Tag: Max

  • Azmat Jagmag exits Warner Bros. Discovery

    Azmat Jagmag exits Warner Bros. Discovery

    MUMBAI: After nearly three years shaping pop culture moments at Warner Bros Discovery, Azmat Jagmag has called time on her stint at the media giant.

    Jagmag, who joined in 2021 as head of marketing for south Asia before taking over as partnerships and solutions marketing head for INSEAK, led some of the company’s most ambitious regional pushes. She oversaw the India launch of discovery+, spearheaded the scale-up of Max across South East Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan with over 15 telecom and MVPD partners, and drove social and marketing campaigns that turned viral from Mumbai to Los Angeles.

    Before WBD, Jagmag founded Masala Chai, a content-marketing outfit that launched indie music label Jjust Music and helped reposition Puja Entertainment as a modern studio. Earlier, at Zee Entertainment, she spent over a decade leading brand and marketing strategy, pushing Zee TV and Zee Anmol to leadership positions and driving campaigns that bagged multiple industry awards.

    Across her 18-year career, she has launched and scaled some of India’s most recognisable media brands, from SonyLiv to Cartoon Network. Recognised by Google as a leading woman in new-age media, she also co-authored a brand case study for IIM Ahmedabad.

    As she signs off from WBD, Jagmag says the journey has been about turning “logic to magic”—a mantra that has defined her career across broadcast, DTC, movies and music. The next chapter, she teases, is already in the works.

  • Moloco plugs into Google’s AdMob and Ad Manager with self-serve SDK

    Moloco plugs into Google’s AdMob and Ad Manager with self-serve SDK

    MUMBAI: Moloco, the AI performance advertising company, has rolled out its SDK on Google’s AdMob bidding and Ad Manager’s SDK bidding platforms, making the tool fully self-serve for publishers.

    The move cements Moloco’s credentials with Google’s stringent performance and reliability standards, giving app developers fresh access to its global advertiser demand while preserving user experience. Publishers already plugged into Google can now tap Moloco’s ecosystem without extra effort.

    “Moloco has consistently been recognised as a top-performing platform for ad monetisation, optimised to drive real business outcomes,” said Moloco supply head Yoni Markovizky He added that with Google onboard—alongside existing integrations with AppLovin’s Max and Unity’s LevelPlay—the company can fuel more publishers’ growth “with no margin fees, applying the cost savings directly to our partners.”

    Nearly 500 publishers, including Voodoo, Crazy Maple and Audiomack, already use Moloco’s SDK. The platform’s AI ensures the right ad finds the right user, maximising revenue while allowing publishers to control how creative formats appear. Advertisers, too, gain sharper targeting and more control, boosting return on investment.

    Moloco, founded in 2013 by ex-Google machine-learning engineers, now operates across the US, Europe and Asia. Its platform powers mobile app growth, retail media and streaming monetisation for businesses worldwide.

  • Warner Bros. Discovery saddles up for Tour de France with a high-tech

    Warner Bros. Discovery saddles up for Tour de France with a high-tech

    MUMBAI: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is shifting gears for this year’s Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, promising wall-to-wall coverage powered by tech, talent and turbo-charged storytelling.

    Starting 5 July, the world’s most iconic cycling race will stream live across every stage on WBD’s streaming services – Max, HBO Max and discovery+ – alongside traditional coverage on Eurosport and TNT Sports. That’s 3,320 km of pedal-powered drama, served in 20 languages across Europe and Asia, with exclusive rights in 44 territories.

    And the peloton doesn’t stop there. The women’s race – the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift — gears up with nine stages and 1,165 km of action, beginning 26 July. It marks the longest race yet on the UCI Women’s World Tour.

    Joining the broadcast caravan is recently retired French cycling legend Romain Bardet. Swapping saddle for mic, Bardet will ride alongside the action as WBD’s newest motorbike reporter for stages 11 to 15. “I’m throwing myself into the unknown,” he said, “but I’ve got the experience and team to bring new insight to fans.”

    He’s part of an all-star commentary squad, including Tour de France veterans Jens Voigt, Adam Blythe, Alberto Contador, and studio anchors Orla Chennaoui, Robbie McEwen, and Ashleigh Wilmot, among others.

    For cycling purists and super fans, WBD is rolling out a game-changer: a new quad screen feature. It lets viewers track breakaways, the peloton and the grupetto simultaneously using real-time footage from motorbikes, drones, and helicopters. It’s tactical, immersive, and perfect for armchair analysts.

    Also back in action is WBD’s award-winning Curve studio with its arsenal of mixed reality tools — think virtual wind tunnels, inclinometers for brutal climbs, and even a digital team bus to unpack race strategies in forensic detail.

    And just in case fans need more than live races, there’s Cycling Africa – The Rise of African Pro Cycling debuting 20 July. The original film features stars like Chris Froome, Biniam Girmay and Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio ahead of the historic 2025 UCI Road World Championships in Rwanda.

    Ad dollars are racing too, with record commercial investments from brands including Zwift, Whoop, Škoda, Lidl and Velux. Expect bespoke campaigns and in-broadcast storytelling to match the race’s pace.

    With the men’s field headlined by Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard and Remco Evenepoel, and the women’s peloton packed with firepower from Kasia Niewiadoma to Demi Vollering, this year’s Tour is shaping up to be an all-out sprint for cycling supremacy.

    In the saddle or on screen, WBD is making sure fans don’t miss a turn of the wheel.

  • Max gets a manga-nificent makeover with Japanese drama rollout

    Max gets a manga-nificent makeover with Japanese drama rollout

    MUMBAI: Is it a romcom? A legal thriller? A dark comedy with a deadly title? Max says: Why not all of the above? In a bold eastward expansion of storytelling, Warner Bros. Discovery and Japanese streaming powerhouse U-Next are taking their relationship to the next level by giving Japanese dramas a global passport.

    After launching Max within U-Next in Japan last year, the partners are now flipping the narrative. A curated bouquet of 10 Japanese series, including TBS’s much-awaited Love is for the Dogs and TV Tokyo’s deliciously morbid Please Die My Beloved, will be released across key international markets starting with the U.S., Brazil and Southeast Asia.

    Also in the lineup: Ignite (a legal drama with teeth), Mr. Mikami’s Classroom, Who Saw the Peacock Dance in the Jungle?, La Grande Maison Tokyo, its special episode Light of My Lion, Until I Destroyed My Husband’s Other Family, and Baby Assassins. The slate cuts across genres from slow-burn psychological thrillers to culinary family sagas and assassin-led chaos ensuring there’s more than one flavour for every binge palate.

    This cross-cultural programming exchange is no accident. U-Next president and CEO Tenshin Tsutsumi confirmed that since their exclusive tie-up with WBD in September 2024, expanding Japanese IP globally has been a core focus. “We’re handpicking shows that don’t just do well at home but hit the right emotional notes internationally,” he said.

    U-Next currently offers the largest SVOD catalogue in Japan, per GEM Partners, with add-ons like e-books, e-manga, e-magazines, and a seven-year Premier League streaming deal thrown into the mix. Its 2023 merger with Paravi has also deepened its access to local favourites from TBS and TV Tokyo making it a treasure trove of binge-worthy content.

    For WBD, it’s another power move in its global localisation playbook. Operating across 220+ territories in 50 languages, the media giant is leaning into regional partners to give local stories international wings, proving that you don’t need subtitles to go viral, just good storytelling.

    The international rollout of the Japanese drama collection on Max will begin later this year. Dates? Still hush-hush. But the message is loud and clear: Japan’s dramas are no longer just for Japan. And Max is ready to stream the love.

  • Digital i report: Streamers ditch originality for the comfort of repeats

    Digital i report: Streamers ditch originality for the comfort of repeats

    MUMBAI: The golden age of eak TV is officially over, and streamers are reaching for the remote to change channels back to safety. According to Digital i’s latest report, Are You Still Watching?, the number of original series launched across Netflix, Disney+, Max and Prime Video has plummeted from 395 in 2022 to just 279 in 2024—a brutal 29 per cent drop that signals the end of the industry’s spend-happy commissioning spree. Producers have been talking about this in whispers in streamers office corridors, but now data has backed what was being speculated about  as a fact. 

    Franchise power

    The shift is as dramatic as it is telling. For the first time since streaming became king, licensed content has overtaken original programming in viewing share, with audiences voting with their eyeballs for the familiar over the fresh. The data shows this crossover happened in Q3 2023, marking a watershed moment for an industry built on the promise of endless new content.

    What’s driving this nostalgia kick?

    Viewers are apparently more interested in rewatching Grey’s Anatomy for the umpteenth time than diving into yet another dystopian thriller. The medical drama alone racked up more than two billion global viewing hours in 2024, whilst House M.D. continues to diagnose audience boredom with reliable regularity.

    This retreat to the familiar isn’t just about comfort viewing—it’s cold, hard economics. Original content costs a fortune and carries enormous risk, whilst proven library titles offer predictable returns. Streamers, facing mounting pressure from investors and increasingly choosy subscribers, are discovering that sometimes the best new content is actually very old content.
     

    Original IPs slowing down

    Netflix, however, remains the rebel in this conformist crowd. Of its top 25 most-viewed titles in 2024, 14 were based on original concepts—more than any other service. Whilst competitors are playing it safe, Netflix is still betting big on fresh ideas, suggesting the streaming giant believes originality remains its secret weapon for global domination.

    The industry’s new obsession with data is reshaping what gets made and what gets axed. Completion rates have emerged as the ultimate judge and jury, with Amazon’s video game adaptation Fallout boasting a stellar 67 per cent completion rate that helped secure its success. Netflix’s The Gentlemen earned renewal with a respectable 61 per cent, whilst the mythology-themed Kaos was cancelled after managing only 47 per cent—a harsh reminder that in streaming, finishing is everything.

    The data reveals another trend: shorter is sweeter. Season ones with three to six  episodes achieved average completion rates of 48 per cent, whilst bloated 11-15 episode seasons managed a measly 26 per cent. In an attention economy, brevity isn’t just the soul of wit—it’s the key to renewal.

    This recalibration reflects a maturing industry learning to balance creative ambition with commercial reality. The battle for viewer attention has evolved into a war for consistent, measurable engagement. Streamers are discovering that keeping audiences watching is harder than getting them to start, and that sometimes the most innovative strategy is knowing when not to innovate at all.

    As the dust settles on peak TV’s decline, one thing is clear: in the streaming wars, nostalgia isn’t just a marketing tool—it’s becoming the ultimate weapon.

  • Fillipino network Cignal goes Super with OTT service, courtesy Tata Play Binge

    Fillipino network Cignal goes Super with OTT service, courtesy Tata Play Binge

    MUMBAI: Cignal has just hit the play button on a game-changer. The Filipino broadcast giant has officially launched Cignal Super, a slick, all-in-one OTT streaming app powered by Tata Play Binge’s white-label tech—and it’s already turning heads.

    After a successful pilot, Cignal Super is now live and ready to supercharge screen time across the Philippines. The app bundles at least eight popular streaming services—including MAX, Viu, Lionsgate Play, Hallmark+, Curiosity Stream, Fuse+, Pilipinas Live, and Cignal Play—into one seamless platform, under a single subscription, one login, and unified search.

    Users of Cignal Super can dive into over 100 live TV channels via Cignal Play, catch the action with Pilipinas Live sports, explore the world with Curiosity Stream docs, binge on pop culture gems from Fuse+, or unwind with feel-good favourites on Hallmark+.

    Cignal Super offers two wallet-friendly plans:

    – Premium Plus at Php799/month unlocks the full OTT buffet across all partner platforms.
    – Premium at Php499/month serves up a curated mix—ideal for variety seekers on a budget.

    And here’s the kicker: new users can grab an intro offer valid till 31 May, with Premium Plus slashed to Php399/month and Premium down to just Php249/month. Stream more, spend less. 

    Cignal superThis marks the country’s first OTT aggregator of its kind, and it’s all running on Tata Play Binge’s robust cloud infrastructure—a global-grade PaaS (platform-as-a-service) built to scale fast across digital economies. Already making waves in Bangladesh, this Philippine launch cements Tata Play Binge’s place in the OTT aggregation big league.

    Tata Play MD & CEO Harit Nagpal was pleased as punched. “ “The launch of Cignal Super is a proud moment for Tata Play Binge white label solution,” said he. “Our PaaS model is helping leading broadcasters and telecom providers to go digital with speed, efficiency and scale. After a successful partnership in Bangladesh and now with Cignal in the Philippines, it’s exciting to see Indian technology enabling local champions to elevate entertainment experiences in their markets.”

    Cignal president & CEO Jane Jimenez-Basas was equally upbeat: “”Cignal is happy to partner with Tata Play for the launch of Cignal Super, the Philippines’ pioneering streaming aggregator. This collaboration allows Cignal to deliver a world-class entertainment experience to Filipino viewers, at home and on the go. With over 70 million smartphone users in the Philippines, Cignal Super is set to revolutionize how Filipinos enjoy their favorite content,” she said. 

    She added, “This partnership with Tata Play represents a significant step in Cignal’s continuing evolution and reaffirms our commitment to bringing joy, providing the best value, and creating shared experiences for Filipinos everywhere by delivering the content that they love.”

    For Tata Play Binge, this is more than just another rollout. It’s a bold play in its local going global” vision—arming regional partners with future-ready tech to leapfrog into the OTT stratosphere.

  • US Streaming platforms achieve record share of television viewing in Nielsen Report

    US Streaming platforms achieve record share of television viewing in Nielsen Report

    MUMBAI: Nielsen’s March 2025 report on The Gauge indicates a shift towards more seasonal television viewing patterns in the US. Overall television viewing declined by six per cent compared to February, influenced by seasonal changes. However, the streaming category continued its growth, capturing 43.8 per cent of total TV usage in March, a 0.3 percentage point increase from February.

    NIELSEN'S VIEWING

    A notable finding is that for the first time in a monthly Gauge report, the top ten most-watched streaming programmes originated from seven different platforms: Prime Video, Hulu, Disney+, Max, Paramount+, Netflix, and Apple TV+. Max experienced the largest month-over-month growth among streaming services, increasing by six per cent, primarily driven by viewership of The White Lotus. YouTube also achieved a new platform record for the second consecutive month, accounting for 12 per cent of total TV watch time, despite a slight decrease in viewing hours compared to the previous month.

    Cable television benefited from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament in March. Cable’s share of viewing rose to 24 per cent, a 0.8 percentage point increase, supported by a 29 per cent rise in cable sports viewing and consistent viewership for cable news. The most-watched cable sports broadcasts included NCAA Elite Eight games on TBS. Cable news programmes represented seven of the top ten cable telecasts, with Fox News Channel’s coverage of the presidential address on 4 March  attracting 11 million viewers on the network and over 36 million viewers in total.

    TOP STREAMING SHOWS

    The broadcast category saw strong performance with ABC’s broadcast of The Oscars on 2 March, which was the most-watched programme in March with 20.3 million viewers across ABC and Hulu. Data indicated that viewers streaming the Oscars on Hulu were significantly younger compared to those watching via traditional broadcast. Scripted dramas accounted for 28 per cent of total broadcast viewing in March, with Tracker on CBS having five of the top ten broadcasts, each averaging over 10 million viewers. However, the absence of football contributed to an overall nine per cent decrease in broadcast viewership from February, resulting in a 20.5 per cent share of total TV viewing for the month.

  • Warner Bros Discovery announces restructure; cleaves into two divisions

    Warner Bros Discovery announces restructure; cleaves into two divisions

    MUMBAI: Following in the footsteps of other gorilla media companies trying to find a way to retain value in the face of the streaming tsunami, Warner Bros Discovery (WBD) announced on 12 December that it had got its board’s go ahead to cleave itself into two operating divisions, namely

    * Global Linear Networks: A premier linear television business that operates networks with compelling news, sports, scripted and unscripted programming.
    * Streaming & Studios: A globally scaled streaming platform and storied film and entertainment studios with a portfolio of intellectual property.

    WBD will serve as the parent company. The intent behind this corporate restructuring:  enhance its strategic flexibility and create potential opportunities to unlock additional shareholder value. Additionally, it  expects the new corporate structure to increase clarity and focus, with each division positioned to deliver on its specific strategic and operational objectives while executing on initiatives to further key priorities for the consolidated WBD. 

    Global linear networks will focus on maximising profitability and free cash flow to continue deleveraging, while streaming & studios will focus on driving growth and strong returns on increasing invested capital, said a corporate release. The latter will include streaming platforms Max and Discovery+  and film studios like Warner Bros Pictures and New Line Cinema.

    The new corporate structure will also increase optionality to pursue further value creation opportunities for both divisions in an evolving media landscape, the company statement added.. 

    What analysts are observing in this move, is the possibility of a spin off of the company’s legacy linear TV assets into a separate company as traditional cable TV and linear channels like TNT, Discovery, HLN, Animal Planet, CNN have been on a downward trajectory with cord-cutting rampant.  Last year , WBD  unveiled a $9.1 billion goodwill impairment charge to write down the value of its legacy TV assets. 

    Investors have been beating down the share prices of media companies which don’t have a clear runway for their streaming businesses.

    WBD president &  CEO, David Zaslav has been promising that he would ways to unlock better value for shareholders by strategic moves, as recently as a couple of months ago.

    Comcast beat Zaslav’s maneuvre by announcing plans to spin off its NBCUniversal cable TV networks, including channels like MSNBC, CNBC, and E! so that they would not be a drag on its core business which includes  residential broadband, wireless, business services and NBCUniversal’s streaming, studios and theme parks

    However, other observers say that WBD might find it challenging to do a spinoff in the near future as a lot of the cash coming into the company is via its linear television business, which is seeing declining subscribers. It struck a new multiyear distribution deal with Charter Communications and Comcast which included higher payouts to it by the two for its linear channels.   Its  D2C business is actually on a growth curve and has limited cash inflows as the streaming services expand globally.

    “Since the combination that created Warner Bros. Discovery, we have transformed our business and improved our financial position while providing world class entertainment to global audiences,” said Zaslav in a statement announcing the restructuring. “We continue to prioritize ensuring our global linear networks business is well positioned to continue to drive free cash flow, while our streaming & studios business focuses on driving growth by telling the world’s most compelling stories. Our new corporate structure better aligns our organisation and enhances our flexibility with potential future strategic opportunities across an evolving media landscape, help us build on our momentum and create opportunities as we evaluate all avenues to deliver significant shareholder value.”

    Warner Bros. Discovery expects to start the foundational steps immediately and to complete the implementation of the new corporate structure by mid-2025.In addition, the Company expects to continue to evolve the board to execute its strategy and drive future shareholder value creation. J.P. Morgan, Evercore, and Guggenheim Securities are serving as financial advisors to Warner Bros. Discovery and Kirkland & Ellis and Wachtell Lipton are serving as legal counsel.
     

  • Bigg Boss 18 faces Peta India’s ire on account of donkey

    Bigg Boss 18 faces Peta India’s ire on account of donkey

    MUMBAI: A donkey has got the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) India frothing at the mouth. The ass called Max has been featuring in episodes of  Colors’ Bigg Boss18, along with 18 other human contestants. The show, produced by Endemol Shine, added a new twist to the eighteenth season by introducing Max  on it.

    Peta India, which has more than two million members and supporters, has written to host Salman Khan imploring him to get  Max, who has been brought into the BB house by advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte  (a contestant in BB18),  off the show.

    “We are being inundated with complaints by members of the public who are deeply distressed over the keeping of a donkey in the Bigg Boss house.,” Peta India advocacy associate Shaurya Agrawal has appealed to Salman in a letter addressed to the hero. “As one of India’s most influential stars and the host of Bigg Boss, you have the power to set a compassionate example. We respectfully ask that you use this influence to urge the show’s producers to avoid using animals as props for entertainment. This would not only prevent stress to the animal and upset to viewers but also set a powerful precedent. We also urge you to encourage advocate Gunaratna Sadavarte, who has reportedly brought Max into the house, to surrender the donkey to Peta  India to rehome in a sanctuary with other rescued donkeys.”
     
    Agrawal further states in the letter that the use of animals on a show set is no laughing matter as donkeys are naturally nervous and they would find the lights, sounds and clamour confusing and frightening. “That a show set is no place for an animal is obvious to viewers who are saddened to see the donkey kept in a small, confined space standing in waste,” he adds in the letter. “Moreover, donkeys are social animals, whose wellbeing is best ensured by permitting them to be part of a herd. Just as we humans live in family groups, so do donkeys. It is reported advocate Sadavarte keeps the donkey for research regarding milk. But donkeys produce milk strictly for their foals.”

    He ends the letter to Salman stating that society has evolved, and the caring public finds the use of animals on shows sad, not funny. “Please take the steps suggested in this letter to show that Bigg Boss recognises animals deserve our compassion and respect.”

    Will Salman, Viacom18 and the show’s producers Endemol Shine India heed Peta India’s plea? Will they evict Max and make him the first one to exit BB18?

    It’s over to them.  
     

  • Warner Bros Discovery International launches WBD AIM

    Warner Bros Discovery International launches WBD AIM

    Mumbai: Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) International has launched WBD AIM (audience insights and measurement), a first-party data platform that enables advertisers to target their campaigns with new levels of precision, across several markets throughout EMEA, APAC and LatAm spanning its most engaged assets including CNN, Max, discovery+ and Eurosport.

    WBD AIM will broaden WBD’s audience targeting capabilities with access to the vast library of its first-party datasets from across the WBD portfolio and touchpoints, ranging from registration and behaviour to intent and purchase.  

    This offering also allows advertisers to place contextual ad placements with relevance, leading to an optimisation of campaigns and ROI for advertisers; key when audiences are overloaded with information and their attention is selective.

    According to industry reports, enhanced targeting and contextual capabilities backed by deeper audience insights would improve CTV with 86 per cent of consumers saying that personalised experience increases their brand loyalty.

    Via WBD AIM, advertisers will be able to access a series of actionable audience segments and campaign insights built from key events or moments based on datasets spanning; WBD’s streaming service discovery+, CNN, Food Network UK, and across WBD sport entities on Max and discovery+ throughout EMEA, in a summer which has just witnessed the first Olympic Games in Europe for 12 years.  

    WBD AIM will expand across the company’s much-loved brands and franchises to bring datasets from gaming, theatrical, consumer products and experiences into a single addressable solution alongside premium sport and entertainment.  

    The AIM technology, originally built and launched by CNN International Commercial in 2015, has been optimised for CNN’s global clients over the last nine years and is a proven success for advertising partners ahead of this wider rollout across WBD. WBD AIM now launches internationally, and in the UK & Ireland brands including Adidas, British Airways and Lavazza are already utilising the platform to better tailor their campaigns this summer.

    WBD’s continued focus is to partner with leading technology providers to develop products and services that will enhance measurement capabilities, brand lift, incremental reach and new data sources from the WBD portfolio, all of which will be housed under WBD AIM and bought to market.

    Warner Bros. Discovery Global & UK&I, head of ad sales & brand partnerships, Mike Rich said, “As media consumption undergoes a profound transformation, traditional targeting strategies are evolving. This fundamental shift underscores the importance for media owners to harness the power of first-party data and audiences.  

    “WBD AIM allows us to navigate these complexities and tailor content and marketing efforts with precision across multiple touchpoints, as has been seen through CNN International’s use of the AIM technologies to date. With Warner Bros. Discovery’s vast portfolio of brands, franchises and touchpoints, with everything from streaming to shopping, Wheeler Dealers to the Wizarding World and 90 Day Fiancé to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, we have a unique ability to gain deep understanding of audiences across the most diversified portfolio in the industry and bring this to brands and advertisers, whilst ensuring the best possible ad experience for our consumers.”

    CNN International Commercial SVP, digital revenue, strategy and operations Rob Bradley said, “AIM is a solution originally designed, developed and grown at CNN with demonstrated success over the last nine years. The launch of WBD AIM marks the next generation of a continually evolving platform that is now expanded across much of the WBD universe with added local expertise. It enables brands to access the unique data touch points we have across our unsurpassed portfolio. Through an enterprise-level global data infrastructure, it can power impactful targeting to match client objectives and KPIs locally, regionally, and globally with in-depth reporting that reveals powerful insights to drive real business decisions.”