ITV

Tag: Amazon

  • Amazon, Tata & Hyundai top India’s most mobile-ready brands, FB in world’s best

    MUMBAI: Ansible, the mobile marketing and technology agency of IPG Mediabrands, in partnership with global market research firm YouGov, and Powered by Google, has launched MDEX, that ranks world’s most “mobile ready” brands.

    The Top 10 Most “Mobile Ready” Brands in India Are:

    Amazon
    Tata Motors
    Hyundai
    Maruti
    Snapdeal
    Horlicks
    Lakme
    Rin
    Iodex
    Bournvita

    In total, more than 2,000 brands were reviewed across 15 countries (Argentina, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Germany, India, Malaysia, Mexico, Philippines, Singapore, UK, Uruguay, and the USA) against 60 separate criteria, producing in excess of 240,000 data points.

    The Top 10 Most “Mobile Ready” Brands In The World Are:

    1. Facebook
    2. Amazon
    3. 7-Eleven
    4. Hyundai
    5. Microsoft
    6. Nike
    7. Google
    8. Adidas
    9. OLX
    10.Target

    Ansible India CEO Anjali Hegde said, “India is a mobile first nation and an entire generation has bypassed PC/Desktop to connect digitally. The new consumer is mobile first and uses it as a primary tool for information, entertainment, engagement, communication and commerce. MDEX puts into perspective and benchmarks the mobile readiness of brands to connect with this new consumer. It is an authoritative study which looks at the mobile ecosystem in a holistic way. This is a study is timely and would immensely benefit brands to remain ahead of the curve.”

  • Amazon & Netflix bag maiden Academy Awards

    MUMBAI: From wrongly naming the winner for the best film to presenters handling wrong cue cards, this year’s 89 Academy Awards did make news but, for several odds. Not only was La La Land named as the winner of for the best film instead of Moonlight but, reportedly presenters were given the wrong cue cards and though the mistake was corrected by the Academy. Video-on-demand streaming service Amazon won its first-ever Academy Awards on Sunday night, taking home three Oscar statues.

    The service won awards for Manchester by the Sea taking home best original screenplay and best picture honors and Iran’s The Salesman. The wins for Amazon drew the praise of company founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, who was in attendance at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood and tweeting his congratulations to the winners.

    Its rival platform, Netflix also won an Oscar for best documentary short, which went to The White Helmets, which the streaming service produced and distributed.

    Amazon Studios released its first awards-hopeful movie at the end of 2015 with Spike Lee’s Chi-Raq and over the past year has spent aggressively to become a serious player in the indie film world.

  • Conjuring 2, Fleabag & ‘Rock-On 2’ digital premiere on Amazon Prime

    MUMBAI: Are you looking for some adventure filled with comedy and drama? Then, Amazon Prime Video is your place to be! Get ready to relive the ‘magik’ of music with the digital premiere of ‘Rock on 2’. 

    Sharing his excitement on Rock On 2 premiering on Amazon Prime Video, Farhan Akhtar said, “The choice to watch exclusive content on mobiles, net or multiple other devices at any given time is hugely exciting. I am thrilled that Rock On 2 is now available on Amazon Prime Video and quite certain that the digital premiere of the movie will weave ‘Magik’. Streaming video provides customers a choice to watch new-age content and I can reach a whole new audience who have the power to choose what they want to watch when.”

    In addition to this musical drama, for some light hearted moments the viewers can come along on a journey with Fleabag, Season 1 – An Amazon Original. And, close those curtains and lock those doors, because you in for some horror with The Conjuring 2. For real movie buffs – catch some of the chartbusters – Keanu, Zoolander 2 and Anomalisa. 

    Rock On 2

    Rock On 2 is an Indian musical drama film, directed by Shujaat Saudagar, produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani, and with music by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy. The sequel to the 2008 film, Rock On!!, it stars Shraddha Kapoor, Farhan Akhtar, Arjun Rampal, Purab Kohli, Shashank Arora, and Prachi Desai in lead roles.  Watch it exclusively on Amazon Prime Video now!

    Fleabag (Amazon Original)

    Fleabag is a hilarious and poignant window into the mind of a dry-witted, sexual, angry, grief-riddled woman, as she hurls herself at modern living in London. Award-winning playwright Phoebe Waller-Bridge writes and stars as Fleabag, an unfiltered woman trying to heal, while rejecting anyone who tries to help her and keeping up her bravado all along.

    The Conjuring 2

    In 1977, paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren travel to London, England, where single mother Peggy Hodgson believes that something evil is in her home. When Peggy’s youngest daughter starts showing signs of demonic possession, Ed and Lorraine attempt to help the besieged girl, only to find themselves targeted by the malicious spirits.

  • Amazon’s Michael Paul joins MLB’s video streaming service BAMTech

    MUMBAI: Amazon’s digital media executive Michael Paull has been hired to lead the $3 billion video-streaming company BAMTech. The announcement was made by Major League Baseball Advanced Media, which sold one-third of BAMTech to Walt Disney in August. Disney bought a 33 per cent stake in BAMTech for $1 billion Baseball still owns a majority of BAMTech. Disney in three years will have the option to take a controlling stake.

    Paull is due to take up his new role next month and is expected to oversee Disney-owned sports network ESPN’s upcoming subscription streaming service. He will relocate from Seattle to New York and report directly to BAMTech’s board of directors. He replaces Bob Bowman, who will remain MLB’s president of business and media. Bowman will also serve on the seven-member BAMTech board of directors, along with Rob Manfred, ESPN President John Skipper, Disney executive Kevin Mayer and commissioner of the National Hockey League Gary Bettman, which is also an investor in the company.

    “Michael will deliver on the incredible potential and promise this venture has for building powerful viewing experiences for its clients and their customers,” Manfred said in a statement.

    For the last three years, Paull has been vice president of digital video for Amazon Inc. He oversaw the introduction of Prime Video and significantly increased the production of original series and films. Prior to joining Amazon, Paull also held leadership positions at Sony Pictures, Sony Music, Fox Entertainment and Time Warner.

    BAMTech started out as the interactive media and internet company of Major League Baseball and is now jointly owned by Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM), The Walt Disney Company and the National Hockey League (NHL). It claims to have 7.5 million global paid subscribers through OTT products for sports, news and entertainment partners including HBO Now, the NHL, MLB, the PGA Tour, WWE Network, Riot Games/League of Legends, and Ice Network.

    Through a partnership with Discovery, BAMTech also jointly formed BAMTech Europe to move into this market and provide technology services to a broad set of clients across the continent, including Eurosport’s digital products.

  • BankBazaar’s month-long campaign kicks off

    BankBazaar’s month-long campaign kicks off

    MUMBAI: BankBazaar.com, world’s first multi-brand paperless platform for instant approval on financial products, is hosting a month-long campaign for loans and credit cards. Buoyed by the encouragement BankBazaar has received from financial institutions and customers for its annual Diwali campaign, the company has gone ahead with a special #FinanceMegaMela campaign that will run through out 1–28 February, and will feature some of the best deals and offers from the largest ecosystem of partners – many of which are exclusive to sale.

    The company raised USD 80m through funding from investors such as Amazon.com, Fidelity Growth Partners, Mousse Partners, Sequoia Capital and Walden International.

    With budget announced earlier than ever this year, customers now will start planning their financial profile. A lot of people will close most of their important financial decisions of the year like property, vehicles etc within these 02 months. This is why, in order to be customers preferred buying destination for loans and credit cards, BankBazaar has announced the #FinanceMegaMela campaign with special offer.

    In addition to the exclusive deals on the platform, the highlight of the #FinanceMegaMela are the Amazon gift vouchers on every successful disbursement of credit card and loan products applied for through the marketplace. Credit cards are eligible for Amazon Gift Card worth Rs.750. Personal loans come with Amazon Gift Card worth Rs.1000; car loans with Amazon Gift Card Rs.2500; and home loans with Amazon Gift Card worth Rs.5000. The ability to compare products and take an informed, independent decision and the expectation of end-to-end service may have started from consumer durables but have now become key factors even in the purchase of financial products.

    India is going through a massive digital revolution, and with government announcing annual mission to target 2,500 crore digital transactions for 2017-18 through UPI, USSD, Aadhar Pay, IMPS and debit cards, more and more people will prefer online platforms like BankBazaar to get their preferred financial product. Non-cash payment transactions constitute 22% of all consumer payments, and are likely to overtake cash transactions by 2023, which says a lot about the seamless shift in customer preference to online platforms for their financial needs. BankBazaar also, with 23 million customers till date, serves more than 10 million unique visitors a month today compared to five million in 2015.

    Speaking about the campaign, BankBazaar.com’s chief business development officer (CBDO) Navin Chandani said, “BankBazaar.com’s #FinanceMegaMela comes at one of the most crucial part of the year when people are trying to put their long-term plans together and make savings and investment plans. This is the time when they need the clarity on the best deals available and the most seamless, frictionless process to access the right product. With an instant, paperless purchase process, end-to-end services, and exclusive offers, BankBazaar has the best options for every customer.”

    BankBazaar hosts the widest range of financial products from over 50+ of the biggest public and private sector banks, NBFCs, and insurance companies in India. It gets an average of 7,000,000 visitors per month.

  • Amazon to aid Nagaland women entrepreneurs

    Amazon to aid Nagaland women entrepreneurs

    MUMBAI: Amazon.in will work closely with the Nagaland government to enable women sellers in the state to embrace digital commerce through training, mentorship & skill development workshops.

    In line with its vision to transform the way India sells, Amazon India today announced its partnership with the Government of Nagaland and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to empower and enable women entrepreneurs in the state by providing them with a global platform to sell their products at zero initial cost. Under the partnership, Amazon.in will conduct extensive training & skill development workshops to help women entrepreneurs in Nagaland understand nuances related to online selling and develop skills and capabilities necessary to nurture successful online enterprises. The programme also aims to encourage cottage industries in Nagaland by helping them grow through online commerce.

    As part of the initiative, a one-stop center equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure will be created to train & equip women entrepreneurs to open their own ‘E-shop’ on Amazon.in. With this, Amazon India aims to promote the flourishing cottage industries in the region and unlock unique selection of products such as hand-woven items, intricate metalwork, woodwork, stonework, pottery and basketry. Spinning and weaving have been very significant in the Naga Hills and in the recent times mill-made yarn is also fast gaining popularity from this region. The government has also been very active in promoting industries like soap-making, candle-making, bee-keeping, and the association with Amazon will definitely aid in this direction.

    Starting today, the first workshop spanning over two days will be conducted in Kohima. The participants of the workshop will be endowed with essential skills required to help them start an online business. The training workshops will comprise of sessions on listing of products, imaging & cataloguing, packaging & shipping, inventory & account management and customer service to name a few. This will be a free workshop offering several exclusive benefits including assisted onboarding and mentorship programs.

    Commenting on the partnership, Nagaland chief minister’s principal secretary Temjin Toy said,“Today, digital commerce has dissolved geographical boundaries and enabled millions of Indians to consume products & services from all corners of the country leading to a massive economic transformation. We hope to drive this transformation in Nagaland by helping our women become e-entrepreneurs on Amazon. We look forward to extending all possible support to Amazon India in helping women artisans & entrepreneurs to participate in India’s vibrant digital economy.”

    Expressing his sentiments on empowering women entrepreneurs through this programme, Amazon India director & GM – seller services Gopal Pillai said, “Our entrepreneurial culture and initiatives have always been aligned with our vision of transforming the way India buys and sells. Through this partnership, we look forward to fostering entrepreneurship and empowerment among women in Nagaland by giving them the opportunity to experience India’s digital economy firsthand. With specialised training, skill development workshops, technology support and market access at zero initial cost, the initiative will not only boost the cottage industry run by women in Nagaland, but also lead to the overall advancement of women e-entrepreneurs from the state.”

    On taking this partnership to other states, Gopal added “We see this as an important milestone in our journey and look forward to extending our partnership with NSDC to other states in India.”

    “The SMB sector in Nagaland is largely women dominated. We believe that with adequate training, skill development and e-commerce exposure, this industry can grow exponentially and lift the economic landscape of the region and its people, especially women entrepreneurs. With Amazon’s training and development program and its massive digital reach, we are confident that the women sellers from the region can not only accelerate their business growth but can also get the required global platform to showcase their products. We look forward to providing all possible support to Amazon in their initiative,“ said NSDC head – Jammu, Kashmir and North East Region Dr. Sapna Poti.

    With its flagship initiatives like Seller University that trains and nurture sellers, fulfilment and assisted shipping service via Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Seller Flex and Easy Ship, Amazon Tatkal that helps SMBs get online within 60 minutes and lending program to provide comprehensive financial solutions to sellers, Amazon.in has rolled out several such initiatives and has been working extensively to meet different business requirements of sellers and small entrepreneurs and help them grow their business profitably online.

    The company’s Global Selling Program launched in India in May last year has over 18,000 sellers today selling their ‘Make in India’ products on Amazon’s 9 global marketplaces to millions of active worldwide customers. With the recently launched Prime service, Indian customers in over 100 cities can enjoy unlimited free one-day and two-day delivery on lakhs of eligible products from India’s largest online shopping selection.Customers on Amazon benefit from a safe and secure ordering experience, convenient electronic payments, Cash on Delivery, Amazon’s 24×7 customer service support, and a globally recognized and comprehensive 100% purchase protection provided by Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee.

  • Amazon to aid Nagaland women entrepreneurs

    Amazon to aid Nagaland women entrepreneurs

    MUMBAI: Amazon.in will work closely with the Nagaland government to enable women sellers in the state to embrace digital commerce through training, mentorship & skill development workshops.

    In line with its vision to transform the way India sells, Amazon India today announced its partnership with the Government of Nagaland and National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) to empower and enable women entrepreneurs in the state by providing them with a global platform to sell their products at zero initial cost. Under the partnership, Amazon.in will conduct extensive training & skill development workshops to help women entrepreneurs in Nagaland understand nuances related to online selling and develop skills and capabilities necessary to nurture successful online enterprises. The programme also aims to encourage cottage industries in Nagaland by helping them grow through online commerce.

    As part of the initiative, a one-stop center equipped with state-of-the-art infrastructure will be created to train & equip women entrepreneurs to open their own ‘E-shop’ on Amazon.in. With this, Amazon India aims to promote the flourishing cottage industries in the region and unlock unique selection of products such as hand-woven items, intricate metalwork, woodwork, stonework, pottery and basketry. Spinning and weaving have been very significant in the Naga Hills and in the recent times mill-made yarn is also fast gaining popularity from this region. The government has also been very active in promoting industries like soap-making, candle-making, bee-keeping, and the association with Amazon will definitely aid in this direction.

    Starting today, the first workshop spanning over two days will be conducted in Kohima. The participants of the workshop will be endowed with essential skills required to help them start an online business. The training workshops will comprise of sessions on listing of products, imaging & cataloguing, packaging & shipping, inventory & account management and customer service to name a few. This will be a free workshop offering several exclusive benefits including assisted onboarding and mentorship programs.

    Commenting on the partnership, Nagaland chief minister’s principal secretary Temjin Toy said,“Today, digital commerce has dissolved geographical boundaries and enabled millions of Indians to consume products & services from all corners of the country leading to a massive economic transformation. We hope to drive this transformation in Nagaland by helping our women become e-entrepreneurs on Amazon. We look forward to extending all possible support to Amazon India in helping women artisans & entrepreneurs to participate in India’s vibrant digital economy.”

    Expressing his sentiments on empowering women entrepreneurs through this programme, Amazon India director & GM – seller services Gopal Pillai said, “Our entrepreneurial culture and initiatives have always been aligned with our vision of transforming the way India buys and sells. Through this partnership, we look forward to fostering entrepreneurship and empowerment among women in Nagaland by giving them the opportunity to experience India’s digital economy firsthand. With specialised training, skill development workshops, technology support and market access at zero initial cost, the initiative will not only boost the cottage industry run by women in Nagaland, but also lead to the overall advancement of women e-entrepreneurs from the state.”

    On taking this partnership to other states, Gopal added “We see this as an important milestone in our journey and look forward to extending our partnership with NSDC to other states in India.”

    “The SMB sector in Nagaland is largely women dominated. We believe that with adequate training, skill development and e-commerce exposure, this industry can grow exponentially and lift the economic landscape of the region and its people, especially women entrepreneurs. With Amazon’s training and development program and its massive digital reach, we are confident that the women sellers from the region can not only accelerate their business growth but can also get the required global platform to showcase their products. We look forward to providing all possible support to Amazon in their initiative,“ said NSDC head – Jammu, Kashmir and North East Region Dr. Sapna Poti.

    With its flagship initiatives like Seller University that trains and nurture sellers, fulfilment and assisted shipping service via Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA), Seller Flex and Easy Ship, Amazon Tatkal that helps SMBs get online within 60 minutes and lending program to provide comprehensive financial solutions to sellers, Amazon.in has rolled out several such initiatives and has been working extensively to meet different business requirements of sellers and small entrepreneurs and help them grow their business profitably online.

    The company’s Global Selling Program launched in India in May last year has over 18,000 sellers today selling their ‘Make in India’ products on Amazon’s 9 global marketplaces to millions of active worldwide customers. With the recently launched Prime service, Indian customers in over 100 cities can enjoy unlimited free one-day and two-day delivery on lakhs of eligible products from India’s largest online shopping selection.Customers on Amazon benefit from a safe and secure ordering experience, convenient electronic payments, Cash on Delivery, Amazon’s 24×7 customer service support, and a globally recognized and comprehensive 100% purchase protection provided by Amazon’s A-to-Z Guarantee.

  • Netflix confirms seven million subs; picks up Amazon gauntlet

    Netflix confirms seven million subs; picks up Amazon gauntlet

    MUMBAI: For all those media watchers who have been writing Netflix’s obituary in India, here’s a note of caution: take a few steps back, hold on to your fingers before banging in any other words on your keyboards. The global streaming services has come back with some smashing numbers in the latest quarter which should make the critics go red in their faces – with embarrassment, of course. And it is quite likely it will go back to the drawing board with a review of its India strategy.

    The company announced over the weekend that it had added 19 million new net subs in the year 2016 as against 17.4 million in 2015, finishing the year with 93.8 million subs. Its global streaming revenue during the period: a mindboggling $8.3 billion, reflecting a 35 per cent year on year growth.

    And its figures for the quarter ended 31 December 2016 are also noteworthy: it notched up its historical best Q4 net adds number at 7.05 million (against 5.20 million forecast and 5.59 million in Q42015). These net adds came both courtesy the US (1.93 million vs forecast 1.54 million) and the 190 countries it is present in (5.12 million Q4 2016 as against the 3.75 million forecast and 4.04 million achieved in the year ago quarter). The company says in a release that the contribution was broad based geographically and the impact of its content slate is likely to be felt even more in Q2 2017 as it rolls out the new shows it has commissioned and libraries it has acquired.

    The Reed Hastings-Ted Sarandos team has upped Netflix’s content budget to $6 billion for 2017 – 20 per cent more than it had laid out for 2016. The company has given a guidance of 5.12 million new net adds for Q1 2017 (3.7 million of these will be from outside the US).

    Estimates are that it has managed to rope in sub-100,000 subscribers in India and renewals have been tough to achieve. In fact, it sent down a team on a fact finding mission to figure out why uptake has not been blazing like in other parts of the world. And how it can appeal better to potential subscribers.

    Analysts expect some pricing corrections going forward, considering the aggressive pricing that streaming services such as Hotstar, Amazon Prime, ErosNow, YuppTV, Hooq are adopting.
    Then it hopes that its offline viewing mode it launched in Q42016 will also help do the trick in India where bandwidth is patchy at best, despite the speedy rollout of 4G services by Jio, Airtel, Idea and the freebie offers they are dishing out.

    The Netflix offline mode allows viewers on iOS and Android devices to download content for viewing later while traveling to work on subways, buses, planes etc. The company hopes that this feature will do well in countries with limited or expensive bandwidth. Says the press release: “We are pleased with the initial results and as expected enjoyment of offline viewing is greatest where the broadband infrastructure is less than robust.”

    Netflix is also banking on the appeal of Shah Rukh Khan to help do the magic in India and south Asia. Speculation is that it has invested hundreds of crores to acquire Red Chilies Entertainment’s forward and back catalogue. Then of course its first series adapted from Vikram Chandra’s Mumbai underworld thriller Sacred Games and produced by the edgy production house Phantom Films should see the light of day by mid to end 2017.

    If it does anywhere as well as Netflix’s first Brazilian original series 3% did, it could catapult the SVOD service to cult status amongst India’s millenials and mobile-toting generation. The Portuguese language scifi post apocalyptic thriller premiered last year as one of the most watched originals in Brazil as well as Latin America and was also watched by millions of subscribers in the US dubbed and subtitled in English.

    Netflix is quite confident that its 2016 global slate – which included award winning shows such as The Crown, Marvel’s Luke Cage, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, The OA, Troll Hunters – will continue to generate traction in India.

    Netflix acknowledges in the investor release that Internet TV is evolving fast and becoming hyper competitive. Says the company: “Internet video is a global phenomenon. Amazon Prime Video expanded recently to match our territory footprint, while YouTube remains far larger than either of us in terms of global video enjoyment minutes. Video consumption is growing on Facebook, and Apple is rumored to be adding video to its music service. Satellite TV operators are moving to become internet MVPDs, such as ViaSat to ViaPlay in the Nordics, DISH to Sling, and DirecTV to DirecTV Now. Insurgent firms such as Molotov.tv in France and Hulu are building native-internet interfaces for TV network bundles. CBS is releasing a major original series ( Star Trek) exclusively on its domestic SVOD service (with us as international partner). Finally, the BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers. We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC. In short, it’s becoming an internet TV world, which presents both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to earn screen time. “

    It additionally states that Q42016 marked the tenth anniversary of its streaming launch. And the road ahead is quite clearly laid out. “The next decade will be even more amazing and tumultuous as Internet TV supplants linear TV and we strive to remain a leader.”

  • Netflix confirms seven million subs; picks up Amazon gauntlet

    Netflix confirms seven million subs; picks up Amazon gauntlet

    MUMBAI: For all those media watchers who have been writing Netflix’s obituary in India, here’s a note of caution: take a few steps back, hold on to your fingers before banging in any other words on your keyboards. The global streaming services has come back with some smashing numbers in the latest quarter which should make the critics go red in their faces – with embarrassment, of course. And it is quite likely it will go back to the drawing board with a review of its India strategy.

    The company announced over the weekend that it had added 19 million new net subs in the year 2016 as against 17.4 million in 2015, finishing the year with 93.8 million subs. Its global streaming revenue during the period: a mindboggling $8.3 billion, reflecting a 35 per cent year on year growth.

    And its figures for the quarter ended 31 December 2016 are also noteworthy: it notched up its historical best Q4 net adds number at 7.05 million (against 5.20 million forecast and 5.59 million in Q42015). These net adds came both courtesy the US (1.93 million vs forecast 1.54 million) and the 190 countries it is present in (5.12 million Q4 2016 as against the 3.75 million forecast and 4.04 million achieved in the year ago quarter). The company says in a release that the contribution was broad based geographically and the impact of its content slate is likely to be felt even more in Q2 2017 as it rolls out the new shows it has commissioned and libraries it has acquired.

    The Reed Hastings-Ted Sarandos team has upped Netflix’s content budget to $6 billion for 2017 – 20 per cent more than it had laid out for 2016. The company has given a guidance of 5.12 million new net adds for Q1 2017 (3.7 million of these will be from outside the US).

    Estimates are that it has managed to rope in sub-100,000 subscribers in India and renewals have been tough to achieve. In fact, it sent down a team on a fact finding mission to figure out why uptake has not been blazing like in other parts of the world. And how it can appeal better to potential subscribers.

    Analysts expect some pricing corrections going forward, considering the aggressive pricing that streaming services such as Hotstar, Amazon Prime, ErosNow, YuppTV, Hooq are adopting.
    Then it hopes that its offline viewing mode it launched in Q42016 will also help do the trick in India where bandwidth is patchy at best, despite the speedy rollout of 4G services by Jio, Airtel, Idea and the freebie offers they are dishing out.

    The Netflix offline mode allows viewers on iOS and Android devices to download content for viewing later while traveling to work on subways, buses, planes etc. The company hopes that this feature will do well in countries with limited or expensive bandwidth. Says the press release: “We are pleased with the initial results and as expected enjoyment of offline viewing is greatest where the broadband infrastructure is less than robust.”

    Netflix is also banking on the appeal of Shah Rukh Khan to help do the magic in India and south Asia. Speculation is that it has invested hundreds of crores to acquire Red Chilies Entertainment’s forward and back catalogue. Then of course its first series adapted from Vikram Chandra’s Mumbai underworld thriller Sacred Games and produced by the edgy production house Phantom Films should see the light of day by mid to end 2017.

    If it does anywhere as well as Netflix’s first Brazilian original series 3% did, it could catapult the SVOD service to cult status amongst India’s millenials and mobile-toting generation. The Portuguese language scifi post apocalyptic thriller premiered last year as one of the most watched originals in Brazil as well as Latin America and was also watched by millions of subscribers in the US dubbed and subtitled in English.

    Netflix is quite confident that its 2016 global slate – which included award winning shows such as The Crown, Marvel’s Luke Cage, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, The OA, Troll Hunters – will continue to generate traction in India.

    Netflix acknowledges in the investor release that Internet TV is evolving fast and becoming hyper competitive. Says the company: “Internet video is a global phenomenon. Amazon Prime Video expanded recently to match our territory footprint, while YouTube remains far larger than either of us in terms of global video enjoyment minutes. Video consumption is growing on Facebook, and Apple is rumored to be adding video to its music service. Satellite TV operators are moving to become internet MVPDs, such as ViaSat to ViaPlay in the Nordics, DISH to Sling, and DirecTV to DirecTV Now. Insurgent firms such as Molotov.tv in France and Hulu are building native-internet interfaces for TV network bundles. CBS is releasing a major original series ( Star Trek) exclusively on its domestic SVOD service (with us as international partner). Finally, the BBC has become the first major linear network to announce plans to go binge-first with new seasons, favoring internet over linear viewers. We presume HBO is not far behind the BBC. In short, it’s becoming an internet TV world, which presents both challenges and opportunities for Netflix as we strive to earn screen time. “

    It additionally states that Q42016 marked the tenth anniversary of its streaming launch. And the road ahead is quite clearly laid out. “The next decade will be even more amazing and tumultuous as Internet TV supplants linear TV and we strive to remain a leader.”

  • Amazon gets ‘Oggy & Cockroaches’, ‘Zig & Sharko’ streaming rights in multi-year deal with Xilam

    Amazon gets ‘Oggy & Cockroaches’, ‘Zig & Sharko’ streaming rights in multi-year deal with Xilam

    MUMBAI: Amazon and Xilam Animation have announced a multi-year content deal that makes Amazon Prime Video India the exclusive subscription streaming home of all four existing and three upcoming seasons of the popular animated series ‘Oggy & the Cockroaches’ and ‘Zig & Sharko’.

    Prime members in India now also have access to Xilam Animation’s vast library of top-rated shows like ‘Floopaloo Where Are You’, ‘A Kind of Magic’, ‘If I Were An Animal’, ‘Paprika’ and ‘The Daltons’.

    “Amazon Prime Video India is delighted to partner with Xilam Animation, creators of the world-famous animated series, ‘Oggy & the Cockroaches’ that continues to entertain kids for nearly 20 years”, said Amazon Prime Video India director and country head Nitesh Kripalani. “This is an important milestone in the journey to offering the best kids’ entertainment to our prime members.”

    “Xilam is proud of the growing success of its animated characters in India, with Oggy leading the pack for many years now. As we prepare for the future, and the new ways content is used within the family, it is essential that we find the right partners to facilitate our expansion into the digital world. That’s why we are so thrilled to be entering into this agreement with Amazon Prime Video since we value so highly their expertise in subscription streaming. As a multi-year deal this is a great step for Xilam as we look forward to watching the special bonds that our characters have developed in the hearts of millions of Indian kids, grow bigger and stronger,” said Xilam Animation Marc du Pontavice.

    First aired in 1998, ‘Oggy & the Cockroaches’ is a French animated comedy series tracking the prankish misadventures and confrontations between a chubby cat named Oggy and three pesky roaches: Joey, Dee Dee and Marky. The fifth season will explore the ongoing rivalry in a new way by tracking Oggy through the ages for historical hilarity. Seasons 6 and 7 will comprise a mix of brand new episodes along with full remakes of classic stories from Seasons 1 and 2.

    ‘Zig & Sharko’ is about a hyena named Zig who lives on a volcano island with his crab pal, Bernie, and plots against a beautiful mermaid, Marina, whom he wants to eat. Sharko is a shark with a lot of muscle and who loves to sabotage the hyena’s every move.