ITV

Tag: Paramount

  • JioCinema’s Toontastic Winter Carnival: 24 new shows for kids & family

    JioCinema’s Toontastic Winter Carnival: 24 new shows for kids & family

    Mumbai: Following its recent foray into kids’ entertainment, JioCinema is further set to elevate the entertainment quotient for its young viewers and their families with its latest campaign ‘Toontastic Winter Carnival’ to welcome 2024. Promising to make this holiday season the biggest-ever carnival and unforgettable for everyone, the festival brings a blockbuster lineup of 24 new shows, providing more than 300 hours of engaging content.

    As a part of this, JioCinema will drop new titles every day, presenting a diverse mix of homegrown and international releases from the kids’ network content of Viacom18 Nickelodeon, as well as globally renowned studios such as Warner Bros. and Paramount. Encompassing various genres like action, comedy, and adventure for kids, teens, and parents alike, the extravaganza includes many first-time debuts on JioCinema and will feature popular homegrown IPs – Abhimanyu Ki Alien Family and The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj, along with shows – Shimmer And Shine, Paw Patrol, Avatar : The Last Airbender, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Kung Fu Panda: Legends Of Awesomeness, The Penguins Of Madagascar, Top Wing, Dora The Explorer, The Legend Of Korra. That’s not all! The carnival will also premiere global hits like Tom & Jerry, Samurai Jack, Karadi Tales, Geronimo Stilton, Teen Titans Go, Ben 10, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, Zig & Sharko, Steven Universe, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Wacky Races, Chowder and Megas XLR.

     

    Elevating the interactive experience for digital natives, JioCinema is pulling out all the stops with a watch-and-win experience ‘Khelo, Dekho, aur Jeeto’ contest, adding an engaging touch to the campaign. Ushering in 2024, JioCinema continues to set the benchmark for unparalleled viewing experience with one of its biggest rollouts of new shows. With the recently added ‘Kids and Family Hub’ offering and the launch of ‘Toontastic Winter Carnival’, the platform aims to create a delightful experience for young audiences and their families.

    Create unforgettable family moments this holiday season with JioCinema! Dive into a world of enchanting shows and movies, making every moment a magical adventure for kids and families alike!

     

  • Nickelodeon bolsters programming with the launch of global hit ‘The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj’ in India

    Nickelodeon bolsters programming with the launch of global hit ‘The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj’ in India

    Mumbai: Nickelodeon, India’s No. 1 destination for kids’ entertainment, continues to push the envelope and set new benchmarks in the dynamic kids’ category through immersive and relatable storytelling. In line with the network’s commitment to successfully identifying white spaces and filling them, Nickelodeon has yet again filled another need gap in the kids’ category. With a robust content library of genre-defining IPs like Motu Patlu, Shiva, Rudra, Pinaki & Happy – The Bhoot Bandhus, Chikoo Aur Bunty, Abhimanyu Ki Alien Family and many more, Nickelodeon is all set to debut its maiden co-production with Nickelodeon International – The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj – in India. Starting October 15th, the new-age comedy will air every Saturday-Sunday at 1pm.

    A first-of-its-kind animated series, ‘The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj’ revolves around the escapades of two cousins, Sammy and Raj who possess a unique and mysterious time-altering app. With the extraordinary ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward time itself, Sammy and Raj embark on a series of amusing adventures as they attempt to tackle various issues. However, their well-intentioned efforts often end up causing a delightful blend of uproarious chaos and comedic situations. In each episode, Sammy and Raj encounter fresh and entertaining challenges, all while utilising their time-altering app to cleverly manoeuvre through the hurdles that come their way.

    Speaking on the partnership with Nickelodeon International, Viacom18  head – creative, content, and research, Kids TV Network, Anu Sikka said, “The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj is a collaborative testament between Nickelodeon International and us to deliver diverse, inclusive top-quality content for our young audiences. Filled with humour, this story of time travel is a fresh and unparalleled addition to our slate. We are confident that this show will grow to become an instant favourite, reaffirming our commitment to kids and the category.”

    Paramount’s global kids & family group VP – International production and development Chris Rose said, “The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj is the successful result of our partnership with Viacom18. Thanks to an extensive collaboration and strong teamwork, we managed to create a powerful story that explore differences between Eastern and Western sensibilities. The team in India was key to creating the story line and defining the characters for a kids’ show which gives audiences a taste of Indian culture, while capturing universal storylines that appeal to all audiences.”

    Supporting the launch of The Twisted Timeline of Sammy & Raj is a robust multi-screen marketing plan across the Nickelodeon franchise, with a strong push on social media and various other digital platforms, games, connected tv, and influencer collaborations. Taking the plan a step forward, is an innovative AR filter which will transport kids in time by altering their appearance and is sure to draw equal attention from kids as well as brands.

  • Disney+, Hulu combined would own most hit titles in the US: Ampere Analysis

    Disney+, Hulu combined would own most hit titles in the US: Ampere Analysis

    Mumbai: A combined offering of Disney+ and Hulu would account for the largest share of the 100 most popular titles of any US subscription video on demand (SVoD) service. At approximately 30 per cent, the player would enjoy a comprehensive lead on Netflix’s 23 per cent, according to a recent study by Ampere Analysis.

    Shows from Disney’s Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and Hulu Originals, such as Only Murders in the Building and The Handmaid‘s Tale, are among them.

    Will Disney push to close the deal early? The US streaming platform Hulu is currently owned by Disney (67 per cent) and Comcast (33 per cent), who are due to reach a sale agreement in January 2024. However, recent reports suggest that Disney intends to close a deal sooner to take a 100 per cent stake and integrate the streamer into Disney+ as a combined offering.

    The merger seems logical to Ampere’s analysts, as Disney’s share of Hulu content has grown significantly, suggesting that the company has continued to invest considerably in the platform. Since September 2016, the proportion of Hulu’s catalogue for which Disney owns the distribution rights has tripled, from six per cent of all movies and TV shows to 19 per cent by September 2022.

    Meanwhile, the major studios without streaming platforms have reduced their contribution to Hulu’s content slate (down from 81 per cent in 2016 to 71 per cent in 2022), and those with their own streaming services have generally maintained or reduced their input. Specifically, the combined content from NBCUniversal, Paramount Global, and Warner Bros. Discovery now makes up less than 10 per cent of all TV shows and movies on Hulu.

    Title reclamation is posing a threat to Hulu. The removal of content from Hulu to support newer services like Peacock, Paramount+, and HBO Max poses a threat to Hulu’s competitiveness. The streamer has already lost highly popular titles like America’s Got Talent (to Peacock), movies and TV shows set within the Star Trek universe (to Paramount+), and Family Matters (to HBO Max). If major studios reclaim their proprietary content, Hulu could lose 10 per cent of its overall catalogue. This figure rises to 37 per cent of Hulu’s 100 most popular titles, using Ampere’s popularity score metric, which tracks overall online engagement with a title.

    Ampere Analysis analyst Christen Tamisin said, “The threat of further popular or critically acclaimed titles leaving Hulu for rival platforms is a concern as engaging content is critical for subscriber retention, especially as the US SVoD market nears saturation. This risk makes the argument for Disney to merge Hulu and Disney+ into a single platform stronger.

    “On the other hand, Disney+ and Hulu’s complementary catalogues mean a combined platform would have a more diverse content offering—akin to that of other major market players—than the two standalone platforms have currently. While the Disney brand has long been associated with family-friendly content, Hulu has a broader, general-audience appeal, offering a wide range of genres and more adult-targeted titles,” he added.

  • Netflix to remain SVod world leader by 2027: Digital TV Research

    Netflix to remain SVod world leader by 2027: Digital TV Research

    Mumbai: Global SVod subscriptions will increase by 475 million between 2021 and 2027 to reach 1.68 billion. Six US-based platforms will account for 47 per cent of the world’s total in 2027.

    Netflix will remain the revenue winner, with $30 billion expected by 2027 – similar to Disney+, HBO Max and Paramount+ combined. Global SVod revenues will reach $132 billion by 2027.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Our forecasts in June had Disney+ [274 million subscribers] overtaking Netflix [253 million subs] by 2027. These forecasts assumed that Disney+ Hotstar would retain the Indian Premier League cricket rights. It didn’t – hence the 67 million lower forecast for Disney+.

    “SVod revenues for Disney+ will reach $15 billion by 2027. Despite lowering our forecasts by 67 million subscribers, SVod revenues for Disney+ will be the same in 2027 as in our previous forecast. SVoD ARPUs and revenues will increase in key markets after the platform introduces the hybrid AVoD-SVoD tier and the more expensive SVod-only tier,” he added.

  • Paramount+ launches in Italy with originals showcasing female stories and voices

    Paramount+ launches in Italy with originals showcasing female stories and voices

    Mumbai: Paramount+, the global streaming service from Paramount has been launched in Italy. It offers more than 8,000 hours of entertainment.

    Paramount Global rolled out the Blue Carpet and hosted an event at the iconic Cinecittà Studios in Rome to celebrate the Italian launch of Paramount+. Following the event, the service revealed its content slate that features the biggest stars and most compelling stories. Roberto Benigni, Elodie, Greta Scarano and Carlo Verdone are among the Italian stars aligning on Paramount+, alongside global talent including Harrison Ford, Jessica Chastain, Helen Mirren, Sylvester Stallone, Miles Teller and more.

    The streaming service provides a slate for the whole family, spanning new and exclusive Paramount+ originals, shows and movies across every genre from Paramount’s brands and production studios.

    This includes Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Showtime and the Smithsonian Channel, offering the best from international exclusive titles and local content.

    Global series that will become available on Paramount+ in Italy include The Offer, based on Oscar-winning producer Albert S. Ruddy’s experiences of making “The Godfather”. Meanwhile, The Man Who Fell To Earth follows a new alien character who arrives on Earth at a turning point in human evolution. Tusla King stars Sylvester Stallone “The General”.

    Additionally, Paramount+ will be the home of films following their theatrical and home entertainment releases, including “Top Gun: Maverick” which will arrive on service in Italy later this year.

    The service is investing in local content and talent, with a line-up of Italian originals, such as the newly announced “Francesco Il Cantinco”. This is an immersive reading of one of the most iconic texts dedicated to love, hosted by Oscar-winning Italian star Roberto Benigni. There will be will a new season of Vita Da Carlo, which sees Italian comedian and actor Carlo Verdone as director and lead of this highly anticipated series around his life.

    “Tonight, we are celebrating the debut of Paramount+, which seamlessly combines Hollywood with Italian storytelling and creativity. Italy has been home to Paramount for many years and now we’re bringing the best Italian – and global – films and series together in one place, on Paramount+,” said Paramount president & CEO (streaming) Tom Ryan.

    “We’re the only streaming service where you’ll see Sylvester Stallone, SpongeBob, Star Trek, South Park and incredible Italian stars like Elodie and Verdone… all in one place. With over 100 years of storytelling experience from our renowned Hollywood studio to our international production hubs – Paramount knows how to make great entertainment for everyone,” said Paramount+ executive vice president- International GM Marco Nobili.

  • Western Europe continues to witness growth; adds 73 mn Svod subscribers

    Western Europe continues to witness growth; adds 73 mn Svod subscribers

    Mumbai: Western Europe will have 238 million Svod subscriptions by 2027. The figure has increased from 165 million by end-2021. Six US-based platforms will account for 81 percent of all Svod subscriptions by 2027.

    Netflix will have 62 million subscribers by 2027 – three million more than 2021. Subscriptions are flat for 2022 mainly due to increased competition. Netflix’s share of the total will fall from 36 percent in 2021 to 26 percent by 2027.

    Disney+ will have 46 million subscribers by 2027 – 20 million more than 2021. Newcomer Paramount+ and SkyShowtime will add 11 million subscribers and HBO Max will bring in an extra 5 million.

    Western European Svod revenues will total $25 billion by 2027 – up from $16 billion in 2021. The UK will remain the Svod revenue leader.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Netflix will slowly lose Svod revenues as we assume that it will convert its cheapest tier to a lower-priced hybrid Avod-Svod tier. Any Svod revenue shortfall will be covered by its Avod revenues. Netflix will remain the Svod revenue winner, although its share of the total will fall from nearly half in 2021 to a third in 2027.

    “We do not expect many more price rises due to the intense competition. We assume that Disney+ will follow its US example by converting its present tier to a hybrid Avod-Svod one and charging more for SVOD-only tier,” Murray added.

  • US SVod revenues to be flat from 2024-2027: Digital TV Research

    US SVod revenues to be flat from 2024-2027: Digital TV Research

    Mumbai: Despite being the world’s most mature market, US SVod (subscription video-on-demand) revenues will grow by $14 billion from $43 billion in 2021 to a peak of $56 billion in 2024, according to new data from Digital TV Research. However, revenue growth will be almost flat from 2024 to 2027 due to price competition and new hybrid AVoD-SVoD tiers from major players such as Disney+ and Netflix.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Netflix will remain the SVoD revenue winner. However, the platform will lose $1.4 billion in SVoD revenues between 2022 and 2027 due to lower ARPUs from 2023. Netflix will more than recoup these SVoD revenue losses with AVoD (Advertising-based video on demand) sales.”

    Netflix will have 63 million subscribers by 2027 – down by 4 million from 2021. Hulu, Disney+, HBO and Paramount+ will each boast 40-50 million subscribers by 2027. Some consolidation – mergers and closures – is likely.

  • Netflix to lose SVOD revenues in Latin America: Digital TV Research

    Netflix to lose SVOD revenues in Latin America: Digital TV Research

    MUMBAI: Latin American SVOD revenues will reach $8.54 billion by 2027; up from $5.01 billion in 2021. Netflix will account for 41 percent of the 2027 total, down from 72 percent in 2021. Netflix’s revenues will peak at $3.73 billion in 2023.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray said, “Netflix will introduce AVod-SVod tiers [one for Brazil and another pan-regional one for the Spanish-speaking countries] in 2024, with SVOD revenues and Arpus falling slowly as some subscribers convert to cheaper packages.”

    Disney+ is likely to introduce similar tiers in 2024. The platform is expected to follow its US example by converting its current subscription tier to AVOD-SVOD and charging more for SVOD-only. This will push up average revenue per user (ARPU).

    Latin America will have 139 million gross SVOD subscriptions by 2027; up from 75 million end-2021. Seven US-based platforms (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, Star+, Paramount+, Apple TV+ and HBO) will account for 90 percent of the region’s paying SVOD subscriptions by end of 2027.

  • SVOD subscribers base to reach 22 million in Arab countries: Report

    SVOD subscribers base to reach 22 million in Arab countries: Report

    Mumbai: In a forecast report from Digital TV Research on Monday, it is noted that there will be 21.52 million paying SVOD subscriptions [TV episodes and movies only], up from 9.49 million in 2021, across 13 Arabic countries by 2027 in the next five years.

    The largest player in the region will continue to be Netflix, which will see its Arabic base increase from 3.55 million to 5.45 million by 2027.  Despite its fast growth, Disney+ will remain behind Shahid VIP (second place), increasing from 2.16 million to 3.77 million, while Starzplay will be in third with 3.47 million. 

    With its launch in the region earlier this year, Disney+ is set to have an explosively growing launch period to become the fourth largest player with 3.39 million, with Amazon seeing similar massive growth from 715,000 in 2021 to 2.35 million in 2027.

    After Disney+ withdrew its content and launched as a standalone platform, OSN lost some traction. However, OSN will retain exclusive rights to HBO Max and Paramount+ content. By 2027, OSN will have 1.60 million paid SVOD subscribers.

    Digital TV Research principal analyst Simon Murray commented, “Netflix will continue to lead the market, although Disney+ has provided a strong challenge since June. We assume that Netflix and Disney+ will add hybrid ad-supported tiers in a pan-Arabic platform from 2024.”

  • Paramount Q2 revenue up by 19% to $7.7 mn

    Paramount Q2 revenue up by 19% to $7.7 mn

    Mumbai: Media conglomerate Paramount has announced that film and strong direct-to-consumer (DTC) growth has propelled a 19 per cent rise in revenue to $7.7 million in the second quarter. Paramount+ and Pluto TV continue to drive subscriber and user momentum. Total global DTC subscribers rose to nearly 64 million, which reflects the removal of 3.9 million Russia subscribers.

    Paramount+ added 4.9 million subscribers and revenue grew by 120 per cent. It expanded Pluto TV global monthly active users (MAUs) to nearly 70 million. It said that the service has extended its lead as the number one free ad-supported streaming TV service in the US. “Top Gun: Maverick” powered a 126 per cent growth in film. It surpassed “Titanic” to become the biggest Paramount movie of all time in the US. Meanwhile five Paramount Pictures movies debuted at number one at the Box Office in the first half of 2022.

    Paramount president and CEO Bob Bakish said, “Paramount continues to build momentum with the assets, strategy and ability to compete—and win. In Q2, we grew total company revenue by 19 per cent and took market share in streaming, in broadcast TV, in box office and in upfront dollars, all while increasing our penetration of the most important growth market in media—streaming. At the heart of that growth was our hugely popular content—from the cultural phenomenon and #1 movie in the world, Top Gun: Maverick, to the most popular show in the country, Yellowstone. Our deep and growing library of valuable IP, coupled with the strength of our best-in-class assets, ensures we are well-positioned to continue to maximise value for our shareholders.”

    Paramount’s DTC revenue increased 56 per cent year-over-year. Subscription revenue grew 74 per cent  year-over-year to $830 million, principally reflecting paid subscriber growth on Paramount+. The Ad revenue rose 25 per cent year-over-year, reflecting growth from Paramount+ and Pluto TV, driven by increased impressions on both services. The company’s revenue grew 120 per cent. Adjusted OIBDA (operating income before depreciation and amortisation) decreased $302 million year-over-year, reflecting increased investment in our DTC services.

    TV Media revenue rose by one per cent year-over-year, reflecting growth in content licensing revenues, partially offset by lower advertising and affiliate revenues. Ad revenue decreased by six per cent year-over-year, as pricing only partially offset the impact of lower linear impressions and FX. Affiliate and subscription revenue declined by three per cent year-over-year, driven by lower revenues in international markets, where the company restructured key affiliate agreements, resulting in a shift of revenue from pay television services to DTC services. Licensing and other revenues grew 27 per cent year-over-year. Adjusted Oibda decreased by eight per cent year-over-year, primarily driven by the lower ad and affiliate revenues.

    In the film segment revenue as mentioned earlier grew by 126 per cent year-over-year, led by the strong performance of current quarter theatrical releases. Theatrical revenue increased by $630 million primarily driven by the releases of “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Sonic the Hedgehog 2” in the quarter. Licensing and other revenue grew by 27 per cent year-over-year, primarily driven by the monetisation of recent theatrical releases. Adjusted OIBDA increased by $129 million in the quarter, reflecting the strong performance of current year releases.