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Tag: Gourav Rakshit

  • Gourav Rakshit bids farewell as Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO

    Gourav Rakshit bids farewell as Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO

    Mumbai: Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit has stepped down from his position.

    Rakshit has over two decades of experience in Consumer Technology, IT and FMCG sectors. He started his career with Nestle. He has also worked with Planetasia and Infosys Consulting before joining People Group.

    Prior to joining Viacom18, he was president and CEO of People Group that owns and operates Shaadi.com. A University of Rochester and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus, Rakshit has almost three decades of experience in Consumer Technology, IT and FMCG sectors.

    A Viacom18 spokesperson said, “Gourav has played a  key  role in shaping Viacom18’s digital agenda over the last 5 years.  He has now decided to move on other pursuits outside the organisation . We wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.” 

  • Viacom18 acquires broadcast and digital rights for Italian Serie A

    Viacom18 acquires broadcast and digital rights for Italian Serie A

    Mumbai: Viacom18 on Friday announced that it has acquired the broadcast and digital rights for Italian Serie A for the Indian sub-continent region for the next three seasons. The latest edition of Italian Serie A will kick off on 21 August at 10 p.m. The matches will be aired on Viacom18’s TV channels, Voot and Jio.

    Viacom18 has entered into a partnership with Infront, whom Italian Serie A has appointed to manage its international media rights for all platforms across Europe, Asia, Oceania, sub-Saharan Africa, and Americas (excluding USA).

    “We are delighted to host the Italian Serie A across our network. The league enjoys great affinity with football lovers in India. Some of the world’s top clubs, coaches and players make the Serie A stand out as one of the best leagues in the football world. We are confident of growing the fan base through a slew of initiatives that are lined up,” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures, head – SVOD and international business, Ferzad Palia.

    The media company has been steadily expanding its sports offerings with the network recently entering multi-year partnerships for Spanish La Liga (football) and Abu Dhabi T10 League (cricket).

    “One of the core propositions of our network is the promise of variety in content. Sports is a whitespace that we have been consciously experimenting with for some time now. The response to our initiatives, thus far, has been very encouraging. Italian Serie A is one of the most exciting and competitive leagues in Europe and we are excited to bring it to our viewers across digital and broadcast platforms,” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures, chief operating officer, Gourav Rakshit.

    A total of 20 teams will be taking part in the Italian Serie A. While 17 teams will be from the previous season, the three new teams promoted from Serie B. Crotone, Benevento and Parma were consigned to the 2021–22 Serie B. The top four teams from the league will qualify for the group stages of the Champions League, while the fifth-ranked team will qualify for the Europa League group stage.

    “This is the start of what we hope will be a positive relationship between Infront and Viacom18. Serie A already has a significant resonance with Indian football fans and this will help us further grow the audience in the country. We believe this is the beginning of what we hope will be a promising future,” said Infront, vice president media sales and operations, Amikam Kranz.

  • Bigg Boss 14 clocks 1.5 billion viewing minutes on Voot in opening week

    Bigg Boss 14 clocks 1.5 billion viewing minutes on Voot in opening week

    KOLKATA: India’s favourite and biggest reality show Bigg Boss has opened to power-packed entertainment and unlimited drama. The national phenomenon, after the stupendous success of the last season on Voot, has once again unleashed its power and brought in fans garnering a stupendous 1.5 billion minutes of watch time just in its opening week.  

    With 11 digital sponsors and brand partners and an immersive, digital-only, exclusive content slate on Voot, the iconic show has delivered an unmatched entertainment experience for the #AsliFans of Bigg Boss, once again.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said, “Our objective on Voot has always been to provide content experiences to our viewers that is immersive and engaging. Bigg Boss is a show with a massive and loyal fan base and the show on Voot this year has once again created many milestones like over 40 per cent  growth in watch-time and an increased contribution of 35 per cent in viewership from tier 2 towns as compared to the past 3 seasons. We are sure that the specially curated immersive experiences surrounding content on digital have added significant value to our users as well as partner experiences.”

    With Bigg Boss continuing to get significant patronage on digital, the show has also garnered support from leading brands who have come on board the digital bandwagon and partnered with Voot to bring to life engaging interactivities for the #Aslifans.

    While MPL and Samsung have partnered with the show as digital sponsors and have also sponsored properties like Fantasy League, Voting and Bigg Buzz, Flipkart Video has partnered with the platform for a special interactive segment titled the Bigg Buzz Challenge, crafted around the iconic show. Apart from this, brands like PhonePe, Mama Earth, Magic Moments Music Studio, Swiggy, Durex, Lotus Herbals (Beauty), JBL, Philips have also come on board for the Bigg Boss experience on Voot, through fun curated segments.

    Some of the marquee digital properties built exclusively by Voot for the #AsliFans of Bigg Boss include –

    · Fantasy League presented by MPL (Mobile Premier League): Fantasy League is an interactive offering from Voot for the #AsliFans of Bigg Boss. Bigg Boss viewers are close observers and build strong fan camps to root for their favorite contestants. Fantasy League is fans’ one-stop destination to choose their teams and win prizes throughout the season.  The league will see #AsliFans join by selecting contestants with a pre-assigned credit score. Points are scored basis the contestant’s performance in the show with longer the selected contestant stays in the game, the more points will be scored by the participant. There will be daily multipliers if the selected contestant stays longer in the game. A leaderboard will track the top scorers regularly and the top users will be gratified. Every day 10 winners will be gratified by MPL.

    · Official Voting Partner Samsung: – In addition to being the official voting partner on VOOT, Samsung is integrated on Bigg Buzz via a series of fun and customized integrations which highlight the Samsung Galaxy A71/A51 series.

    · Bigg Buzz Season 4 presented by Flipkart Video: This season, Voot’s popular magazine show is presented by Flipkart Video. Hosted by popular actor Karan Wahi, the show will have weekly episodes every Monday. As part of this association we have created a special interactive segment titled The Bigg Buzz Challenge which is co-hosted on Flipkart Video that provides viewers an opportunity to answer intriguing questions based on the current and past seasons of Bigg Boss.

    · BB Extra Masala- The unseen drama, unedited fights, and unabridged content from the house will be available to the viewers.

    · BB Catch up – A weekly round-up of the drama and action from the house for the viewers to catch-up everything they might have missed during the week.

  • Airtel partners with VOOT to bring more premium content

    Airtel partners with VOOT to bring more premium content

    KOLKATA: Airtel today announced a partnership with VOOT to bring more premium digital content on to its Airtel Xstream platform. Under the partnership, it will allow users to get access to premium VOOT content across multiple screens.

    The rich portfolio of VOOT includes movies, originals, new episodes of their shows from Colors, MTV India and other Viacom-18 owned TV channels. This includes shows like Splitsvilla, MTV Roadies, Naagin, Kaisi Yeh Yaariaan, Choti Sarrdaarni, Bahu Begum, Bepannah in Hindi, the upcoming season of Bigg Boss as well as many regional language shows.

    Airtel Xstream users can also enjoy a host of English shows like Feet Up with Stars, Work it Up with Sophie, BFF’s with Vogue, VH1 Inside Access with Miss Malini, Urban Wanderers and Trend Setters amongst others. The content from VOOT comes in seven languages – English, Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, Kannada, Bengali & Marathi.

    India, which has the world’s second-highest number of internet users is seeing a massive surge in demand for video content as smartphone penetration deepens. With this partnership, Airtel Xstream has added to its premium content library of over 10,000 movies & shows and hundreds of LIVE TV channels.

    Bharti Airtel content business and partnership head Nupur Chaturvedi said, “We are on a mission to deliver best-in-class digital entertainment experience to our users and make Airtel Xstream app the go-to destination for India’s entertainment needs. We are thrilled to partner with VOOT and bring their premium video content to our users.”

    Viacom18 digital ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said, “We at VOOT have been keeping the country’s spirits high during these challenging times through various partnerships to bring meaningful and entertaining content for our viewers. Given the exponential demand for content, our collaboration with Airtel Xstream will help us reach and deliver our content experience to a larger audience base. We are elated to partner with a like-minded brand that resonates with our ideologies and is sure to help us make content viewing an enriching and engaging experience for all our viewers.”

  • ‘Bigg Boss’ S14 returns to Colors

    ‘Bigg Boss’ S14 returns to Colors

    MUMBAI: Bigg Boss 2020 is back on Colors and will prove to be the perfect antidote to this dreadful year. The show will now also premiere on video-on-demand service Voot Select.  In an unprecedented move, Voot Select will offer unlimited access with 24-hour LIVE feeds from the BB house on weekdays and stream the episode before TV and ad-free at Rs 99 per month and a special introductory price of Rs 499 per year.

    Bollywood actor Salman Khan will once again don the role of host and add his midas touch of wit and inimitable style to the show.

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment and kids TV network head Nina Elavia Jaipuria said, “Bigg Boss today has grown to become a phenomenon in the country. The following and viewership the show receives continues to grow each year and it is truly the fans that make it happen. The last season was a tremendous success, trending on social timelines while also creating new viewership records in the category. While this year has been tough on everyone, we believe that it is only fair to the shows fan’s and our viewers that we return with a brand-new season 14 that will heighten spirits and delivers on an unmatched and thrilling entertainment experience. We look forward to launching yet another milestone season thus keeping our viewers engaged and happy as always.”

    Viacom18 Hindi mass entertainment chief content officer Manisha Sharma said, “Bigg Boss is not just a show but an extravaganza that drives pop culture and conversations in this country.  The show has every year garnered unparalleled patronage from our viewers and partners, each seeking to be a part of the category-defining show.  This year we know that our audience had to face many challenges.  But the new season of Bigg Boss will serve as a perfect antidote and give a fitting retort to 2020 – Ab Paltega Scene, Kyunki BB dega 2020 ko Jawaab being the intent. Like every year we intent on bringing to life a winning mix of concepts, celebrities, and stress buster entertainment – A sensational show that each of our true blue Bigg Boss fans will not want to miss any moment of.” 

    Viacom18 chief operating officer digital ventures Gourav Rakshit said, “At Voot Select, we have ensured that our viewers are engaged and entertained with content that is a premium, exclusive, and diverse. Bigg Boss is one of India’s most-watched shows and commands a following and fandom that is unmatched. Taking our digital-first strategy a step forward and keeping in sync with our viewers growing demands, viewers and Bigg Boss’ Asli Fans will have access to daily episodes before it airs on television. With a watch first, watch non-stop& watch super-exclusive proposition, we look forward to showcasing yet another exciting and larger than life season of Bigg Boss for all our premium subscribers.”

  • VOOT amongst the top 10 brands in Talkwalker’s world’s most loved brands of 2020

    VOOT amongst the top 10 brands in Talkwalker’s world’s most loved brands of 2020

    KOLKATA: The marketing industry has been flooded with terms like ‘loyalty’, ‘trust’ and ‘engagement’ for many years. More recently the term ‘love’ has become an emotion beyond measure. But can people really love a brand?  Social analytics firm Talkwalker says people can and they do. Talkwalker recently released its Brand Love Story 2020 report, featuring the world’s most loved brands, with Viacom18’s homegrown OTT platform, Voot, emerging as the only entertainment brand to not just make it to the list, but also be in the Top 10, globally. As a leading streaming platform, Voot has always believed in engaging with its viewers while providing them with wholesome entertainment. With interactivity and engagement as the driving factor, Voot’s digital journey has built a vibrant community of Asli Fans who interact, participateand contribute towards the conversations the brand drives on social media platforms, online forums, blogs and offline chatter. 

    “Our relationship with Voot users is central to the way we make choices on the platform, and it is something that they recognize and appreciate. Getting the experience and service right for them is very much a journey, but as long as we stay authentic as a business, our users can and do fall in love with us every day. Voot’s Top 10 ranking in the Talkwalkers most loved brand report as the only entertainment brand in a list of globally celebrated brands, is testimony to how far we have come. Recognition like this, only drives us harder to innovate and obsess on behalf of our viewers, so the love affair continues and thrives.” said Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said .

    By Talkwalker’s calculus, brands that are loved are ones that build what it calls “vital emotional connections” with consumers. With a distinct focus on localized content, to help stay relevant, and a creative marketing strategy that helps engage users with social media and influencers, Voot drives high engagement along with positive sentiment rates through engaging fandoms, having good customer service and maintaining a high standard of corporate social responsibility.

  • Decoding Viacom18’s SVOD blueprint for Voot Select

    Decoding Viacom18’s SVOD blueprint for Voot Select

    MUMBAI: Unlike other international markets, the Indian streaming revolution was started by major broadcasters and Viacom18’s Voot has been at the forefront of the OTT boom in the country. While it has already built up a robust 100 million monthly active user base, the platform now starts its journey into the subscription game. Voot Select enters the market at a time when SVOD has already started its uptick. As the platform aims to strike a balance between quality and quantity, it looks at a window of three-four years to turn the business profitable.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit says that this next decade is going to be about subscription and depth of content consumption while the previous decade was about online video and most of it free. He adds that consumers that are now habituated to online video consumption are going to start to become more and more comfortable with online payments providing impetus to the category.

    "We are very clear that we are not playing for quantity. We as a whole network are very clear that we will focus on great stories. And we have been great storytellers, by virtue of everything that you have seen of us over the last 12 to 15 years and creating content at any scale, in any language is second nature to us. That is exactly why we're so proud of the originals that we have. Each original is gripping, keeps you hooked right to the last episode, and you will not want to move till it's over- that is the strength of a story. The primary focus is the script, then everything else,” Voot Select and Viacom18 youth, music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia comments on content strategy.

    “The nature and width of offering that we have is unlike anyone else. Now it comes down to the quality of stories and we are confident of our stories being great stories,” he adds.

    “We will do telco and other partnerships with all of the people that either have reached to the consumer, or in billing relationships with the consumer. Both such models makes sense to us and will help us in delivering valuable content to the frontline. Hence, anybody who has a billing pipe to a consumer is valuable to us. These are the partners that we would find a natural fit with and seek to engage,” Rakshit comments on the distribution.

    The first step of the campaign will be to target existing AVOD subscribers. "We do have the significant advantage of scale of some of our other businesses, which will allow us to communicate our message and make our offering to them first,” Palia comments.

    Voot Select has 30 originals planned in the coming financial year. The currently planned library of these 30 originals will consist of long-format content but the platform is evaluating some interesting digital movies too. The premium service has been priced at Rs 99 per month or at Rs 999 per year with an exclusive offer price of Rs 499 per year.

    “The AVOD gives us wings to be able to run this SVOD business. Hence, we will continue to invest in the business and what we are really good at is doubling down on interactivity, moving the 300 million number to a billion and creating an AVOD world as a place where fandom can exist. The SVoD business is going to be all about storytelling. Select is made for stories, and so the best stories in the world are going to be curated for you. And that is kind of how I see the distinct role played by these two businesses,” Rakshit adds on the overall approach going forward. 

  • Viacom18 expands SVoD service with Voot Select

    Viacom18 expands SVoD service with Voot Select

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 today announced the expansion of its digital portfolio by launching Voot Select – the company’s newest foray into the subscription VoD services. Now available across platforms, Voot Select will house some of the most edgy and disruptive stories crafted by new age and imaginative storytellers. In a first in the Indian industry, Voot Select will bring the best of content from Viacom18’s extensive portfolio of channels on the digital platform 24 hours before the episodes debut on TV.

    To bring alive its vision for how digital India views content, Voot Select will house 30+ path-breaking Originals, global content through partnerships with some of the biggest International studios, 1500+ cult blockbuster movies and stream over 35+ live TV channels. To experience Voot Select, download the Voot app.  One can select this new premium service on VOOT, available for Android, iOS and web users for Rs per month or Rs 999 for an annual subscription. A limited period introductory offer of Rs 499 for the annual subscription, was also announced. 

    Viacom18  Group CEO & MD Sudhanshu Vats said, “In a short span, VOOT has already emerged as one of India’s largest OTT platforms with 100 milliom MAUs and 100 billion watch minutes. It is India’s most engaged platform with an average TSV of 50 mins. With projections of aggressive growth in Fibre to Home, Viacom18 is ready to go Digital First. VOOT Select is our premium SVoD offering developed to cater to this growing connected TV audience.” He further added, “We’ve put together a very compelling proposition and even pushed the envelope with publishing content 24 hours before TV, clutter-breaking originals and international content. The launch of VOOT Select marks a key milestone in our journey to become a future-ready, pipe-agnostic storyteller.”

    Voot Select will house exclusive global content from some of the world’s biggest studios, through partnerships with CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime, Fremantle, Endemol Shine, Chelsea TV, Arsenal TV, Real Madrid TV, BBC and Sony Pictures, among others.

    Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gourav Rakshit said, “Voot is the outcome of Viacom18’s vison to create a future ready digital business catering to the evolving digital entertainment needs of every Indian. It is with this focus and a content first approach that we have built Voot Select as a premium platform providing an enhanced viewing experience for our users. Voot Select is “made for stories” that are differentiated and compelling and with them we are determined to be the most sought-after content destination for every Indian.”

    In addition to Voot Select Originals and Viacom18 network’s leading shows 24 hours before TV, Voot Select subscribers will also have access to a vast selection of international content including some of the biggest shows from all over the world, global premieres, LIVE events, exclusive daily talk shows, fashion, sports and lifestyle shows and 1500+ Bollywood & Regional language movies. 

    Speaking about the unique proposition of Voot Select,  Viacom18 Voot Select, youth, music and English entertainment head Ferzad Palia said, “Voot Select has been carefully crafted and designed for today’s ‘on-demand’ generation. We’re proud to give to India a destination that has the country’s largest showcase of stories ranging from Hindi & regional Originals, LIVE television channels from across the world, the widest variety of top-drawer international content to ‘24 hour-before-TV’ premieres of our TV network content. Ad free, multi-screen access and a solid recommendation engine will further add to a great entertainment experience for our subscribers.” 

    Highlighting the massive content suite of Voot Select:

    The best of network content 24 hours before TV

    Delivering on its digital first strategy, all the network fiction content on Voot Select will be aired 24 hours before airing on television. All the non-fiction content can be accessed on the platform, 15 – 30 minutes before its television airing.

    Voot Select Originals – Stories that must be shared

    Voot Select will captivate its audiences with a diverse array of 30+ Select Originals in multiple local languages. Compelling stories brought to life by some of the country’s best and most loved actors like Arshad Warsi, Rajeev Khandelwal, Barun Sobti, Ahana Kumra, Atul Kulkarni, Saqib Salem, Piyush Mishra, Shriya Pilgaonkar;  directors and storytellers like  Vikram Bhatt, Apoorva Lakhia, Oni Sen, amongst others,  will entertain, engage and capture the imagination of India. Some of the initial interesting VOOT Select Originals will include 

    Asur:  Asur is a unique crime thriller that pits 2 opposing worlds against each other. The less explored, intricate world of forensic science and the deep mysticism of Indian Mythology.  Asur will shine light on everyone’s dark side.

    Marzi: Two different stories, some blurred memories, altered culminations and contrasting perspectives of the same incident will take the viewers on a jarring ride of emotions in this intriguing drama Marzi. Would you believe the distressed woman on the quest to prove the truth or the victimized man? Who is lying in this game of lies?

    Raikar: In a country where our families are at the heart of our social fabric and the foundation of our lives, ‘The Raikar Case’ is an engaging new series, about family, love, deceit, and the secrets that wrench us apart. Because sometimes the most dangerous people come disguised as family!

    Illegal: Two high profile cases, a battery of high-power legal eagles & top law firm of the country. A first of its kind intense, racy legal drama that questions whether lawyers can resist the lure of greed, ambition and power; and fight to win defining judgements that hold the bar of justice high and restore faith in humanity.

    Crackdown: A high-octane action drama that keeps you at the edge of your seat with constant twists and turns leading to a larger threat to national security. What do you do when one among you is on the other side?

    Diverse Suite of International Content

    Voot Select to offer a wide array of global content experiences through  exclusive and marquee content partnerships with global content studios like CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime, Sony Pictures, Fremantle, BBC, Endemol Shine and more.

    Hard Hitting and critically acclaimed documentaries/docu series like Murder in the Bayou, 48 Hours, Crimes Of The Century, Whistleblower, Enemies: FBI vs The President; brand new exclusive global premieres like Why Women Kill, The Twilight Zone, Interrogation, BH 90210, Nancy Drew & critically acclaimed shows like Dexter, Californication, Elementary, Madam Secretary, Nurse Jackie will provide the regular dose of drama and entertainment.  VOOT select will also be the premier destination for reality with Masterchef USA, Master Chef Junior, Shark Tank, America’s Got Talent, X Factor, Project Runway, Fear Factor, My Kitchen Rules and more. Housing award winning series by Celebrity Chefs like Martha Stewart, Nigella Lawson and the late Anthony Bourdain, Voot Select will allow users access to some of the best gourmet content from all over the world. 

    In a coup of sorts, Voot Select will exclusively showcase almost all the biggest daily talk shows such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show With Trevor Noah, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Entertainment Tonight, Dr. Phil, Daily Mail TV, The Graham Norton Show and more.

    Through a partnership with major international channels such as Fashion One, Clubbing TV and Real Madrid TV, the platform will showcase 24 hour Live Streams with access to the biggest fashion events, music festivals and exclusive football content. Fans of Arsenal and Chelsea will also have dedicated, exclusive content through the week. Adding to the diversity the world’s largest 24/7 LGBTQ channel, Revry TV will make its debut in India on Voot Select. The gaming community will also have tons to look forward to, with tournaments from World Poker Tour now available on the service. 

  • SonyLIV to enter Originals race, get fresh look by next year

    SonyLIV to enter Originals race, get fresh look by next year

    MUMBAI: The over-the-top media game is just heating up and Sony Pictures Networks is all set to revamp its digital platform SonyLIV by next year. It will roll out a few new originals in another six-eight months in both Hindi and regional languages.

    SonyLIV is an ad-based video-on-demand platform in the OTT space and majorly runs the content that is being broadcasted on its network television channels across genres.

    SonyLIV’s head – original content Saugata Mukherjee, during an exclusive chat with indiantelevision.com, says: “By next year or so, there is a plan to re-launch SonyLIV. Our focus is to bring some of the real variety on the platform and to get to work with really interesting filmmakers and storytellers.”

    He adds: “We have on board some filmmakers and some of our originals are already in production. And hopefully, we shall have enough slate to talk about by the end of this year.”

    The OTT space has received an overwhelming response from the individual audience for the extraordinary and out-of-the-box content that is being produced and shown on the digital platforms. US-based Netflix and Amazon being leaders in the market, dominate the space.

    Mukherjee, highlighting the content strategy of the platform, says: “We are going to invest a lot on Hindi original content and step two would be to invest in Southern language content such as Tamil and Telugu. However, right now the focus is on the Hindi content and then the regional.”

    “Data gives us a lot of numbers and drives us towards the south,” says the SonyLIV head. “If there’s a big skew in the south, we need to cater to that. And thankfully, we have real-time data, which clearly points out that we have a great piece of an audience in the southern part of the country.”

    Out of four broadcaster-led OTT platforms, Zee Enterprises’ ZEE5 and Star India’s Hotstar have already entered the game of originals along with the content they broadcast on television. However, the other two – Network18’s Voot and Sony Pictures’ SonyLIV – are yet to embark on their original content journey.

    Voot, however, is all set to begin the journey in another a month’s time, as confirmed by the platform’s head Gourav Rakshit during an exclusive chat with indiantelevision.com. “We are set to launch at least four new originals in Hindi within the next 30-45 days,” he said. The platform earlier in January has turned itself to subscription video-on-demand from ad-based video-on-demand.

    According to Mukherjee, it’s been two years since the proliferation of OTT has happened and it’s just a start. He believes there’s enough space for everyone just like there’s space on television for Sony, Zee, and Star. They have their own set of audience and running a successful business for so many years now, he explains.

    “Unlike other OTT platforms, the good part of the broadcaster-led OTTs is that they are already sitting on a huge amount of content they have produced and realised the importance of IPs created by them,” he says.

    “The good thing about SonyLIV is that we have some marquee sports properties this year such as Tokyo Olympics, Euro Cup, and we plan to monetise them really well. Since we have a strong cohort and ardent subscribers here, we need to take care of them by making original content,” Mukherjee concludes.

  • Voot to roll-out 4 new originals in a month under SVoD

    Voot to roll-out 4 new originals in a month under SVoD

    MUMBAI: To lure more users, Viacom18’s over-the-top (OTT) platform — Voot — will roll-out four new Originals under the subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) category on the platform. The launch of these four new Original series will happen anytime within 30 to 45 days, says Viacom18 Digital Ventures, chief operating officer, Gourav Rakshit speaking exclusively to Indiantelevision.com.

    The media and entertainment company earlier this year has already formally announced a subscription-based video streaming service — Voot Select, a premium pay service. The arm of the company’s OTT platform will be helmed by Ferzad Palia, head – youth, music & English, Viacom18.

    “The shooting of Originals being already completed, it was outsourced to production houses”, says Rakshit. “As the platform will roll-out the very first Originals, it had to be Hindi genre, however, it will have a translation to other regional languages.”

    According to Rakshit, “Regional is going to be a growth factor for the next five years. Even though Hindi content will grow, the regional content’s growth would be more excessive.”

    Besides Voot Select, the company had also launched Voot Kids last year, its first paid service to tap into the growing demand for kids’ content. Meanwhile, Hotstar has also introduced a new “Kids” button to its website that filters age-appropriate content with parental control last year.

    The SVoD category will provide exclusive content across a diverse multi-genre marquee, of which four of them will be unveiled in a month’s time. “Originals are the big players in the customer acquisition for subscription business,” says Rakshit.

    The data and content have been the major engine drivers for OTTs. Disregarding both of them, Rakshit says, “Our focus is on users more than the data or content. Users exposed to content will definitely provide the data and the reason for our existence is only because of them.”

    “We are putting out a slate, which is our best guess with respect to upcoming Originals, beyond that we’ll start getting data,” says Rakshit. “We have already been live while in terms of just putting out our select service sans putting out Originals. This is done to get likes and dislikes of the consumer.”

    He adds, “On the AVoD side, there is a lot of content we make ourselves under Voot Night Live, which is like an extra innings of the hit show Bigg Boss.” This attempt itself has given a lot many tractions on the digital platform but it wanted to go beyond TV content on the OTT platform and hence the decision to come up with new Originals soon, explains Rakshit.

    Voot is the third broadcaster-led OTT platform, after ZEE5 and Hotstar, to enter into the SVoD category. It has over 100 million downloads on the Google Play store.

    Stating that it’s just a start for the OTT players, Rakshit says, “Don’t believe 2020 is going to be the transformation year. However, it’s going to be a whole decade. In this context, we are neither late nor early to come up with new Originals and in this decade lot many things are going to change.”