ITV

Category: iWorld

  • Roku reports strong growth in 2024, surpassing $4bn revenue

    Roku reports strong growth in 2024, surpassing $4bn revenue

    MUMBAI: Streaming platform specialist Roku has announced robust financial results for 2024, with total net revenue reaching $4.1 billion (£3.2bn), marking an 18 per cent year-over-year increase. Platform revenue grew to $3.5 billion, up 18 per cent year-over-year, or 15 per cent excluding political advertising spend. Gross profit rose 19 per cent to $1.8 billion.

    The company reported significant growth in its user base, with streaming households reaching 89.8 million, representing a net increase of 9.8 million from 2023. Streaming hours climbed by 21.1 billion to 127.1 billion hours, whilst average revenue per user reached $41.49 on a trailing 12-month basis, up 4 per cent.

    In a letter to shareholders, Roku highlighted its fourth quarter achievement of surpassing $1 billion in platform revenue, a 25 per cent year-over-year increase. The company noted that its US market penetration has exceeded half of all broadband households.

    Device Business Performance:  The company maintained its position as the leading TV operating system in the US, Canada and Mexico. Device revenue rose 20 per cent to $590.1 million in 2024, with fourth-quarter revenue of $165.7 million, up 7 per cent. However, increased seasonal discounts affected fourth-quarter device gross margins, which stood at negative 29 per cent.

    Content Platform Growth:  The Roku Channel, the company’s content platform, reached approximately 145 million people in US households during the fourth quarter, maintaining its position as the third most popular app on the platform. Streaming hours on the channel increased by 82 per cent year-over-year, with more than 80 per cent of streaming hours originating from the Roku Experience in December.

    Future Outlook:  For the first quarter of 2025, Roku forecasts total net revenue of $1.005 billion, a 14 per cent increase year-over-year. The company projects platform revenue growth of 16 per cent, whilst device revenue is expected to remain flat due to elevated inventory levels following the holiday period.

    For the full year 2025, Roku anticipates total net revenue of $4.61 billion, with platform revenue reaching $3.95 billion, representing 12 per cent growth. The company expects to achieve positive operating income by 2026.
    The company will discontinue quarterly reporting of streaming households and average revenue per user metrics from the first quarter of 2025.

  • JioHotstar subscriptions to be available at three price points

    JioHotstar subscriptions to be available at three price points

    MUMBAI:  There is nothing such as a freebie; everything has a price. A lot of misinformation has been put out about the charges that JioHotstar is going to be levying on customers for the new streamer. Here are the details: All of our plans give you access to all content on our platform:

    . Unlimited live sports (Cricket, Tennis grand slams, Premier League and more)

    . Latest Indian movie digital premieres, Hotstar Specials, and Star serials before TV

    . Disney+ Originals, popular Disney movies & kid’s shows (in English & select Indian languages).

    Mobile (Ad-Supported plan) – Rs 149 / 3 months and Rs 499 / year

    . Access content on “1” mobile device at a time

    * Renewal will be priced at Rs 149 / 3 months even if a discounted price was availed for the first 3 months of the plan.

    Super (Ad-Supported plan)** – Rs 299 / 3 months and Rs 899 / year

    . Access content on any “2” devices at a time

    . All content can be enjoyed on any of our supported platforms (Mobile, Web, and supported Living Room devices).

    ** Also applies to Jio Broadband JioHotstar partner plan

    Premium (Ad-Free plan) – Rs 299 / month (Can only be purchased via web browser),

    Rs 499 / 3 months and Rs 1499 / year

    . Access content on any “4” devices at a time

    . All content can be enjoyed on any of our supported platforms (Mobile, Web, and supported Living Room devices)

    . Enjoy Ad-free Entertainment, except in LIVE content such as sports and other LIVE shows that continue to be ad-supported.

  • India’s sports tech market to hit Rs 49,500 crore by 2029, fantasy sports growth slows

    India’s sports tech market to hit Rs 49,500 crore by 2029, fantasy sports growth slows

    MUMBAI: India’s sports technology market, currently valued at Rs 26,700 crore, is projected to grow at 13 per cent annually to reach Rs 49,500 crore by 2029, according to a new report by the Federation of Indian Fantasy Sports (FIFS) and Deloitte.

    The report, Beyond the Field: India’s Sports Tech Revolution, unveiled in New Delhi yesterday by minister of state for youth affairs and sports Raksha Khadse, reveals that fantasy sports, the largest segment, faces headwinds due to recent GST changes.

    “The fantasy sports industry has seen revenues touch Rs 9,100 crore in FY24 but is expected to decline by 10 per cent in FY25,” said FIFS director general Joy Bhattacharjya. 

    The sector’s growth forecast has been revised down to seven per cent CAGR through FY29, from an earlier projection of 30 per cent.

    “Technology is creating immersive fan experiences and opening newer business avenues,” said Deloitte India partner Prashanth Rao. However, he noted that investments in fantasy sports dropped 90 per cent in 2023, with no new investments in 2024, primarily due to GST impacts and retrospective taxation concerns.

    The report identifies three key subsectors: fan engagement, sports data and analytics, and foundational technologies. Despite current challenges, the industry’s GST contribution is expected to more than double to Rs 3,520 crore in FY24 from Rs 1,480 crore in FY23..

    The report highlights significant consumer adoption, with 89 per cent of Indian sports fans reporting that emerging technologies have enhanced their viewing experience. Between 2018 and 2023, the sector attracted cumulative investments of Rs 27,500 crore, with fantasy sports securing Rs 10,800 crore of this funding.

    India’s current one per cent share of the global sports technology market and four per cent of the APAC region suggests substantial growth potential. However, industry leaders elaborate that realising this potential requires a supportive regulatory framework, stable tax policies, and industry-wide standards for responsible gaming.
    Minister Khadse emphasised the government’s commitment to the sector, stating, “The integration of technology with sports is crucial as we enter the era of AI. Sports technology will be particularly important in analysing and developing our athletes for the future.”

    The sector is expected to create 17,500 direct and indirect new jobs by FY27, marking its growing importance in India’s digital economy.

  • JioHotstar ticks all the boxes for a world class service

    JioHotstar ticks all the boxes for a world class service

    MUMBAI: It’s a winner! All we can do is doff our hats to Uday Shankar and his band of JioStar men. The vice-chairman of JioStar and his team,  early this morning, unveiled a new streaming service JioHotstar which simply blew you away.  

    The logo – reminding of you of a distant  rising star – the colours, the tiles, the ease of navigation, the interactivity, the sheer breadth, the depth, and width of content (a lot has been spoken about the Disney, WBD, et al library, the top sports in the country) –  it’s all there, all one can expect from a best in class service.

    Congratulatory messages from a  host of top  Hindi and regional cinema icons – led by Salman Khan –  on the launch of JioHotstar keep you watching, even the promo.

    Netflix, and team Sarandos, you’d  better wake up, and smell the coffee, you will have a battle of perception on your hands of an Indian company being able to create a global gold standard streamer.

    What should also worry the rest of the streamers is the spawning of Sparks – an area reserved for creator-led content. There’s shows from  Zakir Khan, Fukra insaan, there’s Munawar Faruqui, Urfi Javed, Harsh  Gujral, Ranveer Braar, and Rahul Dua. And mind you unlike in the past, the content is good with game shows, dating shows etc.

    Hey, before anyone thinks we are being paid to be euphoric about JioHotstar, here’s a confession: we are not.

    Our review of the new JioHotstar is based on genuine pride that a streamer of this quality can emerge from India. One that can rival global players, in terms of design, tech, ease of use, and of course that most important element content!

    In fact, if there’s one hassle with the new JioHotstar it is that there’s  a problem of plenty, there’s too much too much content. But India is a land of diversity and the attempt is to cater to that. Good search and recommendation engines can really make the surfeit of content not appear like a problem at all!
     

  • Vodafone Idea posts Rs 111.2 billion revenue but struggles under debt burden

    Vodafone Idea posts Rs 111.2 billion revenue but struggles under debt burden

    MUMBAI: Vodafone Idea (Vi) is ringing in revenue growth, but the static of debt remains loud. The telecom giant reported Rs 111.2 billion in revenue for Q3FY25, marking a 1.7 per cent sequential increase, and clocked its highest quarterly cash EBITDA of Rs 24.5 billion since the Vodafone-Idea merger. However, despite operational improvements, Vi remains in the red, posting a net loss of Rs 66.1 billion.

    The company’s average revenue per user (ARPU) rose to Rs 173, reflecting a 4.7 per cent QoQ jump, largely driven by tariff hikes and customer upgrades. But its financial burden remains steep. Bank debt stands at Rs 23.3 billion, while spectrum and AGR dues total a staggering Rs 2.27 trillion, payable over two decades.

    Vi is pushing forward with a massive capex plan, spending Rs 53.3 billion in the first nine months of FY25, with a full-year target of Rs 100 billion. The company added 4,000 broadband towers, its highest in a single quarter since the merger, and expanded 4G coverage to 41 million more users, reaching 1.07 billion people.

    A phased 5G rollout is now officially in motion, with Mumbai set to go live by March 2025, followed by Delhi, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, and Patna in April. The telco is banking on this expansion to sharpen its competitive edge.

    To keep its balance sheet in check, Vi has secured Rs 19.1 billion in fresh equity capital from its promoter group, pushing its total equity infusion to Rs 260 billion in the last 10 months. The company also received a bank guarantee waiver on spectrum payments, offering temporary relief.

    Vodafone Idea is also in the middle of another fresh financial hurdle as the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has demanded a Rs 6,090 crore bank guarantee by March 10 to cover spectrum obligations since 2015, offering an alternative cash payment of Rs 5,493 crore. The telco must choose one of these options and comply with the telecom department’s requirements, adding to its existing financial woes amid intense industry competition. This development comes as a major setback for Vi, which is already grappling with Rs 2.27 trillion in spectrum and AGR dues. However, some relief arrived in January when the Supreme Court upheld the Bombay High Court’s November 2023 decision granting Vi a Rs 1,600 crore tax refund, providing a temporary financial cushion as the telco continues its struggle to stabilise operations.  

    While Vi is making strides in revenue and expansion, the question remains, can it dial up a full-fledged recovery, or will the weight of its debt drop the call?

  • Kuku TV transforms India’s OTT space with vertical microdrama boom

    Kuku TV transforms India’s OTT space with vertical microdrama boom

    MUMBAI: India’s digital entertainment landscape just got a bold new entrant—Kuku TV. The country’s first vertical OTT platform has officially launched, redefining storytelling with serialised microdramas tailored for today’s mobile-first audience. Designed to be fast, engaging, and binge-worthy, Kuku TV is here to disrupt the streaming game with high-intensity, cliffhanger-driven episodes.

    With over five million downloads during its beta phase, Kuku TV is scaling rapidly, proving that Indian audiences are ready for a new era of content consumption. The platform delivers short episodic stories in a vertical format, optimised for smartphones—each episode lasting under two minutes, with series spanning over 50+ episodes.

    If you thought long-form drama was the only way to hook audiences, Kuku TV is here to prove otherwise.

    mini seires

    According to an Ericsson study, 57 per cent of global video plays come from mobile devices, with 94 per cent of users holding their phones vertically. Meanwhile, 90 per cent of Indian users consume short-form vertical videos daily, yet the OTT space had no dedicated premium platform to cater to this demand—until now.

    Kuku co-founder & COO Vinod Kumar Meena shared, “Traditional OTTs are stuck in an era where TV-sized screens were the norm. India’s audience has moved on—they’re watching content on their smartphones, in vertical mode, and in short bursts. With Kuku TV, we’re not just launching a streaming platform; we’re pioneering an entirely new way of storytelling. Given our experience with Kuku FM, where we scaled to 4.5 million paying subscribers, we understand what works for personalised content consumption, and we’re applying those learnings to video streaming.”

    Nearly 95 per cent of India’s creative talent remains undiscovered due to outdated distribution models. Kuku TV is bridging this gap by offering a direct-to-consumer channel for independent filmmakers, writers, and production houses to monetise their work and connect with millions of viewers. The platform is already collaborating with directors and producers to develop original microdramas and acquire rights to underrepresented films.

    Unlike traditional OTT platforms that rely on ad-based models, Kuku TV operates on a pure subscription model:

    . Annual subscription: Rs 899

    . Quarterly subscription: Rs 399

    Make Scrolling

    India already has 500 million plus OTT users and 100 million plus active paid subscriptions (Ormax Report). With over 900 million internet users in the country and 150 million already paying for content, the next digital shift is inevitable. As India surpasses the one billion internet user mark, the number of paid content subscribers is expected to reach 500 million, with 300 million potential users for vertical microdramas.

    Say hello to the future of vertical entertainment. By merging short-form content with compelling storytelling, it creates an immersive, binge-worthy experience designed for the new-age mobile viewer. With fresh content dropping every day, including one regional Indian microdrama daily, Kuku TV ensures a dynamic library spanning genres like Action, Bollywood, Sci-Fi, and Mythology.

    For filmmakers, investors, and creators looking to be part of this storytelling revolution, Kuku TV is now accepting applications for collaborations.

    Download Now:

    . Android: Google Play Store

    . iOS: Apple App Store

  • Time to call off the witch hunt against Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia

    Time to call off the witch hunt against Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia

    MUMBAI: The digital landscape has erupted in a cacophony of outrage, leaving millions of young Indians wondering if innocent raunchy entertainment now comes with a risk of persecution. At the centre of this storm stands Samay Raina, whose wildly successful show India’s Got Latent has been forced into an abrupt shutdown.

    Until last week, Raina represented a new breed of digital success stories. His show didn’t just entertain; it democratised talent discovery, giving unknowns a platform while matching production values of mainstream television. It created moments of pure joy – from visually impaired comics finding their audience to small-town contestants walking away with life-changing prize money.

    Then came that fateful episode. When Beer Biceps (Ranveer Allahbadia) posed a controversial question copied from a US show, the ensuing backlash spiralled into a tsunami of moral outrage. Now, more than a dozen FIRs later, including one from Mumbai’s Cyber Crime unit, both creators stand chastened, with Raina taking the extreme step of scrubbing his show from the internet entirely.

    But let’s pause and ask: Does the punishment fit the crime? 

    Have we become a society so brittle that a single misjudged question warrants destroying careers and erasing content that brought joy to millions?

    Are we so insecure about our cultural foundations that every transgression must be met with scorched-earth tactics?

    Our culture has weathered and withstood centuries of actual invasions and emerged stronger. 

    Yet today, we’re clutching at moral straws, letting politicians and sensation-hungry media outlets whip up hysteria over a YouTube show. 

    Both Raina and Allahbadia have apologised and faced public shame. 

    The show is gone. 

    The message has been sent.

    It’s time for this digital witch hunt to end. 

    Our politicians and media might better serve society by turning their attention to actual issues plaguing our constituencies.

    The young creators have learned their lesson. Let’s not destroy the very platforms that give voice to India’s emerging talent in our rush to appear righteous.

  • Zomato divulges Bengaluru’s weather secret with star-studded, quirky film

    Zomato divulges Bengaluru’s weather secret with star-studded, quirky film

    MUMBAI: Bengaluru’s near-perfect weather has been a source of envy across India. But what’s the secret? Zomato’s latest film playfully spills the beans-it’s all thanks to the ‘weather gods’ who thrive on delicious ‘oota’ (food) delivered on time. Turns out, Bengaluru’s sunshine and breeze are powered by a well-fed divine committee, thanks to Zomato’s seamless food delivery.

    The campaign features Indian cinema’s Dino Morea as the chief weather god, ensuring his divine team maintains Bengaluru’s legendary climate. Alongside him, a stellar ensemble including Ashish Vidhyarthi, Niharika NM, and Jordindian adds to the fun. The film humorously positions Zomato as the key ingredient behind Bengaluru’s pleasant weather, making every food order a divine service.

    The pre-launch buzz took the city by storm with intriguing billboards asking, ‘Why is Bengaluru’s weather so super?’ The suspense reached fever pitch when cricketing legend Anil Kumble shared a snapshot of the campaign on X, fueling online chatter. Finally, Zomato revealed the big twist across its social media platforms: ‘Super weather needs super oota!’

    Zomato marketing head Sahibjeet Singh Sawhney shared, “Bengaluru isn’t just a city; it’s an emotion, and its food culture is at the heart of it. This campaign is our way of celebrating its love for great food and unmatched weather, all with a generous dose of humor. We’ve brought the ‘Weather Gods’ to life, showing how timely oota keeps them—and the whole city—cheerful.”

  • Punjabi OTT Chaupal is Kiwi borne with Prime

    Punjabi OTT Chaupal is Kiwi borne with Prime

    MUMBAI: Chaupal OTT, the Punjabi streaming service, has expanded its reach by launching on Amazon Prime Video Channels in New Zealand. Prime members in New Zealand can now access Chaupal’s content library, including Punjabi movies, web series, and short films, as an add-on subscription through Prime Video.The price: NZ $5.99 a month. 

    The launch marks Chaupal’s continued international expansion and strengthens its partnership with Amazon’s streaming platform. The service offers viewers access to its original content alongside a curated selection of Punjabi entertainment.

    This development follows collaboration between the Chaupal and Amazon teams to bring the regional streaming service to New Zealand audiences, further expanding the availability of Punjabi content in international markets.

     

  • BGMI’s Wow Wakao: A new era of gaming and influencer storytelling

    BGMI’s Wow Wakao: A new era of gaming and influencer storytelling

    MUMBAI: In an unprecedented collaboration, Krafton India has partnered with Collective Creative Labs, the creative division of Collective Artists Network, and Bake A Film to launch Wow Wakao, a six-episode gaming content series exclusively for Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). This initiative marks a significant milestone in India’s gaming culture, blending immersive storytelling with influencer-driven content.

    As gaming cements its place in India’s entertainment industry, Wow Wakao introduces a fresh, engaging approach to content creation. The series stars rising content creator Naman Arora, represented by Collective Artists Network, who navigates BGMI’s new ‘Wow Mode’ in an entertaining and dynamic style. The initiative aims to set a new benchmark for gaming content in India.

    Speaking on the collaboration, Naman Arora said, “Gaming has always been my passion, and Wow Wakao is a dream come true. This series brings a new level of excitement, allowing me to showcase BGMI’s Wow Mode in a fun and engaging way for fans. I can’t wait for everyone to experience it!”

    Krafton India associate director of marketing Srinjoy Das added, “BGMI has always led the way in innovative gameplay experiences, and Wow Wakao aligns perfectly with our vision of engaging and entertaining our community. By collaborating with Naman Arora and our talented content partners, we aim to make gaming content more immersive and accessible.”

    Collective Creative Labs chief creative officer Dhruv Sheth noted, “BGMI consistently pushes the boundaries of gameplay innovation. We are thrilled to collaborate on Wow Wakao, which leverages trending content, influencer engagement, and the diversity of WOW Mode to connect with audiences in a relatable and entertaining manner.”

    Bake A Film co-founder Mrinal Chawla highlighted, “By tapping into current trends, Naman Arora’s popularity, and the diverse offerings of WOW Mode, we have crafted Wow Wakao! This series places BGMI’s Wow Mode front and centre, reaching audiences through trending social media personalities and engaging storytelling.”

    Creative director Parikshit Singh added, ‘We set out to create an engaging series that captures the madness of WOW Mode. Thanks to the combined efforts of all teams and Naman Arora’s hilarious performance, the final product matches the vision we had when it was just a concept.’

    With digital entertainment evolving rapidly, gaming has emerged as a dominant force. Wow Wakao aims to captivate a new generation of gamers and content enthusiasts, reinforcing Krafton’s commitment to innovative storytelling. The series will be available for streaming on YouTube and Instagram from 11th February 2025, delivering a thrilling mix of action, entertainment, and influencer-driven narratives.