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Tag: Ali Hussein

  • OTT players see subscription revenue as India’s future

    OTT players see subscription revenue as India’s future

    MUMBAI: Most Indian over the top (OTT) and even traditional mediums have assumed that Indian audiences aren’t willing to pay for content. But of late, discussions have shown that monetisation is happening at a slow pace. Though the return on investment (RoI) is not for the foreseeable future, the business minds are highly optimistic that the scenario will change in the next five years.

    Eros Digital COO Ali Hussein, SonyLIV EVP Uday Sodhi, Syntropic Systems managing partner Alap Ghosh, Atechnos founder Apurv Modi and Hungama Digital Media VP Soumini Shridhara Paul delved on the future of the industry at an OTTv Mumbai session.

    The session started with the age-old debate that Indian people don’t want to pay for content. The scenario hasn’t changed since last year’s panel.

    Hussein said the main challenge is not that people don’t want to pay but whether the platforms are able to grow a habit among consumers to return. “The question is to allow the whole ecosystem to pave the way for a feasible experience for the consumers to pay,” he said.

    Sodhi backed Hussein’s statement saying that everyone is paying for content in some way but it isn’t enough to allow evolution. 10 or 15 years ago, similar questions were thrown for traditional TV. He is optimistic in that next five years the scenario of the OTT industry will change too.

    “In the last two to three years, significant consumption appetite has been seen. Penetration of smartphone, easy access to 4g has activated this. Now some of us are encouraged to create content as we believe that some sort monetisation is coming through,” he said.

    Paul said, “When we come to down monetisation challenges, one has to look at how we can build something which is scalable.” She also thinks the quality of production makes a difference. Everybody cannot have $2 billion for content but ensuring the best product within budget is important. In spite of making some content similar, finding something different can really help.

    The reasons that make consumers hesitate to pay have never been found. Ghosh mentioned three reasons. One of the reasons is that people stop paying when they finish watching what they wanted to watch. The doubt on the validity of the expense also restricts them to pay again as the consumers are habituated to pay Rs 200 for 300 channels where they don’t have to think what to watch next.

    Whenever it comes to monetisation, everyone discusses subscription but it is advertising through which significant money can come through and that depends on good content. Going forward, revenue from both subscription and advertising will increase as the market will mature. As advertising is itself a complex ecosystem, there are bigger challenges for AVOD model to make money.

    While Modi said that there is enthusiasm from advertisers to engage in OTT platforms, Ghosh thinks that in the urge to be across platforms they choose to be on one or two select platforms like YouTube, Hotstar to create interest among viewers.

    Moreover, strategic partnerships for distribution also leave an impact to reach more consumers leading to better scaling as well as subscriptions.

    While monetisation has been the key challenge to Indian OTT industry, there are new avenues which can help to overcome the challenge. It’s important for the ecosystem to be able to allow growth of both advertising and subscription based models. The increased attention on statistics from optimising data can help the players to understand what is working and what needs to be changed to retain consumers.

  • Eros Now gearing up to build its brand with SVOD and movie positioning

    Eros Now gearing up to build its brand with SVOD and movie positioning

    MUMBAI: Ever since over-the-top (OTT) platforms began to pop up like breeding rabbits  in India, there has been widespread scepticism over whether viewers would pay for online content. Most of the players, however, are quite sanguine that Indian audiences are ready to open their wallets for good content. Echoing the same sentiment, Eros Digital COO Ali Hussein, in an interaction with indiantelevision.com, said that he is going to further reiterate the fact that Eros Now has been a subscription first video on demand service and push its positioning as a movie focused product. A high decible promotional campaign is on the anvil, to push the messaging to  users in a bid to upgrade them to paying customers.

    The move comes in the wake of Eros Digital concentrating on generating paying subs. Operating under the ambit of production and distribution company Eros International Media, the company is inching towards its aim of accruing 16 million subscribers by the end of financial year 2019. It already has according to some reports five million subs internationally.

    A former YouTube executive, Hussein joined Eros Digital as COO in January with more than 15 years of experience in digital media across big name content and digital outfits. During his time with YouTube, he realised the true value of technology, research and the function of product managers, which is sometimes undermined by content creators.

    Instead of harping on a grand vision, he is looking at simply building an identity for his new charge. He believes that the company has much to consolidate. While other platforms are entering the space with multiple identities such as general entertainment, youth, kids, family and sports, Eros Now has an advantage with being defined as a movie destination.

    “I think it’s important for the ecosystem to understand that at the end of the day, you are trying to develop an affinity with the customer. Hence, building a brand and a cultural ethos is always important. You can’t just be like a jigsaw puzzle,” Ali  said.

    That is why Eros Now is aiming at identifying its niche and building on it. And it is going to push the two messaging planks of movies first and SVOD-first. According to Ali, the plan is to double investment from a brand stand point. “In the next six to nine months, the company will take various initiatives focusing on how to develop a brand for the future.”

    Original content is the star ingredient for OTT players in 2018 with Eros Now being no exception. The digital platform will launch six to eight originals, including up to two in regional languages. Keeping its long legacy of quality storytelling in mind, the platform will not launch a large number of shows but will concentrate on quality. “There will be no reality shows or non-fiction content. Our focus will to be build limited episode shows in the ficitonal space with the treatment we put in place when we make movies under the Eros brand.”

    Eros Now currently follows the SVOD-first model – read: all its content behind a pay wall while keeping music videos and movie trailers free, which will have some ad monetisation. Pricing is at Rs 49 for the base pack and Rs 99 for the full monty including HD, movies and other premium content.

    “With e-commerce encouraging and making it easy for people to trust online payments, the OTT sector aims to benefit from this trust,” adds Ali. “As an overall ecosystem, the future of the business is going to move to e-payment and that’ll have an effect on media and entertainment,” he said.

    Deals with Reliance Jio, Bharti Airtel, Idea Cellular, Vodafone and mobile wallets and OEMs will help Eros Now complete its target of annual average revenue per user of $5 in India and $35 internationally. Late last month, Reliance Industries bought a minority stake in Eros International, helping it leverage Jio’s 4G offering.

    In January, Eros Now announced that it had hit 80 million registered users and five million paying subscribers worldwide as of 31 December 2017 with 150 per cent growth over the previous year. By 31 March 2018, it had hoped to climb to six to eight million subscribers and double that number by the end of FY 2019.

    Eros Now already has users globally owing to the large Indian diaspora. Earlier, Eros International collaborated with Roku and web-OS enabled LG smart TVs to make its OTT content available around the world. To expand its reach, Eros Now will target certain international markets but with localised strategies.

    Thanks to the hectic pace of action in the OTT space, platforms have to be constantly on their toes taking course-corrective measures in order to stay afloat. So far, Eros Now has had a low-profile existence in the market but things are about to change soon. The next six to nine months are likely to see a raft of announcements by the platform in terms of originals and a stronger connect in foreign markets through localised content strategy. Watch this space for more action.

    Also Read :

    Eros Digital ropes in former Google exec Ali Hussein as COO

    Eros Now and PVR Cinemas present – ‘Return of Blockbusters’ Film Festival

  • The men of media celebrate the women in their lives

    The men of media celebrate the women in their lives

    MUMBAI: Women have the power to create, nurture and transform. The very word ‘woman’ conjures up the images of selfless love, care and affection. International Women’s Day is a worldwide event that celebrates women’s achievements – from the political to the social, professional to the personal – while calling for gender equality. It has been observed since the early 1900s and is now recognised each year on 8 March.

    Men, today, do a higher share of chores and household work than any generation before them. Yet working women, especially working mothers, continue to do significantly more. However, a real man always appreciates the important women in his life and celebrates their presence every day.

    Indiantelevision.com spoke to some of the men in the Indian media industry about their views on the subject.

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    ALTBalaji COO Sunil Nair

    I don’t think I need a special day to realise how important the women in my life are. At home, every day is women’s day since I live with three women—my daughter, wife and mother-and they ensure that I never forget who the real boss in house is. I believe we all can celebrate the women in our lives by respecting them, their opinions, treating them as equals and considering their views and choices as equally important.

    At workplaces, most Indian men do not know how to deal with a female coworker who is more intelligent or is more qualified. A deliberate policy that ensures that workplaces have good gender diversity helps in the longer run.

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    Green Gold Animation founder and CEO Rajiv Chilaka

    I personally believe that women are superior to men, but unfortunately even today, most women across India are struggling to have their voices heard and are fighting hard to secure their rights. In India, gender inequality is a huge problem and that has to be fixed. Most kids TV shows today are targeted towards boys with the message that boys/men are more important than girls/women. This has to change and we need to treat boys and girls as equals. I feel we shouldn’t just dedicate a day to celebrate but rather give them respect, importance, love and independence every day. In India, we all pray to goddesses like Durga, Lakshmi, and Saraswati for power, wealth and education but yet when it comes to our households we don’t look up to our women and we treat our women shabbily. 

    At workplaces, we need to hire more women and companies need to provide security and safe transport to women who work late hours. More importantly, families need to understand that the women can also aspire to have a successful career along with a fulfilling family life.

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    Bodhi Tree Multimedia founder Mautik Tolia

    Women’s day is deeply significant for me as I stand the man I am today because of the women who have influenced my life in various ways by helping me evolve and grow into the person I am today. I celebrate the women in my life by constantly making them feel how special and important they are to me. Although I don’t do this enough and feel I must do this more.

    The industry needs to do more about the safety of women especially at sets, which are located in far-flung areas with late pack up times by providing them transport and ensuring their safety. The industry is very demanding on young women especially who come from smaller towns with no safety net and hence a strong support system needs to be created by the seniors in the industry to ensure their physical and mental well being.

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    PwC India entertainment and media leader Frank D’souza

    Women’s day is a reminder of the fact that much needs to be done for women around the world, at various levels — socio, economic and political. A true test of the endeavours in this regard would be the time when we don’t feel the need anymore to celebrate a day in particular! A mother, wife, sister and daughter helps an individual to grow and flourish. I seek to recognise this contribution in the women in my life. There are times I do it well, and at times, I could do it better.

    But what needs to be done at workplace to ensure women are on equal footing as men is a debatable and tough question. Equality demands that all be treated similarly. However, one needs to be cognisant of the different needs of women at workplace, and create and implement policies to recognise such differences, primarily in issues related to career advancement. The challenge here to get the male workforce to appreciate the need for such distinction and not to feel reverse discriminated.

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    Eros Digital COO Ali Hussein

    Women’s day is a big day for me, as it’s a good way to take a step back and recognise their contribution in my life both personally and professionally. I have two very important women in my life: my wife and daughter and I celebrate the day by taking them out for a meal.

    At Eros, we try and maintain an equal men-to-women ratio in the team. This not only ensures great productivity but more so being a consumer brand allows us to maintain a tone and culture with our viewers largely. 

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    ALTBalaji CMO Manav Sethi

    Every day is women’s day when you live with your mom, wife and daughter. I look forward for men’s day! I celebrate the women in my life by giving them space, freedom, enablement and reinforcement that they are better than men.

    At workplace, we need to treat them as equals, give them opportunities, skill enhancement, learning and risks. Management/workplace is never a function of sex. It’s all about people, passion, commitment, common sense and brains.
  • Eros Digital ropes in former Google exec Ali Hussein as COO

    Eros Digital ropes in former Google exec Ali Hussein as COO

    MUMBAI: Kishore Lulla-Rishika Lulla Singh-run Eros Digital is muscling up. The digital content streaming and distribution company has signed up former Google and You Tube executive Ali Hussein as chief operating officer (COO). Rishika Lulla Singh is the CEO of the company.

    Hussein will be spearheading Eros’ digital initiatives including Eros Now, its cutting-edge digital over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform.

    Hussein is a co-owner of Monozygotic Productions promoted by Rajiv and Raghu Lakshman, Rajiv Luthria, Siddharth and Rahul Tewary (of Swastik Productions). Sources indicate Hussein will continue to retain his substantial stake in the company.  Monozygotic is behind reality show MTV Drop Out Pvt Ltd, which was launched last year.

    Rishika Lulla Singh said, “We are delighted to have Ali join the leadership team at Eros. The impact of digital technology on media consumption is growing at a rapid space, making this sector one of the most exciting in present times. At ErosNow, we are in a robust growth phase and continue to reinvent ourselves as a digital company. With Ali’s experience in media, entertainment and the digital space, we look forward to further capitalising our digital expansion strategy and I wish him all the best.”

    Prior to Monozygotic, Hussein was head of media partnerships, You Tube, where he spent around two and a half years. Before YouTube, he was assistant vice president of digital at Viacom18—looking after Nickelodeon, MTV and Colors—over a three and a half year period. And prior to that, Hussein was assistant general manager at Hungama Mobile.

    Speaking on his appointment, Hussein said, “This is an exciting time for the Indian digital landscape and we are poised to become India’s largest digital entertainment company. I truly believe Eros Now is an established global player that is best positioned to leverage this space with the strength of its vast content library and dominant market share and I am very happy to be a part of this opportunity to take the company to the next level”.

    Earlier this year, Eros Now, the group’s streaming app, had announced a five million paying subscriber base globally. Eros Now has partnered players worldwide to expand its offerings, including Amazon across the US and the UK, Roku in the US, Canada and the UK, and T-Mobile in the US. The company most recently partnered LG for its Smart TVs worldwide, apart from having deals with companies such as Reliance Jio, Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea Cellular in India.

    Eros Now is slated to launch its original shows soon.

    Also Read:

    Eros Now Available on Amazon Channels

    2017: The year OTTs went regional in India

    Eros reports higher profit margin despite fewer releases