovation and disruption in Asia and with all our expertise of the past decade we are happy to join in on this vision and work together to create a true blue digital content and platform company, a strong consumer base and at scale.”

  • nexGTV launches ‘SPOTLight’ with Imtiaz Ali for content creators

    nexGTV launches ‘SPOTLight’ with Imtiaz Ali for content creators

    NEW DELHI: Subscription-driven video entertainment mobile app nexGTV has partnered director Imtiaz Ali for a project called SPOTLight, wherein users can develop original short videos across a variety of genres.

     

    As per nexGTV, almost 80 per cent of its initial investment has been pumped into marketing the new programme.

     

    NexGTV COO Abhesh Verma told Indiantelevision.com that the publicity and marketing will initially be through bloggers and on social media, which will be used to invite entries but would gradually spread to television, radio spots and then hoardings.

     

    Users can develop original short videos across genres like horror, satire, drama, social, poetry, comedy original music, fiction and reality. NexGTV will carry selected videos under SPOTLight on its ‘TV on mobile’ platform.

     

    The popularity of page views will determine the top five videos, which will then be adjudged by Ali every month. One video will be selected for the grand prize of Rs 1 lakh. A second prize of Rs 25,000 will be given to encourage participants to make his or her next video.

     

    Each of the people who send in videos will be entitled to 11 paise per view after they cross 3000 page views.

     

    When asked about sponsorships, Verma said nexGTV already had the base with the large of number of screen partnerships and more than 100 advertisers. “Each contribution can be of 200 megabytes, which roughly worked out to 10 minutes,” he said.

     

    Calling nexGTV an enabler, he said that if someone who had made a video and sent it to another platform, could still send it to SPOTlight.

     

    With the launch of 4G services in India, Verma was of the opinion that the whole scenario was changing with 4G where a part of the cost could be subsidised and in any case the costs will go down and penetration increase.

     

    For participation in SPOTlight, participants will have to download the nexGTV app and also abide by other guidelines.

     

    Verma said, “SPOTlight means centre stage, and that is exactly what we are looking to offer those bitten by the creative bug. By bringing someone of Imtiaz’s class and calibre, we are offering a unique chance to not just independent video content creators but to everybody to discover and showcase their talent in order to get it judged by a master of the craft. The cash prize is meant as an incentive to encourage the aspiring video content creators to channel their creativity and further innovate.”

     

    Ali added, “India, today, is brimming with talented individuals just looking for ways to express themselves through their creativity. ‘SPOTLight’ gives them the perfect stage to channel their genius to create something that resonates with the public. I am glad to be involved in such a wonderful initiative and will look forward to seeing the best entries.”

     

    He said he had also begun as a struggler but knew he wanted to be a director. This was one reason he agreed to come on to this platform. Ali’s aim will be to see the originality in the talent of the five videos that are shortlisted. In other words, he will look at the videos as a director. 

     

    The app, which has a growing library of movies, TV shows and videos on demand, has now commissioned content that will be exclusive to nexGTV.

  • ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’ culminates on Hotstar after 8 episodes

    ‘Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon’ culminates on Hotstar after 8 episodes

    MUMBAI: Star Plus’ popular show Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon, which was renamed as Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Jashn on the network’s OTT platform Hotstar, is now reaching its climax after eight episodes. 

     

    The Hotstar original series, which was launched on 24 November,  ended on 15 December.

     

    It may be recalled that on Star Plus, the show went off air almost three years ago.

     

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, the show took the lead characters’ Arnav (Barun Sobti) and Khushi’s (Sanaya Irani) story forward, picking up from where the serial ended on the channel.

     

    Also read: After IPKKND, five other television shows OTT can bring back!

     

    Produced by Entertainment Mafia, the show was brought back on Hotstar with eight 10-minute episodes, showing a day in the life of the protagonists, set three years into their marriage.

     

    A source close to the channel informed this website, “The show has done phenomenally well for Hotstar. It became one of the biggest hit in terms of original content. It had also done well for the channel on social media. On Twitter, the show trended at least four to five times.”

     

    The source added, “The first season of Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon Ek Jashn is over but going forward, the network may come up with more such seasons. While nothing has been decided as yet, but looking at the response, there might be a second season in the offing soon.”

     

    Speaking about the per episode expenditure on digital, another sources says, “The per episode expenditure is almost similar to television for this show. On Hotstar, there were only eight episodes but on television, big shows see 200-300 episodes being made. However, on digital the cost remains more or less the same.”

     

    Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon was among the top rated show on Star Plus in 2011-12 before it went off air in November 2012. The show was also immensely popular among international viewers.

     

    According to the source, the show on also garnered an exceptional response from advertisers.

     

    It now remains to be seen if Star brings a second season of the show on its OTT platform.

  • TVF launches mockumentary titled ‘Not Fit’

    TVF launches mockumentary titled ‘Not Fit’

    MUMBAI: The Viral Fever (TVF) founded by Arunabh Kumar, has released an original mockumentary series titled Not Fit. The trailer and the first episode of the web series was aired on 16 December, 2015 on TVF Play. The series is created by Dice Media.

     

    The new series follows the path of the popular web series Pitchers, which was a success. The series is written and directed by Sudev Nair and is a tongue-in-cheek look at the world of aspiring actors and the weird and wonderful environment they inhabit.

     

    Talking about the new series, Kumar says, “The fabulous team of Dice Media led by Ashwin Suresh and Anirudh Pandita along with Sudev Nair have been able to create an original series that is akin to our TVF mantra and we are happy to have them as our partners.”

     

    “We are extremely proud to have created Not Fit, soon after the tremendous success of our previous videos,Ban Ban, and Neta Sabki Leta. We are working hard to bring more engaging and entertaining content to young Indian audiences and look forward to collaborating with Arunabh and his team,” added Dice Media co-founder Ashwin Suresh.

     

    Speaking about the new initiative Dice Media co-founder Anirudh Pandita said, “We’re happy to partner with TVF on this series. We believe the company has the right audience for this show and this partnership allows us to showcase our content to them. The two brands have a common mission, which makes us natural partners as we push the envelope when it comes to content formats in India.”

     

    The prequel of to the series is already out on YouTube.

  • Disney & Alibaba to launch OTT service in China

    Disney & Alibaba to launch OTT service in China

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company has inked a multi-year licensing deal with Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group to bring its digital subscription service DisneyLife to China via Alibaba’s online shopping site Tmall.

     

    The Mickey Mouse-shaped device is priced at $125 for a one-year subscription and requires an Internet connection.

     

    DisneyLife will provide Alibaba customers in China with an all-encompassing and immersive family friendly digital experience. The content will include Disney and Pixar’s movies, animation series, games, e-books, songs, travel services and Disney theme parks and resorts information.

     

    Subscribers can access Disney merchandise and can also obtain information about, and plan a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland as well as Shanghai Disney Resort when it opens in 2016. In addition to the DisneyLife experience, shoppers can access other Alibaba products and services.

     

    The Walt Disney Company, Greater China managing director Luke Kang said, “For nearly a century, Disney’s focus on quality storytelling and innovation has delivered audiences around the world the best stories, shared moments and extraordinary experiences. Disney and Alibaba share an ambition to exceed our audience’s expectations. DisneyLife directly connects us to China’s digital population and provides millions of kids and families the ability to explore and engage with Disney.”

     

    “As we deliver on our goal to meet the needs of a consumers’ daily life, DisneyLife, launched by Ali Digital Entertainment Business Unit together with Disney, will provide the only holistic and trusted family friendly digital destination in China,” added Alibaba Digital Entertainment Business Unit general manager and Youku Tudou business group co-president of Wei Ming.

  • Turner launches Oh!K in Hong Kong with PCCW

    Turner launches Oh!K in Hong Kong with PCCW

    MUMBAI: Turner has joined hands with PCCW to launch a new 24 hour linear channel, Oh!K in Hong Kong on now TV.

     

    The channel will be available from 12 January, 2016 and will air a slew of Korean entertainment, premium drama series as well as variety and music programming across a number of platforms.

     

    Additionally, MBC shows will also be available through now TV’s SVOD service, Oh!K On Demand, as well as via PCCW’s newly-launched OTT service Viu. Another part of the Turner-PCCW agreement is the delivery of MBC shows on now TV’s upcoming free-to-air channel, launching in April 2016.

     

    Oh!K will be part of now TV’s Asia Entertainment Package, and available with English and Traditional Chinese subtitles and Korean audio.

     

    Turner Southeast Asia managing director and senior vice president Phil Nelson said, “This is an outstanding multi-platform partnership. In its short history, Oh!K has grown significantly with the addition of Hong Kong to our distribution roadmap. Likewise, our content partnership with MBC has allowed new audiences – across all platforms – exposure to a truly impressive and exclusive line-up of Korean content.”

     

    The current MBC shows available include Glamorous Temptation and Sweet Mob Family, and Korean variety show Infinite Challenge, which will be aired in the same week as its original telecast. In January, Hong Kong viewers will be treated to She Was Pretty.

     

    MBC director of global business Hyuk Jae Choi added, “This announcement is great news for fans of our content in Hong Kong. We know that they crave MBC dramas and variety shows in both Chinese and English, as soon as possible after their original Korean broadcast, and on platforms beyond just the TV screen. Through Turner, PCCW and MBC, this has become a reality.”

  • TyC Sports hops on to YuppTV’s OTT platform

    TyC Sports hops on to YuppTV’s OTT platform

    NEW DELHI: Argentina based TyC Sports has signed with YuppTV for the new over the top (OTT) TV service targeting Argentines living outside the country.

     

    Whether it is World Cup, UEFA Champions, EPL, La Liga or even MLS the long “o” vowel sound of “Goal” is the signature of soccer, football or fútbol no matter all over the world. “We knew we had to have TyC Sports on our platform to make this a truly nostalgic offering that would bring the entire family around the TV to watch their favourite teams from Argentina, whether it is Boca, River, Colón or Godoy Cruz,” said YuppTV SVP and general manager for the Americas Damon Johnson.

     

    “We are thrilled to be a part of YuppTV platform. We are hoping to reach more Argentines wherever they are located in the Americas and offer the best sports programming ‘live’ and ‘Catch-up’ through the YuppTV app,” said TyC Sports affiliate sales and new business manager Hernán Chiofalo.

     

    YuppTV Argentina continues their development of a platform that allows users to watch content from their home country via their smart TV, streaming media player, game console, Blu-ray player, laptop, smart phone or tablet.

     

    “We are focused on choice and convenience for our customers. We want our customers to be able to watch live and ‘catch-up’ TV on their TV and not only via a PC. We don’t want our customers to sign contracts and we don’t want our customers waiting for the cable guy or figuring out where to hang a satellite dish. We won’t subject our customers to credit checks and since we are legitimate providers we don’t subject our customers to the viruses that come from those pirated websites. Instead, we want our customers to watch their channels from Argentina from the screen they prefer and watch it live or via our 10 days of recorded ‘catch-up’ TV,” said Johnson.

     

    When asked about other channels, Johnson said, “We will announce the other channels soon. TyC Sports is an anchor channel and we wanted to announce them first and give them the exposure they deserve. Our goal is to bring authentic and native Argentine channels to the platform.”

     

    Speaking on when the service would be available to customers Johnson added, “We are really eager to roll this out as soon as possible. We are about to complete our beta test, which has allowed us to perfect some of the details that makes this a high quality network offering. We hope to announce that date in the very near future.”

  • Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    Sony LIV launches movie subscription service at Rs 149 per month

    MUMBAI: Along with having original digital content, catch-up content, sports and music, Multi Screen Media’s (MSM) over the top (OTT) platform Sony LIV has now expanded its offerings portfolio with the launch of a movie subscription service.

     

    The monthly subscription service pack has been priced at Rs 149, whereas the daily subscription package has been priced at Rs 9. 

     

    Taking advantage of the fact that India is among the countries with the fastest smartphone growth in Asia, Sony LIV is seeking to bolster its foothold in the online video space. 

     

    While globally, SVOD (subscription based video on demand) is poised to become the largest revenue source in 2020, overtaking OTT advertising, in India the market is at a nascent stage with a huge growth potential in the future. With mobile video traffic in India expected to be on a growth trajectory over the next three years, Sony LIV’s new initiative will let consumers stream movies at a nominal price.

     

    Sony LIV’s movie subscription service will be accessible to consumers through its website www.sonyliv.com or via the Sony LIV app available on Google Playstore (for Android users) and App Store for (iOS users).

     

    MSM executive vice president head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “The movie subscription service is a convenient and affordable way for film lovers to enjoy their favorite blockbuster hits on their preferred digital devices. We have a wide assortment of cinematic treats on offer that users can access in a single click. The different subscription models ensure that they pay as per their consumption levels. The move is targeted towards making the digital platform the only destination that consumers need to turn to in order to fulfil the entire spectrum of their entertainment needs.” 

     

    With a range of movies from across genres, users can pay for the subscription through multiple e-payment options such as credit card, debit card, Internet banking and direct billing services. Within the subscription period, members can watch unlimited movies.

     

    The OTT platform is currently building on its catalogue with an aim to have a diverse range of movies for consumers. The platform is working towards delivering a comprehensive movie catalogue. “We are starting with building our Hindi movie catalogue and will later expand to English and other language movies too. The idea is to offer a range of movies for the consumers to consume in that subscription period. We are aiming to offer at least 1000 movies to our consumers,” Sodhi tells Indiantelevision.com.
     

    Talking about the voyage of the OTT platform since its inception, Sodhi informs that the main idea behind Sony LIV is to make it a complete entertainment destination. The OTT platform recently added sports to its content portfolio and is currently offering the Pro Wrestling League to its subscribers.

  • Saavn hires former PepsiCo exec as vice president of entertainment and original content

    Saavn hires former PepsiCo exec as vice president of entertainment and original content

    MUMBAI: Saavan LLC’s music streaming app Saavan has roped in Gaurav Wadhwa as its vice president of entertainment and original content. Earlier, Wadhwa was senior marketing consultant at PepsiCo.

     

    Wadhwa will lead Saavn’s expansion into new genres through original programming. Based in Mumbai, Wadhwa will be looking over the generation of new content verticals, Saavn’s transformation into a comprehensive steaming service by developing the company’s sports, comedy, and other such channels. The company had announced in July that it planned to expand beyond mainstream music.  

     

    Wadhwa has experience of over 10 years in curating content for many global brands including Red Bull, MTV, Mountain Dew, and Pepsi. He has worked with MTV to develop music programming and brand solutions, has launched Red Bull in India through alternative sports, music, and culture marketing. He also launched Pepsi’s big cola innovation and spearheaded the Pepsi MTV Indies program.

     

    Saavn co-founder and executive chairman Paramdeep Singh said, “Gaurav’s award-winning experience, combined with his genuine passion for music, culture, and technology, makes him absolutely ideal to lead Saavn’s Music+ initiatives.”

     

    On his new role, Wadhwa said, “I am enormously excited to join Saavn and work with some of India’s most talented content creators and entertainment platforms to create a next generation media-tech brand. It’s not every day that you get to create a whole new category from scratch, but that’s the kind of incredible opportunity we have at Saavn.