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Tag: OTT

  • OTT conversations to take centre stage at Vidnet 2018

    OTT conversations to take centre stage at Vidnet 2018

    MUMBAI: Indians have now warmed up to over-the-top media services making them even mainstream at times. In the last couple of years, the OTT industry has witnessed rapid growth thanks to several factors like cheaper data and affordable smartphones. Many new players are experimenting in this area leading to higher competition. From high-quality content to high-end technology, marketing OTT players are leaving no stone unturned to grab more eyeballs.

    At a time when the industry is thriving, Indiantelevision.com is again bringing together all the stalwarts in the ecosystem on the stage of Vidnet 2018 at The St.Regis, Mumbai on 16 November. The experts from platforms, production studios, advertising agencies, data analyst firms, creators, technology and investors will discuss the state of the industry, address the issues and find solutions. ZEEL’s digital venture ZEE5 is the title sponsor of Vidnet 2018 and the event is powered by Verizon.

    As the market is at the stage of development right now, there are several questions that need to be answered. The focus of the conference will be on these topics broadly – what could be the leanings from other countries like US, China and Japan; which business models will work out properly; what is the content trend in domestic and international market; how to increase user engagement; uniform data measurement metric; importance of data, AI, machine learning, cloud technology and how to combat piracy.

    Amazon Prime Video India director and country general manager Gaurav Gandhi, Balaji Telefilms group CEO Sunil Lulla, Hulu Japan chief content officer Kazufumi Nagasawa, YouTube entertainment head Satya Raghavan, ZEE5 India CEO Tarun Katial along with many other experts will speak on the compelling issues chalking out the right direction in the ecosystem.

    According to KPMG Media and Entertainment Report 2018, the industry with more than 30 players is expected to grow at a CAGR of 45 per cent to reach Rs 13,800 crore by the end of FY23. Till now advertising revenue is the dominant contributor in the market, subscription revenue is nonetheless expected to be about 33 per cent of the total revenue in the space by end of FY23.

  • Netflix has no plans to introduce cheaper offerings in India

    Netflix has no plans to introduce cheaper offerings in India

    MUMBAI: Denying market buzz about Netflix’s plan to introduce cheaper subscription plans in India, the streaming video giant’s CEO Reed Hastings said that an executive’s comments suggesting otherwise had been “misunderstood.”

    Hastings in an interview with Reuters noted that the OTT platform had three price tiers in India: Rs 500 ($6.90) for a basic plan, Rs 650 ($9.00) for a standard plan and Rs 800 ($11) for premium. Compared to the amount Netflix charges in the US, these prices are only modestly lower.

    “We see the typical mix across these three plans (in India) that we see in many other countries like the US, which would indicate that we don’t have a pricing issue. Because if it was, everyone would be on the lower price plan,” he said.

    After posting Q3 result in October, chief product officer Greg Peters said in an earnings call, “We’ll experiment with other pricing models, not only for India, but around the world that will allow us to broaden access by providing a pricing tier that sits below our current lowest tier.” This comment was widely perceived as an indication of the company’s plan to introduce lower pricing.

    “It got misunderstood as a decision that we are going to have lower prices in India, which is not something we are particularly contemplating,” Hastings said against this backdrop.

    However, Netflix boss did not deny that it’s not easy to penetrate a billion household with this subscription rate in Indian economy. Rather focusing on English-language, English-entertainment households will help to have a higher income. According to him, the high-end focus is “a practical, realistic” place to start and eventually targeting a broader audience.

    Hastings said Netflix could still thrive although Netflix has competitors in India including YouTube, Hotstar, Amazon who offer cheaper options for the audience. As YouTube is free, and Amazon is cheaper and cable is extremely inexpensive, that creates a consumer expectation. But Netflix boss added that the cost of Netflix in India was “like going to the movie theatre 2-3 tickets a month, but you get to watch a lot more.”

    While Netflix currently has more than 130 million subscribers worldwide, Hastings has said the India market could deliver the next 100 million subscribers.

  • ZEE5 partners Paytm to offer 50% cashback on subscription

    ZEE5 partners Paytm to offer 50% cashback on subscription

    MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd's (ZEEL) digital venture ZEE5 is attracting consumers with its latest tie-up with Paytm for a cashback deal on subscription.

    As a result of the partnership, customers who will subscribe ZEE5 through the Paytm app will get a flat 50 per cent cashback of the subscription amount. From 1 November, the offer has gone live already and will be valid for 6 months for customers to avail. The cashback is valid for one-month subscription of Rs 99, six-month subscription of Rs 599 and annual subscription of Rs 999.

    “ZEE5 has consistently been at the forefront in offering a seamless experience and value to its consumers. Digital payment is evolving at a fast pace and Paytm has played a major role, being at the forefront of that change. With our association which is an attractive flat 50 per cent cashback offer, it reinforces our commitment to provide an entertaining yet affordable deal for the consumer,” ZEE5 India business head Manish Aggarwal commented on the partnership.

  • Riding on the reach and success of Side Hero, Eros Now set to bring Season 2 of the comedy series

    Riding on the reach and success of Side Hero, Eros Now set to bring Season 2 of the comedy series

    MUMBAI: Eros Now, the cutting-edge digital over-the-top (OTT) South Asian entertainment platform owned by Eros International Plc (NYSE: EROS) (“Eros”), a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment, recently released their first original series Side Hero directed by Rohan Sippy on September 24th. The eight-episode series received an overwhelming response from audiences prompting the OTT platform to announce the second season of Side Hero.

    Enjoying tremendous popularity with a rating of 8.6 on IMDB as well as the number one position on Top Hindi Movies and Shows section within a week of its release on IMDB over other recently released movies during the same period such as Sui Dhaaga, the self-deprecatory comedy based on the life of actor Kunaal Roy Kapur stood firm ground against competition. The trailer of the series itself, clocked more than 10 million online views within a period of a week, making it one of the most watched trailers of any Indian Original Series. Most of its assets prior to the series’ launch on Eros Now including the poster and trailer, saw the highest level of engagement as well as trended on social media.

    Interestingly, Side Hero lent to a greater contribution of viewership from larger screens with twice the amount viewership from premium subscription users as compared to basic users. The build up to the series tracked very well with viewers in 75 countries across the world sampling Side Hero episodes in the first week of launch itself. Further elaborating on the consumption pattern, Eros Now revealed the series enjoys 85% viewership in the age bracket of 18-24 (male & female) lending to an endemic viewership growth in the core target audience for the show.

    Recently, Eros Now was awarded the ‘Best Web-Series’ for Side Hero along with Kunaal Roy Kapur bagging the award for Best Actor at the Streaming Awards hosted by Digital Hash in October 2018, adding another feather to the success of Side Hero series.

    Talking about the success of the series, Ridhima Lulla, Chief Content Officer, Eros Group said, "It's overwhelming and humbling to receive such positive reactions to our very first original. This heartening response has encouraged us to consider following up the series with Season 2 as the show seems to have found its own fan base.  With series like Side Hero, we want to continue bringing interesting programming that the youth haven’t sampled before and we hope audiences remain appreciative of our content offering.”

    Director Rohan Sippy added, “We had a lot of fun creating Side Hero and partnering with Eros Now. Looking forward to unleashing Season 2 and take it to the next level, amplifying the crazy quotient. Fresh ideas have started brewing already”.

    Lead actor Kunaal Roy Kapur said, “I’m really thrilled with the response we have received for ‘Side Hero’ and excited that Eros Now has decided that we need another season of crazy stories from the belly of Bollywood. Can’t wait to start”.

    Side Hero Season 2 will reprise the same cast and will be directed by Rohan Sippy. Season 2 is slated for release in 2019. The series stars Kunaal Roy Kapur, Gauhar Khan, Arjun Kanungo and Gopal Dutt. All episodes are streaming and available for binge viewing for INR 49 and INR 99 per month on Eros Now.

  • India’s OTT content market expected to touch Rs 1420 cr by 2020

    India’s OTT content market expected to touch Rs 1420 cr by 2020

    MUMBAI: The Indian OTT content market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 26 per cent and touch Rs 1420 crore by 2020, as per the ‘2018 Fast Track India: Reimaging the Content Ecosystem’ forum. In 2017, the market was estimated to be Rs 710 crore.

    The 2018 Fast Track India: Reimaging the Content Ecosystem is a knowledge series forum by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce (FICCI).

    At the inaugural address, Maharashtra government secretary & director general, information & public relations and special inspector general of police, cyber Brijesh Singh said, “India has a rich cultural history and a vibrant content industry. The time is right for digital content players to showcase India’s soft power through homegrown stories that connect with a global audience. Sectoral regulations and policies will create new opportunities for the domestic industry in addition to boosting innovation and growth.”

    Disinformation and integrity of the data ecosystem have raised several questions for the industry and for regulators globally. The heavy dependence on data-based innovation and regulatory responses to privacy challenges, further raise policy questions for India. As governments and market participants seek to devise appropriate accountability and liability frameworks for global media platforms, isolated policy decisions can be detrimental to projected growth outcomes.

    On liability regimes evolving globally for intermediary platforms, MPA VP and regional legal counsel, Asia Pacific Michael Schlesinger said, “India stands on the verge of a bright digital future, one in which creators, consumers and intermediaries all function symbiotically in a healthy internet ecosystem. Still, unique challenges like online piracy must be addressed. Thankfully, India is starting to ensure appropriate rules of the road, including site blocking to reduce piracy traffic, an infringing website list to choke ad revenues, and domain seizures by the Maharashtra cyber unit to keep the internet ecosystem in India more honest. Steps like these should accompany others to ensure all players including internet platforms are more accountable.”

    Speaking in a panel on online content regulation, Eros International Media Ltd group general counsel Aamod Gupte said, “While we have been discussing the need for self regulation of content by OTT players, in a sense we may have missed the bus. With the institution of the Digital Communications Regulator of India (DCRAI), there is possible regulatory oversight for digital content and that is something we need to watch out for. This is not just a name change but clear policy change.” 

    India is on track to becoming the second largest video-viewing audience globally; it is expected to reach 500 million by 2020 from 250 million in 2017.

    On the ‘Video Market: Harnessing Innovations and Partnerships’ panel, Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd COO Kranti Gada said, “As digital video consumption goes mass and the market gets more and more crowded, audiences will compel us to innovate and this may not be just limited to technology and content but also in collaborations and partnerships. While we at Shemaroo sit on premium content and years of consumer insights, we are of the philosophy that collaborations and partnerships eventually make businesses sustainable and scalable.”

    “Viewers have demanded a world of technology innovation where content lives on multiple screens, the exciting task for creators is to now tell innovative stories. We need to weave plots and characters that, as never before, live across traditional media, digital media, and social media,” said TV and virtual reality producer Jonathan Dotan.

  • Dish TV aims to launch OTT service, hybrid box this quarter

    Dish TV aims to launch OTT service, hybrid box this quarter

    MUMBAI: It may be the oldest player but it's mind is as young as you can imagine. With The JioGigaFiber launch, cable and DTH operators are moderating their offerings, distribution strategy as much as possible. Dish TV, the largest DTH player in India is about to offer OTT service and Hybrid box soon. The new OTT offering will be a fair mix of linear TV channels, catch up content along with original content.

    “The consumer will have the best of both the worlds getting connected with the Hybrid box and the DTH platform at the same time keeping the cost low and giving excellent value for money,” Dish TV group CEO Anil Dua said in an earnings call after posting Q2 results. He is also optimistic that these innovations will ensure that existing customers are not looking beyond Dish TV.

    Dua also said the company is planning to launch the offerings in this quarter only. After the beta phase which is starting soon, it will get into a quick national launch. While he was questioned if it will tie-up with any OTT player for the launch, he made it clear that Dish TV will not be playing as an aggregator. There may be an app-in-app integration later.

    “It is around Rs 35 crore on the CAPEX and networking equipment by startup cost and other cost still launched and thereafter it will be very marginal cost purchase of small content items which will be reflected in the content cost,” Dish TV CFO Rajeev Dalmia commented on the expenditure for the OTT Platform.

    Although Dish TV has certain plans for partnering with broadband players, till now it has not revealed much. On the other hand, Jio is already getting ready for its bundled service of cable, internet, VoIP especially after the acquisition of stakes in Hathway and Den Networks. There are high chances that customers will tend to pay for a consolidated bill over having three different services.

    This has been seen as a tough challenge for DTH players. However, Dua feels it is good for cable and broadband industry. As ARPUs have been low in respective industries, the new development may pave the way for higher ARPUs helping the entire pay-TV space. “In terms of the competitive price offering etc., in short-term, there could be prices which are lower but I think this company has been observed to match that but in long-term the prices have to rise,” he added further.

    On the question ofsubsidising OTT or Hybrid boxes, Dish TV is looking at all opportunities that OTT presents. “We will definitely use it as a tool for our existing subscriber so that they don’t kind of look here and there, they have everything available with their Dish TV brand on their platform, but certainly we believe that we are making a good product and it can become an attraction tool as well,” Dua commented.

    Dish TV chairman and managing director Jawahar Goel mentioned 4 million boxes are already in the market which are Hybrid-ready. The plan is to convert those into connected boxes in this quarter. Hence, hybridisation of existing boxes is also going to be another opportunity to build the business as well as a new subsidy.

    As the parent company has an OTT platform which is gaining more users, the question arises about the justification of another platform from the group.

    “Our OTT is meant for more from point of view for subscriber, so we are looking at typically short form kind of content which is different from what the other OTT players are looking at. So we feel that these are absolutely tailor-made for our respective audiences,” Dalmia said.

  • Ooyala and Google Cloud Collaborate to Revolutionize the Content Supply Chain for Media Owners

    Ooyala and Google Cloud Collaborate to Revolutionize the Content Supply Chain for Media Owners

    Singapore: Ooyala, a leader in content supply chain solutions for OTT, content production, and digital distribution, announced a collaboration with Google Cloud to leverage robust Google Cloud technologies for the cutting-edge Ooyala Flex Media Platform, which empowers media owners to automate their video workflows, expand their audiences and get content to market faster, and with greater flexibility and security.  

    One of the world’s fastest growing content supply chain solutions being used by innovative content owners to simplify millions of video workflows, the Ooyala Flex Media Platform is an open and extensible solution that powers media delivery, workflow orchestration and content monetization.  The platform will now run on the modern, scalable and secure Google Cloud Platform, tapping into the Google Compute Engine for scalability and robust performance, Google Cloud Storage for unified and secured storage, and the Google Cloud global network for fast and high performing content delivery.  

    “We’re excited to be collaborating with Google Cloud. Around the world, media companies are looking for ways to deliver and monetize their content faster, and with far greater flexibility and efficiencies.” said Jonathan Huberman, CEO, Ooyala. “Our collaboration with Google Cloud will further strengthen our position as a leading technology provider for global broadcasters and media companies.” 

    The Ooyala Flex Media Platform running on Google Cloud Platform will empower innovative media owners to automate video workflows for greater efficiencies, expand their audiences globally, scale their business with confidence and drive more revenue. 

  • ZEE5 appoints Taranjeet Singh asChief Revenue Officer& Business Head – New Projects

    ZEE5 appoints Taranjeet Singh asChief Revenue Officer& Business Head – New Projects

    Mumbai :  ZEE5 India, India's second largest OTT platform known for its muscle in multi-lingual content, today announced the appointment of Taranjeet Singh as the Chief Revenue Officer & Business Head – New Projects for the platform.

    Commenting on the new appointment,Tarun Katial,CEO, ZEE5 India said, “The consumption patterns of the Indian audience are rapidly evolving. Taranjeet’s extensive experience in the media sectoracross print, television and digital will hold us in good stead in the times to come. His robust track record and insights will go a long way in advancing ZEE5 India’s focus to achieve new milestones.”

    Speaking about his role, Taranjeet Singh, Chief Revenue Officer& Business Head – New Projects, ZEE5 Indiacommented, “Engaging with the content consumer has been an exciting journey for me. The OTT space is definitely booming and working with a brand like ZEE5 from the ZEE Group, a media powerhouse is indeed an honor. Within months of launch, the brand is already No. 2 in the OTT space and I am looking forward to joining the team to take it to newer heights.”

    Singh comes with extensive experience in the media and entertainment space. Prior to joining ZEE5, he was leading business for the Indian operations of Twitter. He brings with him a rich body of experience across strategy, revenue management, people relations, data analytics, forecasting and has worked with some of the leaders in the M&E space including BBC Worldwide, Outlook Publishing, The Pioneer and so on.

    With over 3500 films, 500+ TV shows, 4000+ music videos, 35+ theatre plays and 90+ LIVE TV Channels across 12 languages, ZEE5 truly presents a blend of unrivalled content offering for its viewers across the nation. With ZEE5, the global content of Zindagi as a brand, which was widely appreciated across the country, has also been brought back for its loyal viewers.

  • Kansai Nerolac reconstitutes its iconic ‘Ghar Ki Raunak’ jingle into a song

    Kansai Nerolac reconstitutes its iconic ‘Ghar Ki Raunak’ jingle into a song

    Mumbai: Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd. (KNPL), one of the leading paint companies in India and pioneers of ‘Healthy Home Paints’ has recently teamed up with popular Indian music director, Pritam’s musical platform JAM8 to roll out a rendition to Nerolac’s iconic jingle as a song, across India. Titled as ‘Ghar Ki Raunak’, it is the first time that the jingle has been recreated into a song.

    One of the most loved and recalled brand tunes present in the country, the historic Nerolac jingle has been winning people’s hearts over decades. The ‘Ghar Ki Raunak’ song has been sung in 8 popular regional languages viz: Hindi, Bangla, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil and Kannada, as the brand deepens its connect across audiences. The coming-of-age composition embraces contemporary arrangements and beats while keeping the nostalgia intact. 

    The versions have been sung by talented Bollywood and regional cine artists Nakash Aziz, Jonita Gandhi (Hindi), Shalmali Kholgade (Marathi), Gayathri Ashokan (Malayalam) and Antara Mitra (Bengali). 

    Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Peeyush Bachlaus, Head – Marketing, Kansai Nerolac Paints Ltd said, “Painting in India is considered synonymous with celebrations & happiness in our lives; be it big festivals or milestones like job promotion & welcoming a guest etc. A painted wall helps relive these celebrations even after they are over. The richness of our regions prompted us to explore occasions and weave them through the language of music that people would enjoy. Using the iconic Nerolac jingle was a natural choice.”

    Mr. Bachlaus added, “Most of our older customers can relate to the iconic jingle. This song is a step forward, in addition to our revamped website in multiple languages, to connect with the younger audience.”

    Composer Pritam Chakraborty, founder of Jam8 said, “Jam8 is setting a fantastic pace for itself as a platform for young musicians. They have created the music for the Nerolac ‘Ghar Ki Raunak’ song in 8 languages. I love the sound of it and want to congratulate the team on it. It is indeed a privilege to be associated with a legendary brand like Kansai Nerolac – a name and a jingle that we all have grown up with".

    The song is being released on various OTT platforms, radio channels and social media.

  • OTT platforms looking at more original films: Siddharth Anand Kumar

    OTT platforms looking at more original films: Siddharth Anand Kumar

    MUMBAI: Although web-series is the most discussed form of OTT content, some of the streaming services are also investing in content-driven original movies. Both international OTT players and home grown platforms in India have added original movies to their content catalogue. The change has expanded the scope for production houses, independent filmmakers to monetise low budget films easily. Popular music banner Saregama’s film venture Yoodlee Films which started last year has three of its movies on streaming giant Netflix. Two more films from the production house will be available on OTT platforms also.

    In an interaction with Indiantelevision.com, Saregama VP TV and Films Siddharth Anand Kumar highlighted the potential of original movies on the platform and their plan to work on OTT platforms. Saregama India’s film division collaborated with Netflix for the streaming giant’s first Indian original film Brij Mohan Amar Rahe, a dark comedy. Other than that, Ajji and Kuchh Beheege Alfaaz produced by them are also available on Netflix.

    Kumar thinks the potential of original movies on streaming platforms are growing. “OTT platforms are concentrating on putting more films as originals whereas till now we have been seeing more emphasis on series. I don’t think the focus on series will decrease but films are also getting in,” he said.

    Explaining the reason he said as a series demands a high amount of time from viewer to finish watching it, there is a separate need for stories which can be consumed in a small span. Traditionally, young audience of age group 18-25 has been given more importance in digital spaces that can binge-watch a series. But, the audience aged above 30 needs content of shorter span.  Yoodlee Films spokesperson also highlighted the benefits films can leverage from a marketing angle. As good content driven movies can be screened in international film festivals, it’s an easy way to grab eyeballs. Critic review also helps to increase awareness through word of mouth.

    The synergy between production houses and OTT platforms for originals can be regarded as win-win situation for both. While theatrical release cannot leave much impact without proper star-studded casting, those platforms have their own loyal viewer base. Moreover, content becomes more crucial than known faces.

    “I feel that it’s important for us as a production house to build a business relationship with all the OTT platforms. So, naturally when you make a film you will go to everybody who is a potential buyer and say that this is our film, this is the quality of the product we are making and if you would like to buy let’s start talking. So we always approach,” Kumar commented while he was asked if it approached Netflix for Brij Mohan Amar Rahe.

    “We have plans to work with all OTT platforms. What is important for us is not partnering with only one platform but creating something as a company where we can work with everybody. We want to take our films to any platform where it is needed Every platform has a specific niche. Some films will fit one platform, some will fit another,” he added.

    While he was asked how they measure the audience response, Kumar said though any OTT platform does not share data with producers, there’s another interesting way to get feedback on digital. With the release of one film, lots of conversations take place on Twitter, Facebook. The production house has a dedicated team to monitor the chatter on social media.

    While some concerns were raised regarding overflow of dark content on OTT platforms, he said as after a long time producers were freed from unnecessary restrictions, that was a natural reaction. Slangs, sex, violence – all despite being a part of commonplace life were strictly restricted from being shown on screen. “However, the cycle is now ending and we are realising other kind of content is equally important. Every kind of content will go on OTT,” he said.

    With a team of 30 members, the company is looking at creating more thematic films. Though it’s playing in an untested territory of its parent company and monetisation could be a challenge, the success of released films till now speaks in its favour.