ITV

Tag: Star

  • Hulu goes global as Disney drops Star and overhauls its streaming app

    Hulu goes global as Disney drops Star and overhauls its streaming app

    BURBANK: Disney is ditching Star. From 8 October, Hulu—until now available only in America and Japan—will become the entertainment brand for adult content on Disney+ in international markets. The move sets the stage for a full merger of Disney’s streaming apps next year, as the media giant tries to simplify its cluttered digital offering.

    The rebrand comes with a sweeping redesign of Disney+. Subscribers will encounter a new “For You” landing page, powered by algorithms that promise to learn viewing habits over time. A navigation bar across the top splits content by service—Disney+, Hulu and ESPN—whilst a “Live” hub corrals news, sports and round-the-clock streams into one place. New badges will flag season finales, fresh series and recently added films.

    Behind the scenes, Disney has rebuilt its recommendation engine from scratch. The new system will surface personalised suggestions across the platform, with user profiles made more prominent to keep viewing habits separate. The homepage gets a visual refresh too: a video carousel replaces static images, brand rows showcase the latest releases with cinematic artwork, and the overall design aims for something sleeker and more modern.

    Mobile users will see widgets arrive on iOS devices, offering one-tap access to shows and films. Disney promises “mobile-first” features in the coming months, though it has kept details vague. The company describes these changes as merely the opening salvo, with more updates planned before the unified app launches next year.

    The timing is no accident. Disney has been haemorrhaging money on streaming—its direct-to-consumer division lost $512m in the most recent quarter—and needs to cut costs whilst growing subscribers. Consolidating brands and improving discovery could help keep viewers hooked, reducing the churn that has plagued the industry. Whether audiences embrace the changes or simply long for the days when finding something to watch wasn’t quite so algorithmic remains to be seen.

  • “We have invested more than $500 million dollars in sport over the past 15 years, and this is apart from rights acquisition costs” – Sanjog Gupta

    “We have invested more than $500 million dollars in sport over the past 15 years, and this is apart from rights acquisition costs” – Sanjog Gupta

    Sanjog Gupta, the man steering live experiences and the sports juggernaut at JioStar, finds himself squarely in the spotlight. Fresh off helming the eighteenth edition of the IPL — a relentless, high-octane ride that shattered records in viewership, fan engagement, and tech wizardry — Gupta is already plotting the next innings.
    In a crackling fireside chat with MPA’s Vivek Couto at APOS in Bali this morning, the sharp-suited sports boss laid out JioStar’s grand vision: why giving away the IPL for free wasn’t madness but method, how technology is rewriting the fan playbook, and why the network isn’t just broadcasting sport — it’s reinventing it.

    Here’s the man behind the masterstroke, unfiltered and in full flow.

    On IPL 2025’s impact on Indian sports
    India’s growing influence in sport is nothing but a reflection of India’s growing significance on the global stage, driven by a strong consumption-oriented economy. This IPL, not only have we reached a billion viewers across platforms, we have also managed to make this IPL the most monetised edition of the event and also the most monetised sporting event ever in India across advertising and subscription revenue.

     On what Star and JioStar have invested in sport
    Over the last decade and a half, Star and now JioStar has actually been the biggest private investor in Indian sport and in Indian media and entertainment. Largely with the mission to build what we believe can be a media and entertainment economy, but more than that, a media consumption economy, which is much larger in scale to anything that could have been imagined. While numbers around acquisition prices for sports rights tend to be thrown around a lot, what at times gets missed is the sheer investment that a network such as ours has made to grow those properties by way of marketing, by way of production, by way of investment in technology and that over the last decade and a half exceeds 500 million dollars. That is outside of what we paid for the acquisition of rights.
     
    On sport fuelling the wider JioStar network
    We believe sports serves as a recruitment funnel to bring in viewers and fans at scale, who then can be taken on a journey on a platform which could entail a live event, a Hindi entertainment show, or it could entail one of our new originals which is marketed on the back of a big sporting event and a recent example of that is the returning season of Criminal Justice which benefited significantly by launching in the last week of IPL.”

    On the freemium IPL strategy and changing viewer habits
    Our mission wasn’t to incrementally change the landscape, it was to completely shift the way consumers perceive paying for content and also over a period of time, attribute value to the entertainment needs they have. The subscribers are on the platform and not just on IPL and it started with an interesting hybrid subscription strategy, which allowed everyone to come onto the platform free. So it’s not pay at the gate, we’re not trying to keep people out and having them pay before they can consume. The model is based on real life example of how you shop, which is you go into a mall or a store, you sample enough and more of what you may want to look at and then choose to pay for deeper engagement, which in that case is purchase of an item.

    On whether cricket will remain the network’s sole focus
    We don’t want to be a single content or be known for a single content genre and that applies to sport as well. We have looked to grow English Premier League significantly over the last five years. In fact, over the last five years the viewership for English Premier League across our platforms has grown almost three and a half X (3.5x). Largely on the back of localisation efforts where we’ve taken Premier League deeper into the Indian sports ecosystem than ever before by producing it in languages meant for regions which have affinity for football. At the other end of the spectrum, you have a sport like kabaddi which is a sport that goes back thousands of years and is a part of India’s history but also it’s a part of India’s recreation where kids grow up playing it as a game. We’ve professionalized it and continue to invest in it to build it as India’s second most favorite sport. It already is the second biggest league in the country but but our objective with it is for the sport itself to grow and become a year-long proposition instead of being a two to three-month league.

    On building hyper-personalised sports journeys
    Our premise around sport is don’t look to serve many fans as one but look to serve almost each fan as many and what that means is every fan at different points of time and on different devices and in different modes of consumption will consume your content differently. So can you create infinite hyper-personalized journeys for each and every fan instead of serving one streaming experience to all and that’s the core tenet of the platform.”

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  • Asian Cinema Fund unveils 14 bold bets for 2025

    Asian Cinema Fund unveils 14 bold bets for 2025

    MUMBAI: The Asian Cinema Fund (ACF), a key pillar of the Busan International Film Festival (BIFF), has unveiled its 14 official selections for 2025 — drawn from a record 850 submissions, up 23 per cent from last year. The picks, spanning three categories, champion fearless storytelling and fresh cinematic forms, offering a snapshot of the region’s creative pulse.

    Three projects have been selected under the ‘Script Development Fund’, each awarded KRW 10 million and a spot at the Asian Project Market 2025. Black Star Angel tells the gripping tale of a woman breaking free from war-fuelled trauma. Heaven Help Us! revisits the Manila Film Center disaster with aching intimacy, and New Life maps the emotional terrain between a grieving mother and daughter.

    The ‘Post-Production Fund’ shortlist includes four films — two Korean, two from the wider region — all set to bow at the 30th Busan International Film Festival this September. Korea’s Coming of Age dives into class and generational shifts, while The Observer’s Journal serves up a quirky, tense thriller. From India, If on a Winter’s Night interweaves complex love stories, and The River that Holds Our Hands traces displacement and memory across borders.

    Meanwhile, the ‘AND Fund’ for feature-length documentaries has backed seven titles with an eye for visual poetry and political poignancy. Korea’s Sea, Star, Woman and Sprouted Potato Lives On explore personal loss and collective memory, while Weathering Architect meditates on Seoul’s vanishing skylines through the lens of veteran architect Joh Sung-yong. From Asia, Kampuchea wrestles with inherited trauma, and Oma profiles a silent yet steely survivor.

    The chosen projects — sharp, subversive, and deeply local — promise to elevate Asia’s voice on the global screen. BIFF 2025 runs 17–26 September at the Busan Cinema Center, with the 20th edition of the Asian Contents & Film Market slated for 20–23 September at BEXCO.

  • Storytelling powerhouse Edstead enlists media veteran Megha Tata

    Storytelling powerhouse Edstead enlists media veteran Megha Tata

    MUMBAI: Edstead, the research-driven documentary studio known for its compelling narratives, has recruited media heavyweight Megha Tata as strategic advisor, signalling a strategic pivot in its content innovation journey.

    With three decades of media leadership under her belt, Tata brings a formidable arsenal of experience from industry giants like Star, Turner, HBO, and Discovery. Her appointment promises to turbocharge Edstead’s mission of purpose-driven storytelling.

    “I am delighted to work with Edstead at this transformative stage,” Tata commented, hinting at the studio’s potential to reshape media narratives, “We’re poised to create content that truly informs and inspires.”

    Edstead  founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee expressed unbridled enthusiasm about the collaboration: “Her leadership insights are invaluable as we craft stories that matter.”

    Tata’s impressive credentials include lecturing at top-tier institutions like IIT, IIM, and ISB, positioning her not just as an industry leader but a talent-shaper.

    The move signals Edstead’s ambitious strategy to elevate documentary storytelling from mere information to a catalyst for societal change.

  • JioHotstar SvoD has unmatched local and global content – Ampere Analysis research

    JioHotstar SvoD has unmatched local and global content – Ampere Analysis research

    MUMBAI: Now, it’s got an endorsement from leading research and data anslysis firm Ampere Analysis.  JioHotstar formed through the merger of Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema, has been given the stamp  of the largest subscription video-on-demand (SVoD) services in the market, boasting over 14,000 movies and TV seasons at launch.

    JioHotstar has a significant advantage in the Indian SVoD market by combining extensive local content with premium Hollywood titles, says the research and data analysis firm in an insight post released on its portal yesterday.   Over 60 per cent of its library consists of locally-produced content, including hit TV shows from Star and Colors TV networks. 

    This aligns with Indian viewers’ strong preference for domestic entertainment, with 62 per cent of surveyed audiences reporting they watch locally-produced movies “very often.” Notable titles in its library include Hanu-Man, the Baahubali films, and reality TV favorite Bigg Boss.

    However, JioHotstar also addresses India’s growing demand for Hollywood movies, a key battleground against Netflix, says Ampere. 

     

    Inda tv shows

    While 41 per cent of surveyed Indian viewers watch Hollywood films “very often,” JioHotstar delivers a vast selection, leveraging Disney’s franchises such as Marvel, Pixar, and Star Wars, alongside exclusive content from Universal (Oppenheimer, Despicable Me 4), Warner Bros. (Harry Potter, The Dark Knight), and Paramount (Mission: Impossible, Transformers). Additionally, the platform offers popular US TV shows from HBO, Showtime, and Nickelodeon.

    Beyond movies and TV, JioHotstar is set to dominate India’s sports streaming space. The platform holds exclusive rights to three of the country’s most-followed sports events: the Indian Premier League (IPL), Premier League soccer, and Wimbledon. 

    Cricket, India’s most popular sport, is a crucial driver for subscriptions—43  per cent of surveyed respondents follow it avidly. The IPL, in particular, was pivotal to Disney+ Hotstar’s previous subscriber growth, and its loss in 2023 led to a significant decline in subscriptions.

    With a well-balanced mix of local productions, Hollywood blockbusters, and top-tier sports content, JioHotstar emerges as a formidable force in India’s competitive SVoD market.

  • Zee refutes claims by Star made in London court

    Zee refutes claims by Star made in London court

    Mumbai: This is with reference to our disclosure dated 15 March 2024, informing that Star India Pvt  Ltd (“Star”) has initiated arbitration proceedings against the Company, under the alliance agreement dated 26  August 2022, entered between Star and the Company, by filing a request for arbitration (“Application”) under the Arbitration Rules of the London Court of  International Arbitration (“LCIA”).

    Pursuant to Regulation 30 of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Listing Obligations and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2015, we hereby inform you that, on September  16, 2024, Star has filed its Statement of Case before the LCIA Arbitral Tribunal, in which it has,  inter alia, sought to declare that the Alliance Agreement between Star and the Company has been validly terminated by Star and damages to be determined as of the date of the Tribunal’s award (with such damages quantified, as at 31 August 2024 as proxy date of the award, at  US$940 million) along with costs, expenses and applicable interest until full payment.

    The Company categorically refutes all claims and assertions made by Star including its claims for damages. The arbitration is at its initial stage and the LCIA Arbitral Tribunal is yet to determine if the Company is liable in any manner. The Company will, on merits, strongly contest all unfounded claims by Star and reserves all its rights.  

  • Airtel’s Sunil Mittal welcomes Reliance-Viacom-Disney Hotstar merger

    Airtel’s Sunil Mittal welcomes Reliance-Viacom-Disney Hotstar merger

    MUMBAI: The merger between Reliance Jio, Viacom18, and Disney Star India has stunned many in the media and entertainment industry, considering its scale and size, creating a media monolith in its wake.

    But one person who is taking it in its stride is Bharti Enterprises chairman Sunil Mittal. In a conversation with CNBC TV18’s Shereen Bhan early this morning he said: “We are a telecommunications company. We are not in the business of content. We welcome the merger.”

    What this means is that speculation that Bharti Airtel might hare off and make some acquisitions in the content creation space can well be dustbinned following Reliance’s  skilful move of partnering with two global content giants.

    Mittal added that Bharti Airtel has been carrying every OTT and broadcaster – Netflix, Star, Hotstar, Prime Video, Jio, MX Player, Aha – for some time now. “We will continue doing so in a non-discriminatory manner,” he revealed.

    He, however, ended his statement with a note of caution. “We hope that even they will do so in a non-discriminatory manner,” he said.

    Are two Bobs (Iger and Bakish),  Nita Ambani and Uday Shankar listening?

  • Ashish Golwlkar announces exit from SPNI after a seven-year stint

    Ashish Golwlkar announces exit from SPNI after a seven-year stint

    Mumbai: Indian media and entertainment industry veteran Ashish Golwalkar has left Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) after a seven year stint. A company spokesperson confirmed the development.

    He joined in December 2015 as senior VP and creative director of content before heading programming at SPNI’s flagship channel, SET, in April 2018. In his latest role, he was heading content at both SET and the digital business, which is SonyLIV.

    Prior to this, he had stints in WWIL, Zee Entertainment, and Disney-Star. He was with  ZEEl for over 11 years. He has over 20 years of experience spanning sales and marketing, content syndication, brand management, and content creation. He wrote and co-wrote multiple award-winning non-scripted formats in various genres across Zeel, Disney-FoxStar, and Sony Pictures. He has built content teams at Zeel and Star Plus.

  • Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Disney+ announces Alisa Bowen as its new president

    Mumbai: Alisa Bowen has been named Disney+ president, effective immediately. In this role, Bowen will build on the flagship streaming service’s reputation as a global destination for premium content. Bowen has led global business operations for Disney’s streaming platforms, including Disney+, since its launch in 2019. In that time, Disney+ has expanded rapidly, growing its reach to 154 markets worldwide with 152.1 million total subscriptions as of the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2022.

    Bowen will work closely with key leaders across Disney to drive continued focus on innovation, including the forthcoming launch of the ad-supported tier, as well as multi-channel promotional support for Disney+ and its robust content slate. Regional leaders for Disney+ in Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Latin America will report jointly to Bowen and regional leadership. Bowen will continue to report to Michael Paull, president of Disney Media Entertainment and Distribution Direct to Consumer.

    “Alisa has been an indispensable member of our leadership team since the inception of Disney+. She possesses a rare and valuable combination of deep institutional knowledge, forward-thinking innovation, and global vision rooted in a strong focus on our consumers that is perfectly suited for this critical role, and I am confident that she will have an immediate and positive impact on the business,” said Paull.

    “Disney+ is a phenomenal growth story and has delighted fans around the world on a tremendous scale. We have a best-in-class team behind this success, and I’m excited to partner with them in this new role as we drive the next phase of Disney+ growth. Our upcoming content is incredibly exciting, and we are committed to innovation to give our fans and subscribers the best possible experience, including more choice on how they can enjoy Disney+,” said Bowen.

    Bowen is a seasoned media executive with decades of experience in product, technical, and operational leadership roles in several global media organisations. She most recently served as Disney Streaming executive VP of global business operations. She oversaw global content and business operations for the company’s direct-to-consumer video streaming businesses, Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and Star+. This included cross-functional leadership of the global Disney+ rollout in 154 markets worldwide.

    She joined Disney in 2017 as SVP of digital media and CTO of the company’s international operations, where she led a transformation of Disney’s channel broadcast technology, content operations, and digital publishing across EMEA, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

    Prior to Disney, Bowen served as News Corp Australia’s CTO, where she was responsible for the digital transformation strategy, including the pivot to digital subscription business models and the launch of new digital advertising offerings. She has also held product, business operations, and general management leadership positions at major media organisations.

  • Delhi HC stays TDSAT order asking broadcasters to provide OTT content information

    Delhi HC stays TDSAT order asking broadcasters to provide OTT content information

    Mumbai: The Delhi High Court has stayed Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal (TDSAT) order and the proceedings until the next date of hearing. TDSAT issued an order last week requiring broadcasters to provide information on content available on over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

    In past legal processes, Trai has publicly indicated that it does not regulate OTT platforms or the content that is associated with them.

    “Prima facie, the court finds itself unable to sustain the order of 20 September by TDSAT,” said the order dated 28 September by Delhi HC.

    According to the High Court, the TDSAT was not authorised to make the ‘contested decision’ while the main dispute over whether it had the authority to issue the ‘contested direction’ was still being resolved.

    A source informes Indiantelevision.com that the court judge made oral remarks saying “what kind of order is this? Later he also said (in a lighter vein) there seem to be lofty principles in the order.”

    Broadcasters are allegedly breaking Clause 5.6 of the TV channel uplinking and downlinking guidelines by providing linear channel signals to OTT services, claimed Trai.  

    This clause requires broadcasters to make satellite TV signals available to registered cable operators, multi-system operators, direct-to-home players, and internet protocol TV service providers.

    As the clause reads, “The applicant company shall provide satellite TV channel signal reception decoders only to MSOs/cable operators registered under the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act 1995 or to a DTH operator registered under the DTH guidelines issued by the government of India or to an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service provider duly permitted under their existing telecom licence or authorised by the department of telecommunications or to a HITS operator duly permitted under the policy guidelines for HITS operators issued by the ministry of information and broadcasting to provide such service.”

    While OTT services are exempt from Trai oversight, broadcasters contend that Clause 5.6 has not been violated. They claim that both platforms controlled by broadcast networks and those owned by independent players are covered by this.

    Broadcasters including Sony, Star, and Sun TV had approached TDSAT to challenge Trai’s directive. The networks, on the other hand, had received no relief from the appellate tribunal, with TDSAT ordering them to provide the information to Trai within a week.

    The Court also questioned Trai’s authority to control OTT and make the requests for information that they did. In past legal proceedings, Trai has publicly indicated that it does not regulate OTT platforms or the content that is associated with them.

    When Trai requested certain broadcasters (such as Star India, Sony, and Sun TV) to submit detailed information on the content of TV channels that were available on OTT, the problem began.

    Dissatisfied broadcasters challenged Trai’s decision, which ordered the disclosure of information and architecture in TDSAT, among other things, by questioning Trai’s authority to request such information.

    Notably, the broadcasters asserted that Trai has always maintained in court proceedings that it does not regulate over-the-top (OTT) content.

    The TDSAT had previously provided broadcasters with ad-interim protection against Trai coercion. However, it later directed broadcasters to provide information, which resulted in the current petition before the Delhi High Court.