ITV

Tag: Netflix

  • Netflix & Dreamworks Animation expand global deal excluding China

    Netflix & Dreamworks Animation expand global deal excluding China

    MUMBAI: Netflix, Inc. and DreamWorks Animation have expanded their current multi-year deal, making Netflix the global home, outside of China, to a number of new original series for the whole family from the studio. The deal also covers streaming rights to the DreamWorks Animation feature film library.

     

    In addition, the deal extends the rights of current original series for kids from the studio available on the service throughout operating Netflix markets as well as expanding to include second window rights for the series everywhere around the world, outside of China. Series include The Adventures of Puss in Boots, Dinotrux, Dragons: Race to the Edge, among others.

     

    Starting in 2016, Netflix will launch several new series from DWA, including a reimagining of Voltron, and the new series, Trollhunters, from master storyteller Guillermo del Toro, who will unleash a new, fantastical world wrapped around two best friends who make a startling discovery beneath their hometown.  

     

    Over the term of the new agreement, a number of new original series will be developed and produced by DreamWorks Animation for Netflix, based not only on recent and upcoming feature films from the studio, but also on other classic IP.

     

    “DreamWorks Animation is synonymous with great storytelling that families around the world enjoy. It’s with great pleasure that we expand on an already successful relationship with DreamWorks Animation to bring more premium kids and family television to Netflix members globally,” said Netflix vice president of original series Cindy Holland.

     

    “This agreement adds to the incredible foundation we’ve built together with Netflix over a number of years across both film and television. We are proud to work closely with Netflix to continue delivering high-quality programming to audiences around the world,” added DreamWorks Animation president Ann Daly.

  • HOOQ India’s new MD Salil Kapoor bets big on glocal strategy

    HOOQ India’s new MD Salil Kapoor bets big on glocal strategy

    MUMBAI: Global OTT player HOOQ, which forayed into India earlier this year, has made its first big move forward. The platform has roped in industry veteran Salil Kapoor as managing director to handle its India operations.

    At a time when Indian companies are also firming up with the OTT strategy and keeping the impeding launch of Netflix in the Indian market, Kapoor’s appointment may well be a strategic move to tackle the competitive scenario. Kapoor, who is betting big on glocal content as the way forward for HOOQ, tells Indiantelevision.com, “My primarily role will be to establish the India operations. We will set up a new team and after we have achieved targets set for the Indian market, we will foray into neighbouring countries.”

    HOOQ follows a subscription based video on demand (SVOD) revenue model and has recently inked content deals with the likes of Sun TV and Saregama India, which includes content in South Indian languages of Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada as well as Hindi.

    “We will be looking at many other such partnerships, our end goal is to create a strong portfolio comprising Bollywood, Hollywood and regional content for our subscribers,” asserts Kapoor.  

    Moreover, the platform will not just be limiting itself to acquisitions, but will also looking at creating original content.

    Reliance Jio, with the employee launch of its 4G services, has rejuvenated the entire OTT fraternity. Bandwidth has been a teething issue for the sector and Reliance Jio Infocomm’s 4G services has raised the hopes of one and all. “What Reliance Jio is doing is great indeed. But it will have a holistic impact. Now other telecom players will also do something or the other and at the end of the day, data price will go down. So I think good days are ahead when it comes to bandwidth,” says Kapoor.

    The freemium revenue model is something that experts are talking about aggressively in the Indian scenario. In the freemium model, premium content is put on a subscription model, while old content can be accessed for free. At this stage, HOOQ is not looking to change its strategy. “We follow the SVOD model and at this stage we are not looking to deviate from it. It’s my second day in office and with time there will be many more developments,” adds Kapoor.

    All major broadcasters now have their own OTT platforms. Star India has Hotstar, which follows an AVOD model, while ZEE’s DittoTV is a subscription based platform. Viacom18 is yet to disclose the revenue model of its platform VOOT. On the other hand, while Sony Pictures Networks’ Sony LIV follows the freemium model, during the FIFA World Cup matches, it offered all the matches for a subscription. Earlier this year, Eros International’s ErosNow also unveiled aggressive and ambitious plans for original content on its platform. Apart from broadcasters, Ronnie Screwvala, in association with Ajay Chacko and B Saikumar, has also launched an OTT platform called Arre and has a comprehensive plans drawn out for it. In a competitive scenario like this, it remains to be seen how HOOQ manages to create a niche for itself.

  • ‘We have never got the cable television pay model right’: Ronnie Screwvala

    ‘We have never got the cable television pay model right’: Ronnie Screwvala

    Despite having a negative connotation more often than not, “disruption” can be a good thing, especially when it’s planned and executed in a strategic manner. And if there’s one person who is known for good disruption time and again in the Indian media and entertainment industry, it’s Rohinton Soli Screwvala or Ronnie, as he is popularly known as.

    With a quest to grow and excel in whatever he undertakes, Screwvala belongs to the rare breed of first generation media entrepreneurs in India. For him, trying is not enough for he believes in achieving all his dreams as he dreams with his eyes open!

    The pioneer of cable television in India, Screwvala has been best known to build brands and enter untapped territories. From a humble beginning in the cable industry, erecting one of India’s well known media company UTV, grabbing The Walt Disney Company’s attention, foraying into Kabbadi – a sport that was never televised robustly to breaking even in the second year, Screwvala has always pushed the boundaries.

    Complacency and failure are two words that don’t exist in his dictionary. In a country where entrepreneurship means legacy business, Screwvala is the flag bearer for first generation entrepreneurs.

    In a conversation with Indiantelevision.com’s Anirban Roy Choudhury, Screwvala goes back in time and shares his views on the Indian cable TV industry, Disney, sports and more.

    Read on for more :-

    The Disney – UTV deal is touted as a landmark deal in the Indian broadcast space. How does it feel when you look back at it today?

    I feel very proud when I look back at Disney India. We have a phenomenal team, which is doing an incredible job across the board. The channel is doing well and the movie studio is doing fantastic. The live show Beauty and the Beast has given live experiences in India a new benchmark. The best part is that they did it with local talent. It was not some imported show that travelled in here and went away.

    So it’s an incredible job done by the Disney team in India and I am proud of them. The easiest thing would have been to get a travelling show in, but they took the difficult route with local talent so it’s a local Disney show. The Disney team makes me feel proud.

     

    As a pioneer of cable television in India, you played a pivotal role in building it from scratch. What is your view on the evolution?

    When I look at cable, I have to say I have a little bit of regret because we are the only country in the world where we have to explain what cable TV is!

    The concept of local cable operator (LCO), multi system operator (MSO) is not there anywhere in the world other than India. A cable operator means that you need to pay for content. There are cable operators who are actually aggregators of channel. We have never got the pay model right! It started because nobody wanted to pay. Then there was a whole decade of under-declaration and nobody made capital investment.

    There are two things: Firstly, after 25 years of cable we are still not paying for content and secondly, serious investments have not gone into cable. You need billions of dollars……. we are still using the same cable that we were using 25 years back. We are still using the same model that we were using 20 years back. Yes, there have been some improvements, but we cannot call it cable TV. We are not cable TV like the world understands cable TV and that’s my problem.

    On the flip side, I must say it’s an incredible cottage industry. Look at the number of jobs it has created! It’s such a gigantic industry and for that matter if it was not the way it flourished, TV might not have been that popular the way it is. People could still be watching terrestrial TV and there would have been no satellite programming. So the fact that it has spread because of its entrepreneur spirit is a proud moment.

    I am proud of the entrepreneur spirit that has gone in there. However, I am regretful because no serious investment has been made there and we could not manage to get the pay model right.

    Speaking about the pay model, are we getting it right in digital? We are providing content for free and hence making free content consumption a behaviour.

    Let’s be very clear… people think online is free, but we are not doing anything for free. The first entrepreneurship course that we are launching is for Rs 50,000 for three months. Yes, people are skeptical to pay but that’s the way forward.

    The problem with the digital platform is that the biggest player in the ecosystem – YouTube is for free. That becomes habit forming. Things will change on digital once we go to experiential viewing. There has to be something for you other than just watching… I don’t have any idea what that is but we are trying very very hard to figure it out.

    I think the digital paid space will be experiential where you are not paying for watching but for watching plus plus… We are trying to figure out what those plusses are.

    Do we have a content strategy ready for digital? People still consider it to be a platform for 2 to 3 minutes video consumption.

    You will be shocked to hear that since last year, people are watching 30 to 40 minutes of content online even while everyone thought that digital means two to three minutes. 

    There are more people now watching 20 to 30 minutes of content online compared to the ones watching two – three minutes. What’s more, people have been also heard saying that the smaller duration content is snaky. That habit is changing because there are increased offerings. You give people quality content, they will consume it.

    Quality of content and storytelling in digital is changing. People are ready to watch a full movie on digital but they cannot now because of the bandwidth issue. So content size is not an issue, it’s the quality that matters.

    Talking about films on digital, Netflix recently simulcast The Beasts of No Nations. What’s your take on Netflix and what is the revenue model that Indian players should follow?

    Today Netflix’s market cap is as much as 21st Century Fox’s, it is as big as Time Warner and higher than Viacom… with the sole exception of Disney, which is the largest media company in the world.

    The road ahead for digital has to be ad revenue. We cannot fool ourselves on that. But the frustrating part is that we are dealing with people who do not understand digital. So the problem is that when you start a new digital medium, the main constituent – the advertisers – do not understand it at all. They still think it’s niche. They just don’t get it that today movies can be launched on digital.

    There are huge advantages of the platform. Sorry to generalise on the advertisers but the fact is that they do not understand digital and it’s going to take them three to four years to understand it. The big challenge is that while digital players will rely on advertisers, there will be no one available to experiment. So players will have to experiment, prove and only then will advertisers come on board.

    Are you saying that the next few years will be very tough for digital players?

    It will be tough, but it will be tough in a good way. It won’t be scary tough. Only serious players in the ecosystem will stay. The others that are coming with a herd mentality, the MCN players etc… I have no idea what they are up to.

    You cannot wake up to 20 different channels. What is the need? What is the model? Where will it go? What will happen to it? And the worst part is, you got investors backing those models. I fail to understand what they are up to. But yes, serious players who want to be in the ecosystem for good will be there.

    After your successful stint with Kabaddi, are you eyeing any other sport?

    We are investing in football. We are doing global grass root training programmes but it’s not the training that everyone is doing here. The training that we are giving is very different wherein we will take 60 kids to Germany for six years of training.

    Since the cost of something like this is very high, the expenses will be shared by us and the candidates. The will pay for the lodging and boarding, whereas we will pay for the training. We will manage their careers for the next 10 years. The age group that we are looking at is under 12, under 14, and under 16. We have to catch them really young and that’s the challenge.

    There are people who do three months training and summer courses, but you cannot become football stars by that. In our initiative, the kids will have to be away from home for six years. The peer pressure to meet global standards, the environment, discipline and the commitment is what we plan to offer them.

    So is this a business proposition of USports or are you doing this to uplift the sport?

    (Laughs). Of course it is a business proposition! Swades is the only social initiative that I am in for non-profit. Everything else is pure business. I think we are in the process of developing 300 future football stars. Then we will manage their careers for 10 years, that’s our business model.

    What is the progress of your motor-sport innovation?

    My motor-sport venture is an attempt to start a destination sport in India involving two-wheelers. Lakshadweep, Daman and Diu, Leh and Ladakh and Puducherry are the locations that we have in mind. The infrastructure has to step up to it, and the most important part is not the track but safety.

    This year India will be number one in terms of bike consumption, larger than China. The two-wheeler population is massive in India. Therefore, sports is an interesting way to go forward with that. But to us, the most important part is safety. It’s not a rally that we are planning so we cannot do it on a muddy paddy field. The infrastructure will take time to grow. There will be one domestic team and one international. The domestic riders will go abroad and train for six months.

    How much more time do you think it will take to match the quality you need? Are there any other investors involved?

    I would have liked to start it in next six months but the safety level that we are targeting will take at least 18 months more.

    I am doing it on my own and there is no partner involved to start the league. Here, we are going to be a league owner and our partners will be the ones we sell our franchises to.

    You have entered into online education with UpGrad. What are your plans with the venture?

    UpGrad is in the education space for post-grads. We are eyeing 14 to 16 completely different online courses, which will all be post-grad and specialised courses.

    We kicked off on 25 November with our entrepreneurship course. UpGrad received 2000 applications and then eventually we shortlisted 600 participants for the first cohort that started on 25 November. This would be the first time someone is doing a course of such high scale on entrepreneurship. The number that we roped in is huge. For every hundred students, there will be a teacher associate, who will interact with them at regular intervals. There will be a continuous process of mentorship. The course on entrepreneurship is of three months. After that the next one on Big Data will be of nine months to a year. We are launching three new courses, which will be out between March and May.

     

    You recently wrote a book and that inspired many igniting minds. Are you planning a second one too?

    I am not an author for sure! A book takes a lot of effort, I am happy being a business man. I am not even thinking about one more book at this stage.

     

     

     

     

    What are your plans with Swades? How much do you invest in it both in terms of money and time?

    Swades to me is not an investment. We are putting our heart and soul in it. Zarina, my wife, is working full time for that. We are not cutting cheques. Philanthropy is when you cut a few cheques and give it to an NGO. We are building a foundation from ground up. Yes, we are putting our own money but we are also putting our sweat and toil. We have 1200 people working for Swades, which is also quite big. It is a life-long commitment for us and there is no running away from it.

     

     

    You are too much of a TV person to not be in TV. When are you going back? What’s next?

    I don’t feel I am being left alone. Look at the things we are doing with Football, UpGrad and with Kabaddi. If because of Filmfare, five people used to come for selfies, now at least 50 of them come because of Kabaddi. It’s the same in rural areas too. When we travel for Swades related work, we get to know the popularity and the craze of the sport.

    I am happy with what we are doing and have no plans of going back. Swades is a key focus for me and Zarina both and we will continue to do what we are doing.

  • “There is a market for “failed” and low-budget films on OTT”

    “There is a market for “failed” and low-budget films on OTT”

    Netflix shook up the cinema establishment in the US when it had the temerity to release Beast of No Nation simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming platform. The movie, acquired at a cost of Rs 78 crore, did not do well at the theatrical box office (less than $100,000 gross), but it got more than 3 million views on the Netflix app.

     

    However, CEO Reed Hastings are going ahead with their strategy of doing simultaneous releases of future projects like The Ridiculous Six, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon II in the coming months.

     

    Indiantelevision.com got in touch with Essel group OTT player ditto TV CEO Debashish Ghosh on what he thought about Netflix ‘s bold gambit, whether it would be tried in India, and whether it would work with Indian viewers.  Read on to hear his views in one of the more entertaining interviews we have had in some time.

     

    Excerpts:

     

    Q: Were you stunned by Netflix’s move to do an OTT release for Beast of  no Nation simultaneous with the theatres like the mainline exhibition community in the US was- so much so that they refused to release the film and it got a limited release?

    “Stunned” may well be too sharp a rhetoric – since its not unnatural for subscription OTT platforms to find ways to showcase content PRIOR to standard and accepted platforms. Otherwise why would a consumer pay?

    That’s one of the reasons we at DittoTV are also looking at driving “content before TV / Anywhere” as a proposition as well. Significantly before!

    But please don’t ask for more details as of now – give me 15 days and then we shall give you an exclusive if you want it.

     

    India is in the nascent phase of OTT. But it has a strong heritage of filmmaking and is probably the largest producer of films worldwide.

    No doubt about that. But the mindset of film producers understandably is different here – especially the mainline ones – as they prefer making money upfront rather than later.  While we understand why, it is still a limiting factor as well – for most OTT platforms – which are not also producers of films as well.

     

    How large is your film catalogue for OTT both Bollywood and  international?

    We do not yet have a significant International Catalogue of movies but there are some imminent actions on that soon.  As far as Bollywood is concerned – we can only put up content on our platform – for which we have rights. And we have a library of around 3000 movies – which are already up and running.

     

    Does films get views? How much of your audience watches catalog films on OTT? How much time? And how often?

    Not really – if you ask me. Especially Bollywood – most of those movies are already available in myriad other platforms – and there is no REAL Uniqueness here. And thanks to Pirates and Torrents there will never really be.  So playing the game with the strengths of Movies alone – is not a viable proposition – at least today. And even platforms like YRF or Eros are struggling on account of that fact.

    Having said that – it’s not as though people don’t watch movies on OTT platforms – but it’s few and infrequent and essentially driven by some sort of unique demand – on the part of the consumer (note: NOT the platform). For example : “ I am having a debate about a particular dialogue with my friend and I want to prove a point about a move when I am outside at a bar!” Such scenarios are so infrequent that they don’t drive business case – frankly.

     

    OTT players have just begun their run in the space with original content for television shows. Is acquiring films exclusively for premieres the logical next step? How far are the Indian players from doing something like Netflix did?

    This question you have to ask Netflix actually. Are THEY making money for the movies that they are acquiring at huge costs and efforts? Or are they doing it because they today have money to spare? And can using it for drumming up PR mileage like your article will serve to do?

    Though that’s strictly not a bad strategy – if you ask me. But then you need to have international valuation and dollars to burn. Most OTT platforms cannot afford it. So it won’t be commonplace. And Business case will NOT let even Netflix sustain the movie strategy for too long.

     

    Will there be sufficient views for a movie released on an OTT platform? Will there be enough ROI on big-ticket movies on OTT?

    Well not really. But someone like Netflix can surely show the way and experiment – (Thanks to their success and surplus funds) – so that all other platforms can learn at their expense 😉

     

    Will the exhibition industry accept film premieres on OTT? Or will they revolt like they did in Kamal Hassan’s case?

    Ask the industry – they are the rich folk! OTT people are poor and struggling anyways – don’t rub salt on their wounds.

     

    Will premiering films on OTT affect the revenue flows from theaters?

    Not at all – to my mind. Theatres and OTT are not just about content – it’s about their respective experiences – and there is nothing overlapping about those distinct experiences.  I won’t say that the audiences are different – because that’s too passe 🙂

    How can Bollywood use OTT platforms better?

    By synergising and using OTT for its advantages. Theatrical and Satellite releases are all about the movie in itself. So instead of treading that trodden path – OTT platforms and Producers can synergise and think together to bring greater value to the consumer. Like releasing unseen footage, shooting goof-ups, candid reactions of stars (post doing a tough shot for instance) etc. – on OTT platforms – over and above the film – or contextual to the film. Digital OTT platforms have many intrinsic advantages that need to be leveraged – which unfortunately neither the Film Industry understands nor do the OTT platforms innovate sufficiently enough – mostly since they are so fund strapped – thanks to paying huge content rights monies to producers.

     

    There are 800 films released each year. Many don’t make it to the theaters. Some disappear after day 1. Do you think there is a market for such films on OTT? Would it make sense for smaller budget films to take this route? Will you premiere such niche content on your platform? What would the deals look like: revenue shares, or minimum guarantees (MGs) or outright purchases?

    Too many questions in one!  But yes – there is surely a market (even if that’s not a big one) for theatrically “failed” or smaller budget films on OTT. And yes OTT platforms should premiere such content – but as I said producers (big or small) are looking at quick upfront returns. And if their need can be logically channelised – all of this is possible and even more. But mindsets need to change (for the better) for that – and change is always very difficult.

    Such deals should be revenue share and not MG / outright – as the risk is equal on both sides.

     

    Will films work in SVOD or T-VOD? Or AVOD?

    TVOD or AVOD is where it works for the consumer as of now. But AVOD does not really pay for its costs.  SVOD for movies has not really worked – even for Netflix (remember Game of Thrones?).

  • Netflix to premiere original 10-part documentary crime series

    Netflix to premiere original 10-part documentary crime series

    MUMBAI: Netflix ’will exclusively premiere an original ten-part documentary crime series called Making a Murderer on 18 December, 2015. 

     

    Inspired by a newspaper article from 2005, directors Laura Ricciardi and Moira Demos have spent the last decade documenting an unprecedented real-life thriller that spans more than thirty years. Set in America’s Heartland, Making a Murderer follows the harrowing story of Steven Avery, an outsider from the wrong side of the tracks, convicted and later exonerated of a brutal assault. His release triggered major criminal justice reform legislation, and he filed a lawsuit that threatened to expose corruption in local law enforcement and award him millions of dollars. But in the midst of his very public civil case, he suddenly finds himself the prime suspect in a grisly new crime. 

     

    The series takes viewers inside a riveting, high-stakes criminal case where reputation is everything and things are never as they appear. The filmmakers have documented every angle of the story, following the second investigation and ensuing trial of the accused, petitioning the court to avoid having to turn over their footage, gathering archival materials, and interviewing those closest to the case. 

     

    “There are an unbelievable number of twists and turns in the story arc of Making a Murderer, it feels like it has to be fictional. Ricciardi and Demos have navigated very complex terrain and skillfully woven together an incredible series that leaves you feeling like you’re right in the middle of the action,” said Netflix VP – original documentary programming Lisa Nishimura.

     

    “If we had not been there to witness these events we would have trouble believing they actually occurred. Our goal has always been to share that experience with viewers. Our partnership with Netflix has allowed us to tell this story in a way that wouldn’t have been possible anywhere else,” added directors Ricciardi and Demos. 

     

    Making a Murderer examines allegations of police and prosecutorial misconduct, evidence tampering and witness coercion. The filmmakers look at what went wrong in the first case and question whether scientific advances and legislative reforms over the past three decades have gotten us any closer to delivering truth and justice in the system. 

     

    Netflix will present a special preview of the first two episodes of Making a Murderer at the DOC NYC film festival on 13 November. 

     

    Making a Murderer is the latest project in Netflix’s slate of original documentary and docu-series programming, including the Oscar-nominated films The Square and Virunga as well as What Happened, Miss Simone?, Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s Fight for Freedom and Chef’s Table.

  • Ditto TV aims to double revenues this fiscal; plans more original shows

    Ditto TV aims to double revenues this fiscal; plans more original shows

    MUMBAI: It’s gotten late off the blocks but it sure is looking to sprint ahead and fast. We are talking about the Zee network’s digital over the top (OTT) offering Ditto TV.

     

    Zee Digital Convergence (ZDC) Chief Executive Officer Debashish Ghosh told PTI over the weekend  that his goal is to double his company’s revenue from around Rs 30 crore to Rs 60 crore this year, with almost 95 per cent of it coming courtesy subscription.

     

    With 1.8 million subscribers on a monthly basis and almost 60 percent of them being repeat viewers, Ditto TV is present in 167 countries. Most of its consumption is however happening in India. With the exception of Star and Sun group channels, Ditto TV offers 156 channels across 13 languages. Ghosh further told PTI that almost 30 per cent of Ditto TV subscribers consume live TV.

     

    ZDC  has invested around $5 million in Ditto TV over the past three to four years, Ghosh disclosed. That is slated to go up in the coming months as it starts pumping in money into original content. The first of these is a music based show called Life is Music; other programmes are being planned in-house as well as with outside producers.

     

    Clearly, the OTT original content space is seeing a lot of action.

     

    Netflix is slated to launch in India by mid next year and invest top dollar in cutting edge content. Star India’s Hotstar already has an average of 20 million users every month. It has paid a fat commissioning fee to stand up comedy group All India Bakchod to produce shows running over 20 episodes. Then it has been premiering some of its big-ticket Bollywood movies and TV shows on Hotstar.

     

    Entertainment major Eros International recently announced that the registered user base of its OTT service Eros Now has grown to 30 million as of 30 September.  It has ordered six new original shows which are slated to debut soon and feature big name stars.

     

    MSM Media’s Sony Liv, on the other hand, notches up an average of 5-7 million monthly users, and is also getting into OTT content.  It is experimenting with a fiction show titled  Love Bytes. Then the Viacom18 group is also pacing on the sidelines, gearing up to launch its own OTT service under the leadership of Gaurav Gandhi.

     

    Ghosh, while speaking at IDOS (organized by Indiantelevision.com and MPA in September) said that the hyper activity is good for the OTT sector as a whole.

     

    He further  told PTI, that India is expected to have 500 million Internet users by 2017, out of which 382 million would be smartphone users, 70 per cent whom would be 3G/4G customers. And that is what is exciting the Zee TV network to further invest in Ditto TV.  Add to that the prediction that almost 60 per cent of India’s population is going to below 40 by 2020, and that both wired and wireless broadband infrastructure will be in place. That’s the positive side.

     

    “But the fact is that the OTT players will find the going challenging,” says a media observer. “At least until the numbers really scale up and bandwidth constraints and costs fall. Indian consumers are chary of paying for content, apart from cricket. Hence, Hotstar has taken the AVOD route (advertising video on demand). But advertisers and agencies have been reluctant to buy into the medium; at least at prices Star has envisaged. Eros Now has announced a multiple revenue stream offering which includes advertising, transactional (TVOD) and subscription video on demand (SVOD), with differential pricing for Indian and international consumers. Ditto TV is primarily SVOD and its growth has been limited so far. Each of them has to find a robust and sustainable revenue model.”

  • “Television will move to Internet completely:” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

    “Television will move to Internet completely:” Netflix CEO Reed Hastings

    MUMBAI: As the digital era ushers in with full gusto, Netflix CEO Reed Hastings is of the opinion that in a few years’ time, television will move to the internet completely, which has made many a international players in the cable and television broadcast industry shifty in their positions.

     

    In a recent interview with CNBC, Hastings said that in the next 10 to 20 years, television will shift completely to Internet, and his two cents are on the fact that Internet will be one of the fastest growing industry.

     

    Hastings may come off as bold, but his statement are in fact backed by facts and figures. The recent drop in subscription rates seen by television giants like Disney and Fox clearly indicates how rapidly the consumer is choosing internet as their staple platform for content consumption, be it entertainment, fiction or non-fiction. On the other hand, Netflix confirmed an addition of 3.3 million new subscribers in their quarter ending in July.

     

    When asked for his opinion on more and more people choosing to watch television on the internet rather than cable TV, Hastings told CNBC, “There are a few people that have cut the cord, but it is very, very small still today. But it’s a worry about the long term.”

     

    Considering its humble beginnings as a mail-order DVD company in 1997 to being an internet colossus worth over $32 billion, it will be right to say that Netflix is in for the long haul may even outrun some of the world’s biggest cable networks.

     

    The credit goes to internet, says the CEO of one of the world’s largest online video streaming platform. “It’s really the Internet. The Internet is transforming so many sectors of our economy, and we are Internet TV; and that sector has grown from very small 15 years ago to starting to be significant now,” Hasting asserted enthusiastically in his interview.

     

    Armed with analytics tools, Hastings stressed the importance of learning and evolving through time and new technology updates to survive in the market. “We are just a learning machine. Every time we put out a new show we are analysing it, figuring out what worked and what didn’t so we get better next time,” he adds.

     

    He also mentions that Orange is the New Black and House of Cards — Netflix’s two original shows – are the platform’s trump cards. With their ambition to spread their reach in Asia Pacific and the Indian subcontinent, the question remains if this formula will have the same impact as it did in America and Europe, especially in India, where broadband speed is still not up to international standards.

  • ‘nexGTv aspires to replicate Netflix’s global success in India:’ GD Singh

    ‘nexGTv aspires to replicate Netflix’s global success in India:’ GD Singh

    MUMBAI: Mobiles and smartphones are no longer about calling and messaging, instead they have manifested as personal lifestyle and attitude statements owing to their growing integration in our lives as engagement and entertainment gadgets.

     

    The discerning, internet savvy generation, especially between 15–35 years, is fast embracing multi-platform media consumption, leading to an increasing demand for anytime, anywhere access to content. They are also the ones who are shaping content viewing decisions including growing relevance of HD, as well as access to exclusive yet vast variety of content.

     

    With aspirations of establishing itself as a digital industry pioneer and India’s biggest subscription-driven video entertainment destination, Digivive Services’ nexGTv plans to strategise itself as per the preferences and behaviour of the consumer.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Digivive Services director and CEO GD Singh says, “With over 27 million profiles, we are best placed to understand, analyse, interpret and create really unique content and flavours for the new-age mobile customer that jack up their entertainment quotient. We initiated creating India’s first ‘mobiserial’ – the first of-its-kind, premium celebrity-led original content for mobile in India, which will elevate the level of programming currently seen in this space.”

     

    Speaking on the content strategy Singh asserts, “While we continue strengthening our leadership in the Live TV space, which is something that our consumers identify and know us for, we are also mining our vast library of data to distil trends and gain insights about consumers’ consumption habits and preferences. User generated and specific community oriented content appears to be the next big consumption driver.” 

     

    Digital will be the primary medium through which the venture wants to penetrate itself to the mass. “Like our consumers, our business is primarily digital and so is our marketing. From a customer convenience perspective, we are tightly bundled with all telcos, which saves our consumers needless hassles of re-charging repeatedly,” informs Singh. 

     

    nexGTv is exploring alliances and partnerships actively as it is a great way to win new customers as well as friends. Singh further briefs, “We are also debating the need for a physical touchpoint and if necessary, we shall explore new and captivating ways including retail, to make ourselves present in front of our customer.”

     

    The subscription-driven video entertainment destination, follows a ‘freemium’ model, which combines access to both free and paid content. A significant portion of content on nexGTv is available free for viewers and is tagged appropriately. The rest of it, including premium and exclusive content is available only to subscribers, at extremely affordable price points for daily/weekly/monthly viewing. With the rising smartphone penetration and improving network coverage, the entire proposition of mobile entertainment is available to the customer at Rs 125 per month for the choicest, unlimited content.

     

    Speaking on revenue model, Singh explains, “We offer multiple billing options for subscribers including telco-billing, which accounts for a lion’s share of our subscribers, primarily owing to its convenience. However, there also exist additional payment options via Credit and Debit cards as well as wallet integrations including those with PayTM that have been recently added.”

     

    Irrespective of the fact that India’s digital infrastructure is yet to meet the necessary requirements of the OTT ecosystem, a huge number of players are coming into the fray. Foreign players are also making inroads to explore the lucrative Indian market. The number poses threat of the same content – different channels scenario and staying distinguished and ahead of the others will be the key in long run.

     

    “The trick lies in ensuring that as the leader in our category, we remain constantly on our toes, stay engaged with customers and adapt and reinvent ourselves continuously to stay ahead of the curve. Our strategy is to expand our differentiation by being disruptive and one of the fundamental ways of doing that is by producing our very own content and map customer touch-points,” Singh opines.

     

    Advertisers are yet not certain on the reach and visibility of brands when it comes to the digital players and hence the medium is failing to emerge as the primary medium of marketing. “nexGTv’s appeal lies in the universality of its content driven by a consumer base that primarily ranges from 15-35 years. This base is the hotbed of activity for virtually all marquee brands and hence, nexGTv presents itself as an ideal next-generation app or a new generation entertainment platform that appeals to all brands, which are anchoring for a share of the mind and wallet of this segment,” says Singh.

     

    Singh is of the opinion that nexGTv has enough and more content to appeal to consumers of all age-groups (8 – 80 years of age). Throwing light on the target group (TG), he says, “Our biggest consumers are young men and women from 15-35 years, which incidentally is the same age group that is driving the growth of internet in India. While we have a pan-India consumer presence on the app, a substantial percentage of it comes from the top 10 metros and mini-metros.”

     

    “Given the industry we are in and the speed of its evolution, we can never be certain on what’s around the bend? As a young and ambitious company, we aspire to replicate the global success of Netflix in India and our business focus and priorities are aligned to reinforce that objective. Hence, while on the one hand, we’re engaged in transforming ourselves from content aggregators to creators and publishers of original content, on the other, we’re working hard on our UX/UI to facilitate easy discoverability of content on nexGTv. In other developments, while we further fine-tune our customer analytics on one side, we’re also tightening our focus on our content and marketing strategies. Our attempt is to create the future,” concludes Singh.

  • Netflix to launch in HK, Taiwan, S. Korea & Singapore in early 2016

    Netflix to launch in HK, Taiwan, S. Korea & Singapore in early 2016

    MUMBAI: Netflix, Inc. will expand into Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Singapore in early 2016 as it moves to complete its global rollout by the end of 2016.

     

    Once launched, Internet users will be able to subscribe to Netflix and instantly watch a curated selection of popular TV shows and movies in high-definition or even Ultra HD 4K on nearly any Internet-connected screen. Additionally, younger viewers will find a wide selection of programming for kids. Netflix will be localized, offering subtitles for most content.

     

    “Consumer demand for foreign movies and TV shows is high in Hong Kong and Taiwan, where great stories from around the world appeal to such international cultures. The combination of increasing Internet speeds and availability of smart phones and TVs will provide consumers with the anytime, anywhere ability to enjoy their favorite movies and TV shows on the Netflix service,” said Netflix CEO Reed Hastings.

     

    With a constantly improving user experience, advanced personalisation technology and a curated selection of TV shows and films, Netflix members are able to create their own viewing experience and can easily discover new favorites, while reconnecting with popular characters and stories.

     

    Netflix members connected to the Internet can watch whenever, wherever they like, and on any device they choose. Members can start watching on one device, pause, and then pick up where they left off on another, at home or on the go.

     

    Netflix will be available at launch on smart TVs, tablets and smartphones, computers and a range of Internet-capable game consoles and set-top boxes. Additional details on pricing, programming and supported devices will be available at a later date.

  • Netflix inks first TV deal in Spain with Vodafone

    Netflix inks first TV deal in Spain with Vodafone

    MUMBAI: Vodafone Spain has inked an agreement that will bring Netflix onto a Spanish TV platform for the first time.

     

    Using the Netflix app, Vodafone TV homes will be able to watch a broad variety of series, films documentaries and kids titles through their set–top box. Netflix will be available through Vodafone TV when Netflix launches in Spain in October.

     

    The Netflix offering will include exclusive original series such as Narcos, Marvel’’s Daredevil,Sense8, Bloodline, Grace and Frankie, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Marco Polo and critically acclaimed documentaries Virunga, Mission Blue and docuseries Chef’s Table as well as various stand–up comedy specials. Additionally, younger viewers will find a wide selection of programming for kids.

     

    Viewers will continuously be offered new titles and can look forward to the first Netflix original feature films, with announced titles including Beasts of No Nation, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon The Green Legend, Jadotville and The Ridiculous 6. Netflix is fully localized, offering a choice of subtitles and dubbing.

     

    Netflix will be available on Vodafone TV through an app on the decoder. Viewers will also be able to find titles using the search engine or recommendations section of the Vodafone service, two of the features customers use most. Vodafone customers will be able to enjoy Netflix in high quality thanks to a collaboration between the companies on Vodafone’s ultra high–speed fixed and mobile broadband networks.

     

    Vodafone TV customers will be able to enjoy the Netflix service without having to update their set–top–boxes. Netflix will also be available on smartphones and tablets, the Netflix app for those devices will be available in the app stores.