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Tag: The Walt Disney Company

  • Disney+ Hotstar crosses 45.9 million paid subscribers

    Disney+ Hotstar crosses 45.9 million paid subscribers

    Mumbai: The Walt Disney Company on Thursday reported its earnings for the quarter ended 1 January 2022. The media company’s direct-to-home revenues increased by 34 per cent to reach $4.6 billion. This increase was driven by higher subscriber growth and increases in retail pricing.

    Disney+ added 11.7 million subscribers during the quarter taking its total base from 118.1 million to 129.8 million. The company also revealed that it had 45.9 million Disney+ Hotstar subscribers. In comparison, Disney+ domestic subscribers (US+Canada) stood at 42.9 million and international subscribers excluding Hotstar stood at 41.1 million at the end of the quarter.

    The average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) for Disney+ stood at $4.41. The ARPUs for Disney+ Hotstar increased from $0.98 to $1.03 due to launches in new territories with higher average prices, partially offset by a higher mix of wholesale subscribers.

    However, the DTC business also saw a higher operating loss at $0.6 billion (27 per cent increase) driven by higher programming, production, marketing and technology costs at Disney+.

    Overall, Disney posted revenues of $21.8 billion registering a growth of 34 per cent year-on-year. The company’s media and entertainment distribution business brought in about $14.58 billion in revenues registering a growth of 15 per cent YoY. Its operating income was $808 million a decrease of 40 per cent over the same quarter in the previous year.

    Disney’s linear network business posted revenues of $7.7 billion and content sales and licensing revenues stood at $2.4 billion. Disney’s linear network business remained essentially flat over last year.

    International channel revenues for the quarter decreased by four per cent to $1.6 billion reflecting the closure of channels across its markets. The growth in channels that continued to operate in the current and prior year quarters was due to an increase in advertising revenue driven by higher rates.

    “We’ve had a very strong start to the fiscal year, with the launch of a new franchise with Encanto, and a significant increase in total subscriptions across our streaming portfolio to 196.4 million, including 11.8 million Disney+ subscribers added in the first quarter,” The Walt Disney Company chief executive officer Bob Chapek. “This marks the final year of The Walt Disney Company’s first century, and performance like this coupled with our unmatched collection of assets and platforms, creative capabilities, and unique place in the culture give me great confidence we will continue to define entertainment for the next 100 years.”

  • Media veteran Nitin Chawla moves on from Disney

    Media veteran Nitin Chawla moves on from Disney

    Mumbai: Global media veteran Nitin Chawla has announced his decision to quit The Walt Disney Company after over a 13 years-stint. He was head of business operations, digital media for direct-to-consumer and international business.

    “After 13 wonderful years at The Walt Disney Company (TWDC), I have decided to leave the company and today is my last day,” he said in a recently shared LinkedIn post.

    At Disney, Chawla was responsible for business operations, strategy and profitability of The Walt Disney Company’s portfolio of owned, operated and third-party entertainment and news digital assets like ABC, ABC News, Disney, FreeForm, FX, National Geographic, Marvel, and Star Wars.

    “As I reflect on my career at Disney, I am filled with nothing but gratitude for the diverse professional opportunities to contribute to the company’s growth. From putting TWDC on the entertainment map in the fast-growing Indian market, driving the company’s innovation agenda through immersive technology-led experiences, and re-positioning Disney’s digital assets for a direct-to-consumer streaming future, it has been an incredible ride,” he further said.

    In the same post, Chawla also hinted at his possible next professional assignment. “Through all of this, I’ve worked with and learned from the best and the brightest in the industry, many of whom have become friends and family for life. While I will miss Disney, I’m excited and energized about my next professional chapter. More to come on that in the next few days. Stay tuned.”

    In a career spanning over 25 years, Chawla has had a track record of operating and scaling existing businesses, driving technology-led innovation, building new ventures, and driving transformational growth.

    He began his journey with Disney as VP (corporate strategy/business development) and GM (interactive business) in 2008. He defined and executed the strategy and growth agenda for the company in India – including, new venture evaluation, M&A and strategic partnerships for existing lines of businesses (television, films, digital, retail). He also led the Disney Interactive operations and P&L (gaming and app/online business).

    In 2013, he was elevated to the position of VP and GM, connected experiences (games and interactive experiences) at Disney Parks, Experiences and Products.

  • Disney forms international content group, Rebecca Campbell to lead

    Disney forms international content group, Rebecca Campbell to lead

    Mumbai: The Walt Disney Company is creating a new hub for international content under the direction of international content and operations chairman Rebecca Campbell.

    The company is also making several key executive appointments to its media and entertainment distribution segment under the leadership of its chairman Kareem Daniel.

    Joe Earley becomes Hulu’s new president

    In her newly expanded role as international content and operations chairman, Campbell will focus on local and regional content production for Disney’s streaming services, as well as continue overseeing Disney’s international media teams worldwide, reporting directly to The Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek.

    “Disney’s direct-to-consumer efforts have progressed at a tremendous pace in just a few short years, and our organisation has continued to grow and evolve in support of our ambitious global streaming strategy,” stated Bob Chapek. “Rebecca has played a vital role in orchestrating our global platform expansion, and I’m excited that she will be leading our new International Content group, bringing her expertise and talent to oversee the growing pipeline of original local and regional content for our streaming services while continuing to lead our international operations. Likewise, with a relentless focus on serving consumers, Kareem has developed an industry-leading team of seasoned executives who are uniquely equipped to take our streaming business into Disney’s next century.”

    Campbell will continue to oversee the company’s teams in the Asia Pacific, EMEA, India and Latin America who manage the company’s international linear channels, regional streaming, local ad sales, and local distribution. “Great content is what drives the success of our streaming services, and I am thrilled to have the opportunity to work even more closely with the talented creators in our international markets who are producing new stories with local relevance to delight our audiences around the globe,” she said in a statement.

    The international content and operations group will be home to a fourth content-creation engine for the company, alongside the studios’ content, general entertainment content and sports content groups.

    Michael Paull has been promoted to the newly created role of Disney Streaming president with accountability for Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Star+ and will oversee these platforms globally for the media and entertainment distribution segment reporting to Daniel.  

    “From the inception of our DTC business, we have been guided by a single, clear goal—to bring audiences the best entertainment wherever and whenever they choose—and we have continued to build a world-class team to deliver on that promise,” said Kareem Daniel. “Michael Paull has deep experience in the world of streaming and is an accomplished leader with a passion for this business and a proven track record of building and expanding our streaming operations. Bringing Disney’s streaming platforms together under Michael’s expert leadership will allow us to create an even more compelling value proposition for consumers.”

    Joe Earley, who previously served as Disney+ executive vice president marketing and operations, has been named Hulu president and will report to Paull.

    The streaming leadership team will also include a new head of Disney+, who has yet to be named. Russell Wolff continues to serve as head of ESPN+. These roles will also report to Paull.

    “Now that we have established our platforms as category leaders, I’m looking forward to the new challenges ahead as we continue to innovate and scale globally, while delighting consumers with all the incredible entertainment and sports programming coming from our content partners,” said Michael Paull. “I’ve also had the pleasure of working closely with Joe Earley these past few years and can’t imagine a better leader to take the helm of Hulu.”

  • Joe Earley becomes Hulu’s new president

    Joe Earley becomes Hulu’s new president

    Mumbai: Disney has announced the appointment of Joe Earley as president of streaming service platform – Hulu. He previously served as executive VP of marketing and operations at Disney Plus and is headed to its sister service after joining the media company in 2019.

    Earley succeeds former Hulu chief Kelly Campbell, who left the company in October to become the president of NBCUniversal’s Peacock.

    In the new role at Hulu, Earley will be responsible for building on the service’s brand and will liaise with its various content studios. He will report to Michael Paull, who has been promoted to a new role overseeing Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+ and Star+ as president of Disney Streaming.

    “I am excited to embark on this new era at Hulu, a streaming pioneer that over the past 15 years has distinguished itself with an unrivaled offering of groundbreaking, award-winning series and films from our talented content partners,” Earley said in a statement. “I have been a longtime Hulu subscriber and fan and have admired the unbridled creativity of the service’s content and culture, and I’m looking forward to the exciting opportunities that lie ahead, collaborating with our content studios, and tapping into the full power and strength of The Walt Disney Company.”

  • Disney India elevates Aravamudhan K as executive director, government relations

    Disney India elevates Aravamudhan K as executive director, government relations

    Mumbai: The Walt Disney Company India has elevated Aravamudhan K to the position of executive director, government relations. Previously, he served as senior vice president at Star TV Network.

    Aravamudhan K has been associated with the TV broadcast industry since 1993. He joined Star TV India in 2007 as manager of corporate communications.

    On Friday, he took to LinkedIn to announce completing 15 years at Star India. “Today completed my 15 exciting and eventful years at Star India. Witnessed many changes in the broadcasting sector and in the company thanks to my mentors, colleagues, friends, family and external stakeholders who played a major role in my evolution as a GR professional,” he said.

    He spent five years working with the Indian government at the ministry of industry. He has had stints at media houses such as SAB TV, UTV, ITV, and Star News before joining Star TV Network.

  • Viacom18 appoints Siddharth Sharma as EVP – sports

    Viacom18 appoints Siddharth Sharma as EVP – sports

    Mumbai: Viacom18 has appointed Siddharth Sharma as executive vice president (EVP) – sports.

    Previously, Sharma was with The Walt Disney Company-owned Star Sports network as senior vice president. He joined Star Sports as AVP in 2013 and was elevated to the position of vice president – head of Kabaddi (content and production) in 2015. “As I end my 8.5 years journey at Star Sports, I reflect with humility and thank my mentors, co-conspirators and team members who have massively contributed in making my work look good,” Sharma wrote in a LinkedIn post.

    Prior to Star Network, Sharma worked with ABP News as sports editor for almost 11 years. His past stints also include Zee News.

    Viacom18 is looking to expand its presence in the sports broadcasting segment. The media and entertainment network recently announced a multi-year partnership with The National Basketball Association (NBA) to deliver live NBA games and programming to fans in India across television and over-the-top streaming.

    NBA, Viacom18 announce multi-year broadcast and streaming partnership in India

    Viacom18 is building its team ahead of the launch of its first sports channel.

  • Susan E Arnold becomes Disney’s first woman chairperson

    Susan E Arnold becomes Disney’s first woman chairperson

    Mumbai: In its 98-year history, the Walt Disney Company board of directors has elected Susan E Arnold as its first woman chairperson. Her appointment will be effective from 31 December.

    Arnold, a 14-year member of the Disney board who has served as its independent lead director since 2018, will succeed Robert A Iger as chairperson of the board when he departs the company at the end of the year.

    “Susan is an incredibly esteemed executive whose wealth of experience, unwavering integrity, and expert judgment have been invaluable to the Company since she first joined the Board in 2007,” said executive chairman and chairman of the board Robert A Iger. “Having most recently served as independent lead director, Susan is the perfect choice for chairman of the board, and I am confident the company is well-positioned for continued success under her guidance and leadership. It has been a distinct honour to work with Susan and our many other talented directors, and I am incredibly grateful for the support and wise counsel they have provided during my tenure.”

    Arnold brings to her role extensive public-company board experience and in-depth knowledge of brand management and marketing, environmental sustainability, product and business development, international consumer markets, finance, and executive and risk management. She was formerly an operating executive of the equity investment firm The Carlyle Group, where she served from 2013 to 2021. Previously, she served at Procter & Gamble as president of global business units from 2007 to 2009. Prior to that at Procter & Gamble, Arnold was vice chair – Beauty & Health from 2006, vice chair – Beauty from 2004, and president – global personal beauty care & global feminine care from 2002. She was a McDonald’s Corp director from 2008 to 2016, and NBTY Inc director from 2013 to 2017.

    “On behalf of the board, I would like to express my deepest gratitude to Bob Iger for his extraordinary leadership over the past decade-and-a-half,” said Arnold. “Bob has led Disney to amazing heights both creatively and financially, with his clear strategic vision for delivering high-quality branded storytelling, embracing cutting-edge technology, and expanding internationally, and he’s left an indelible mark on The Walt Disney Company that will be felt for generations to come. As I step into this new role as chairman of the board, I look forward to continuing to serve the long-term interests of Disney’s shareholders and working closely with CEO Bob Chapek as he builds upon the company’s century-long legacy of creative excellence and innovation.”

  • Policymakers should create single national policy for M&E sector: K Madhavan

    Policymakers should create single national policy for M&E sector: K Madhavan

    Mumbai: Policymakers should create a single national policy for the media and entertainment sector, said CII national committee chairman and The Walt Disney Company and Star India country manager and president K Madhavan at the 10th edition of the CII Big Picture Summit on Wednesday. “Regulations like new tariff order (NTO) 1 and 2 did not address the interests of any stakeholders including consumers,” Madhavan stated.

    The event was attended by Trai chairman Dr PD Vaghela and ministry of information and broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra. The summit was a gathering of stakeholders in the media and entertainment industry to achieve the goal of reaching $100 billion.

    In his speech, Madhavan noted that given the “power and influence” of the TV broadcast industry, it is essential that it be allowed to “freely flourish” with the power to “self-regulate.” “Self-regulatory bodies for both TV and digital are working extremely well in India, and have proved that they can effectively handle complaints and concerns without any interference from policymakers and regulators,” he said.

    He acknowledged Dr Vaghela for taking a keen interest to address the concerns of the industry on priority and hoped for a “positive and proactive” approach from the regulator going forward. Madhavan stressed the need for a national policy that could guide regulators for years to come and ensure that consumers, the industry, and all stakeholders find certainty and clarity in equal measure.

    The Indian media and entertainment industry is creating 2500 hours of original content each year for OTT and over 100,000 hours of content for television. The gaming industry caters to 420 million casual gamers and the AVGC sector provides high-quality, cost-effective content for the global market. The M&E industry also promotes India’s soft power across the world, in addition to directly and indirectly employing 4.5 million people. Ancillary industries like education, tourism, and even software are all boosted as the creative economy grows.

    Madhavan observed, “Ten years back, television had started migrating customers to digital, and HD channels were just being launched. There were barely 13 million broadband subscribers, and users spent only eight hours a month watching videos online. Today, we have about 800 million broadband internet users and 600 million smartphone users, and Indians watch over five hours of online video content a day compared to the global average of four hours a day. India is a digitally active country with a massive and diverse consumer base with a very high level of appetite for entertainment.”

    “Our film industry is eager to bounce back from the pandemic. CII, working alongside the Government of India, will seek to represent India at all the major film festivals in the upcoming year,” he concluded.

  • Cars24 onboards Sudhir Shukla as CMO

    Cars24 onboards Sudhir Shukla as CMO

    Mumbai: Cars24 has brought Sudhir Shukla on board as chief marketing officer (CMO). In this new role, Shukla will be responsible for marketing and growth of the company’s India business, according to his Linkedin profile.

    In his most recent role, Shukla worked with Star Sports as head of marketing. In this role, his key responsibility was to drive consumption for the entire sports portfolio.

    Prior to his elevation, he was senior vice president – cricket. He joined Star as VP and head – marketing and brand strategy where he led projects across Hotstar, entertainment, and sports.

    Before joining Star, Shukla worked with Mondelez International as head-modern trade, CSD and away from (NCD) channel. He was associated with Mondelez for over a decade.

    Shukla is an alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur and Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology.

  • The Walt Disney Company’s Kaumudi Mahajan elevated to SVP, marketing & strategy for Marathi network

    The Walt Disney Company’s Kaumudi Mahajan elevated to SVP, marketing & strategy for Marathi network

    Mumbai: The Walt Disney Company has elevated Kaumudi Mahajan to the role of SVP – marketing and strategy for Marathi network.

    She has been associated with the media conglomerate for more than 13 years. In her previous role as vice president – head of marketing and content strategy for Star Pravah, she was responsible for the P&L, viewer engagement both above and below the line, driving availability of the channel in consumer homes and programming strategy.

    A post-graduate in marketing and communications from MICA, Mahajan has also worked as a programmer analyst with Syntel in the past.