ITV

Tag: Uday Sodhi

  • Vidnet 2016: India’s First Focused OTT Conference

    Vidnet 2016: India’s First Focused OTT Conference

    MUMBAI: In today’s mobile-first-with-the-young-generation scenario, content creation, distribution and consumption is constantly evolving.

    Capturing the rapid emerging mood of innovation is Indiantelevision.com’s breakthrough conference, Vidnet 2016: Content on the Go which is to be held on 24 August at the swanky Westin Hotel in Mumbai’s Goregaon suburb.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Vidnet is a day-long congregation of the OTT ecosystem to discuss business models, tech trends, revenue streams, content creation and consumption patterns, success stories within the ecosystem and the way forward for its various constituents.

    The morning will begin with the Vidnet 2016 Summit, which will be followed / accompanied by a closed door VOD / OTT / broadcast CTO conference called Vidnet Tech.

    Vidnet Tech is chaired by Broadcast Media Consultant and Project Specialist, Vynsley Fernandes, Castle Media Pvt Ltd.

    Industry biggies and who’s who of the media and entertainment fraternity are set to attend the event in different capacities. Some confirmed attendees are Ajit Mohan, CEO, Hotstar, Neeraj Roy, MD and CEO, Hungama Digital, Uday Sodhi, Executive VP and Head, Digital Business, Sony Pictures Network India, Abhimanyu Singh, CEO, Contiloe Entertainment, Ajay Chacko, Co-Founder, Arre, Archana Anand, Business Head, DittoTV, Shamsuddin Jasani, Managing Director, ISOBAR, Mahesh Narayan, Managing Director, Saavn, Salil Kapoor, Managing Director, Hooq India, Vivek Bhargava, MD & CEO, iProspect, Tushar Vyas, CSO, GroupM, Baskar Subramanian, Co-founder, Amagi, Gautam Mehra, Data Stack, Aparna Joshi, Radioandmusic.com.

    Vidnet will begin at 10.30 am with an introductory note by Anil Wanvari, CEO, Founder & Editor-in-Chief of Indiantelevision.com Group.

    It will be followed by Presentation on OTT trends in the APAC Region by Vivek Couto, Media Partners Asia.

    The sessions and individual key notes will address holistically many pivotal issues and questions pertaining to the OTT and VOD ecosystem and usher new knowledge paradigms which will set industry trends in time to come.

    For full information on the agenda and list of speakers, visit http://vidnet.in/

    Speaking on the initiative, Anil Wanvari said: “There’s disruption in the video ecosystem, with viewers wanting to consume content wherever and on any device – at home or on the move. The industry has responded through independent or broadcaster affiliated on-demand offerings –either through an ad model or through subscription. Nobody knows what will work, what is needed to make it work and for how long. We hope that Vidnet – Content on the Go will help OTT players, content creators, advertisers, media buyers and planners, brands and the ad delivery measurement guys go a little further in their understanding of the way ahead.”

    In attendance will be major OTT players, individual content creators, advertising and media professionals, tech gurus, writers, journalists among others.

    Akamai is the CDN Partner for the event, Summit Partners include Hotstar and Voot, Elemental is Associate Partner and Amagi is Support Partner. Animationxpress.com, Tellychakkar.com and Radioandmusic.com are Online Partners. The event is executed by ITV 2.0 Productions.

  • Sony LIV partners with Mukta Arts to showcase Whistling Woods International’s short films

    Sony LIV partners with Mukta Arts to showcase Whistling Woods International’s short films

    MUMBAI: Whistling Woods International (WWI), one of the world’s leading film, communication and media arts school announced a partnership with Sony LIV, Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) premium digital video entertainment platform via Mukta Arts’ digital venture, Connect.1. Underlining the brand’s commitment to enhance the users’ entertainment-viewing experience, Sony LIV’s association with WWI and its digital venture Connect.1, will entail showcase and promotion of short films produced by students of the institute. These films will cater audiences across all age groups and will be featured under the section, “Mini Talkies”, on Sony LIV.

    Curated by Sony LIV, the short films will be of varied genres ranging from drama, thriller, action to romance and comedy, including several award winning films which have been screened at national and international film festivals. This partnership marks a new beginning for the WWI students to create outstanding and engaging content, inspiring the extended community in the media and entertainment fraternity, adding to Sony LIV’s existing diverse and growing library.

    Uday Sodhi, EVP and Head – Digital Business, Sony LIV, said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Mukta Arts, which will further enhance our extensive content library and allow our users to sample the latest content developed by the upcoming talents trained at Whistling Woods International. This association opens up avenues to collaborate with Connect.1 – the digital division of Mukta Arts, to create engaging and entertaining content for our users and establish Sony LIV as the premier digital destination for top-quality entertainment.”

    Subhash Ghai, Founder & Chairman, Whistling Woods International; Chairman, Mukta Arts Limited, added, “Firstly, I would like to congratulate Mukta Arts and Sony LIV for the association which will open a range of opportunities for both the brands. Over the time, Sony LIV has established itself as the go-to destination for today’s mobile-first consumer. This association will showcase the works of the students of Whistling Woods International, helping us amplify the reach and recognition of our talented students.”

    Headquartered in Mumbai, Mukta Arts, is an Indian film production company known for its association with several blockbuster movie hits such as Taal, Pardes and Ram Lakhan amongst others. These successful hits from the production house of Mr. Subash Ghai have pre-defined directorial credibility for Mukta Arts in the history of Indian Cinema.

    Do watch the short films here:

  • Sony LIV partners with Mukta Arts to showcase Whistling Woods International’s short films

    Sony LIV partners with Mukta Arts to showcase Whistling Woods International’s short films

    MUMBAI: Whistling Woods International (WWI), one of the world’s leading film, communication and media arts school announced a partnership with Sony LIV, Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) premium digital video entertainment platform via Mukta Arts’ digital venture, Connect.1. Underlining the brand’s commitment to enhance the users’ entertainment-viewing experience, Sony LIV’s association with WWI and its digital venture Connect.1, will entail showcase and promotion of short films produced by students of the institute. These films will cater audiences across all age groups and will be featured under the section, “Mini Talkies”, on Sony LIV.

    Curated by Sony LIV, the short films will be of varied genres ranging from drama, thriller, action to romance and comedy, including several award winning films which have been screened at national and international film festivals. This partnership marks a new beginning for the WWI students to create outstanding and engaging content, inspiring the extended community in the media and entertainment fraternity, adding to Sony LIV’s existing diverse and growing library.

    Uday Sodhi, EVP and Head – Digital Business, Sony LIV, said, “We are delighted to announce our partnership with Mukta Arts, which will further enhance our extensive content library and allow our users to sample the latest content developed by the upcoming talents trained at Whistling Woods International. This association opens up avenues to collaborate with Connect.1 – the digital division of Mukta Arts, to create engaging and entertaining content for our users and establish Sony LIV as the premier digital destination for top-quality entertainment.”

    Subhash Ghai, Founder & Chairman, Whistling Woods International; Chairman, Mukta Arts Limited, added, “Firstly, I would like to congratulate Mukta Arts and Sony LIV for the association which will open a range of opportunities for both the brands. Over the time, Sony LIV has established itself as the go-to destination for today’s mobile-first consumer. This association will showcase the works of the students of Whistling Woods International, helping us amplify the reach and recognition of our talented students.”

    Headquartered in Mumbai, Mukta Arts, is an Indian film production company known for its association with several blockbuster movie hits such as Taal, Pardes and Ram Lakhan amongst others. These successful hits from the production house of Mr. Subash Ghai have pre-defined directorial credibility for Mukta Arts in the history of Indian Cinema.

    Do watch the short films here:

  • SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    MUMBAI: The official broadcaster of UEFA EURO 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN),has announced an extensive list of digital initiatives to improve the experience of users watching the tournament on their digital platform Sony Liv. The digital campaign is an extension of its on-air time to switch campaign, where the channel has created a personalized on-brand user experience for digital consumers to engage them before, during and after the matches throughout the tournament.

    The whole platform has been built to provide a unique real-time experience which is completely led by data science. Real-time data will be captured and a lot of new data science techniques will be used to present data in a manner that will enhance the overall experience of watching these matches.

    “UEFA EURO 2016 is going to be one of the biggest sporting events not only in India but worldwide. And we are taking this opportunity to give a very unique, engaging and immersive experience to all our users. And staying true to our campaign philosophy, with our digital initiatives we will cater to the entire spectrum of football fans. On our platform there are many innovative initiatives such as Probability Meter, Momentum Meter, Ball Position, etc. which would excite both the ardent as well as casual fans. Aimed at enhancing the user experience, the microsite features a ‘Time to Switch’ tab for both footy fans and novices alike that will make the ‘switch’ that much more enjoyable and further lift the entire experience of watching UEFA EURO 2016 on our platforms”, Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited digital business executive VP and head Uday Sodhi.

    The tournament will commence on 10 June 2016, and will be telecast live on Sony Six and Sony ESPN channels at primetime slots of 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 12:30 am.

    The match will stream live exclusively in eight countries India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. This service is available to audience for free with no subscription cost. The matches will be streamed live on the app and will be available on iOS and Android, as well as on the specially created dedicated microsite www.sonyliv.com/euro2016.

    Some of the key highlights digital users can look forward to are:

    Probability Meter

    The Probability Meter will provide winning probabilities for each team during the match. This probability will be calculated real-time and change on the basis of every event that occurs in the match.

    Momentum Meter

    Momentum Meter is a graphical representation of the momentum between the two teams. This graph will show the momentum building for both the team and the shift of momentum between the team minute by minute.

    Ball Position Tracker

    Ball Position Tracker is an innovative tool where users can see the plotting of the exact position of the ball on a real time basis. This is done against a graphical representation of the stadium.

    Stats Meter

    The stats meter will provide a real-time account of each and every event that takes place during the match which will be updated in real-time basis.

    LIVE Text Commentary

    Users will be able to see real time updates of the scores along with minute-by-minute text commentary of every match.

    Along with this, users will also be able to access information not only about the tournament, but also about each and every participating team. Information such as Fixtures, Team Ranking, Team Results,

    Historic Performances and Team as well as individual performances over the tournament will be updated on real-time basis.

    Post-Match Experience

    Once the match is over, users will be able to enjoy unlimited video on demand content for every match which will include complete 90 minute re-runs of the match and lots of short videos (3-10 mins) covering highlights, goals, hat-tricks, saves, free kicks, special moments, penalties etc. which will be made available both on the app as well as the microsite minutes after the match is over.

    SPN has also created a fun and interesting time to switch tab on the microsite which offers interactive features to sports enthusiasts who may be novices to football. Online users can take advantage football aids that will ease them into the footy community and become an authority on the sport.

    Footy 101

    A must have for every footy novice; this e-pocketbook of rules will not only help understand the game, but also do it with a lot of fun! From ‘Spotting the Fraud’, ‘How to say Awesome in Football’ to ‘Foul Play’, Footy 101 is the beginner’s guide to looking like a footy expert.

    A New Ball Game

    It is easy for a newbie to feel lost, alone and out of place. ‘A new ball game” invites users to open up with their own stories and find a connection with others who are sharing their experiences as a new footy.

    Jargonator

    Footy is filled with jargon and after switching, everyone needs help understanding words like offside, red flag, etc. Confused much? Well then the Jargonator is the perfect tool to help the audience understand these footy terms with ease in a lingo that they excel at, cricket!

    Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed for the tournament while Sony ESPN will give viewers the option of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu language feeds.

  • SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    SPN announces digital initiatives for UEFA EURO 2016

    MUMBAI: The official broadcaster of UEFA EURO 2016, Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN),has announced an extensive list of digital initiatives to improve the experience of users watching the tournament on their digital platform Sony Liv. The digital campaign is an extension of its on-air time to switch campaign, where the channel has created a personalized on-brand user experience for digital consumers to engage them before, during and after the matches throughout the tournament.

    The whole platform has been built to provide a unique real-time experience which is completely led by data science. Real-time data will be captured and a lot of new data science techniques will be used to present data in a manner that will enhance the overall experience of watching these matches.

    “UEFA EURO 2016 is going to be one of the biggest sporting events not only in India but worldwide. And we are taking this opportunity to give a very unique, engaging and immersive experience to all our users. And staying true to our campaign philosophy, with our digital initiatives we will cater to the entire spectrum of football fans. On our platform there are many innovative initiatives such as Probability Meter, Momentum Meter, Ball Position, etc. which would excite both the ardent as well as casual fans. Aimed at enhancing the user experience, the microsite features a ‘Time to Switch’ tab for both footy fans and novices alike that will make the ‘switch’ that much more enjoyable and further lift the entire experience of watching UEFA EURO 2016 on our platforms”, Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited digital business executive VP and head Uday Sodhi.

    The tournament will commence on 10 June 2016, and will be telecast live on Sony Six and Sony ESPN channels at primetime slots of 6:30 pm, 9:30 pm and 12:30 am.

    The match will stream live exclusively in eight countries India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and Afghanistan. This service is available to audience for free with no subscription cost. The matches will be streamed live on the app and will be available on iOS and Android, as well as on the specially created dedicated microsite www.sonyliv.com/euro2016.

    Some of the key highlights digital users can look forward to are:

    Probability Meter

    The Probability Meter will provide winning probabilities for each team during the match. This probability will be calculated real-time and change on the basis of every event that occurs in the match.

    Momentum Meter

    Momentum Meter is a graphical representation of the momentum between the two teams. This graph will show the momentum building for both the team and the shift of momentum between the team minute by minute.

    Ball Position Tracker

    Ball Position Tracker is an innovative tool where users can see the plotting of the exact position of the ball on a real time basis. This is done against a graphical representation of the stadium.

    Stats Meter

    The stats meter will provide a real-time account of each and every event that takes place during the match which will be updated in real-time basis.

    LIVE Text Commentary

    Users will be able to see real time updates of the scores along with minute-by-minute text commentary of every match.

    Along with this, users will also be able to access information not only about the tournament, but also about each and every participating team. Information such as Fixtures, Team Ranking, Team Results,

    Historic Performances and Team as well as individual performances over the tournament will be updated on real-time basis.

    Post-Match Experience

    Once the match is over, users will be able to enjoy unlimited video on demand content for every match which will include complete 90 minute re-runs of the match and lots of short videos (3-10 mins) covering highlights, goals, hat-tricks, saves, free kicks, special moments, penalties etc. which will be made available both on the app as well as the microsite minutes after the match is over.

    SPN has also created a fun and interesting time to switch tab on the microsite which offers interactive features to sports enthusiasts who may be novices to football. Online users can take advantage football aids that will ease them into the footy community and become an authority on the sport.

    Footy 101

    A must have for every footy novice; this e-pocketbook of rules will not only help understand the game, but also do it with a lot of fun! From ‘Spotting the Fraud’, ‘How to say Awesome in Football’ to ‘Foul Play’, Footy 101 is the beginner’s guide to looking like a footy expert.

    A New Ball Game

    It is easy for a newbie to feel lost, alone and out of place. ‘A new ball game” invites users to open up with their own stories and find a connection with others who are sharing their experiences as a new footy.

    Jargonator

    Footy is filled with jargon and after switching, everyone needs help understanding words like offside, red flag, etc. Confused much? Well then the Jargonator is the perfect tool to help the audience understand these footy terms with ease in a lingo that they excel at, cricket!

    Sony SIX will telecast the English language feed for the tournament while Sony ESPN will give viewers the option of Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Tamil or Telugu language feeds.

  • ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    MUMBAI: With long-term collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), ESPN has introduced an exciting new mobile-first multi-sport digital offering in India today with the launch of the ESPN.in website and the ESPN app.

    With an emerging multi-sport landscape in India, the new site and app will further reinforce ESPN’s market leadership, authority and expertise in digital media, bringing an elegant, lively and more personal sports experience to Indian and subcontinent fans across mobiles, tablets and computers. ESPN.in site and app will also be carrying rights video content for sporting events from SONY LIV, SPN’s digital streaming platform, and SPN’s new Sony ESPN sports channels.

    From mainstream sports in India and the subcontinent, to the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of global sports that interest South Asian fans, ESPN.in and the ESPN app will bring fans closer to the games, leagues and athletes they love via world-class digital products.

    Both the site and app will offer the best cricket coverage (powered by ESPNcricinfo), but also give fans a one-stop destination for world-class news, features and videos across sports currently underserved by any digital offering in the region, such as football, hockey, badminton, tennis, Formula 1, kabaddi and more.

    The new ESPN.in and ESPN app brings Indian and subcontinent fans a clean, dynamic presentation for ESPN’s content and storytelling, including scores, news, video, features, stats and more. Additionally, they will feature LIVE streaming video content of select sporting events in collaboration with Sony LIV.

    The launch of the app and website are the latest developments in the collaboration between Sony Pictures Networks India & ESPN.  ESPN.in and the ESPN app, will both carry SONYESPN branding and will feature cross-promotional integration with Sony LIV, the digital streaming platform from Sony Pictures Networks (SPN). 

    Earlier this year, this collaboration resulted in the launch of 2 new sports television channels; namely, Sony  ESPN as well Sony ESPN HD. The long-term agreement leverages a winning combination of two of India’s most respected media brands, and serves Indian and subcontinent fans via their combined expertise and high-quality compelling content.

    ESPN India and South Asia head & VP Ramesh Kumar said, “ESPN has a strong connection with fans in India and around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports. The launch of our multi-sport products showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Indian fans. They also provide the perfect complement to our television collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India as well as reinforce ESPN’s signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms”.

    Sony Pictures Networks India Digital Business executive vice president & head Uday Sodhi said, “Sony LIV has been instrumental in bringing the best of entertainment to the digital millennials. Sports is an integral part of our offering. Together with ESPN, we are geared to increase our offering manifold.”

    PERSONALIZATION
    Passions for sport are intensely personal and ESPN has made it easy to personalize the user experience on both ESPN.in and the ESPN app — and rewards fans for doing so.  A powerful personalization engine lets every fan select their favorite sports, leagues and teams, and then prominently delivers the latest scores, news, video and images related to those in a distinct ‘Favorites’ section. After registering on either the site or the app, a fan can set their Favorites, which will then work seamlessly across both the site and the app, and on any device – mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop – where they are logged in.

    Users of the ESPN app can also set custom tailored notifications, so they will be alerted with all the latest developments for their Favorites, general news and more.

    COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT AND COVERAGE
    ESPN is the #1 digital sports publisher in India, and around the world – known for its insightful content with personality and its unbiased reporting and analysis with authority.

  • ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    ESPN in collaboration with SPN launches ESPN.in & ESPN app

    MUMBAI: With long-term collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India (SPN), ESPN has introduced an exciting new mobile-first multi-sport digital offering in India today with the launch of the ESPN.in website and the ESPN app.

    With an emerging multi-sport landscape in India, the new site and app will further reinforce ESPN’s market leadership, authority and expertise in digital media, bringing an elegant, lively and more personal sports experience to Indian and subcontinent fans across mobiles, tablets and computers. ESPN.in site and app will also be carrying rights video content for sporting events from SONY LIV, SPN’s digital streaming platform, and SPN’s new Sony ESPN sports channels.

    From mainstream sports in India and the subcontinent, to the best of ESPN’s comprehensive coverage of global sports that interest South Asian fans, ESPN.in and the ESPN app will bring fans closer to the games, leagues and athletes they love via world-class digital products.

    Both the site and app will offer the best cricket coverage (powered by ESPNcricinfo), but also give fans a one-stop destination for world-class news, features and videos across sports currently underserved by any digital offering in the region, such as football, hockey, badminton, tennis, Formula 1, kabaddi and more.

    The new ESPN.in and ESPN app brings Indian and subcontinent fans a clean, dynamic presentation for ESPN’s content and storytelling, including scores, news, video, features, stats and more. Additionally, they will feature LIVE streaming video content of select sporting events in collaboration with Sony LIV.

    The launch of the app and website are the latest developments in the collaboration between Sony Pictures Networks India & ESPN.  ESPN.in and the ESPN app, will both carry SONYESPN branding and will feature cross-promotional integration with Sony LIV, the digital streaming platform from Sony Pictures Networks (SPN). 

    Earlier this year, this collaboration resulted in the launch of 2 new sports television channels; namely, Sony  ESPN as well Sony ESPN HD. The long-term agreement leverages a winning combination of two of India’s most respected media brands, and serves Indian and subcontinent fans via their combined expertise and high-quality compelling content.

    ESPN India and South Asia head & VP Ramesh Kumar said, “ESPN has a strong connection with fans in India and around the world because we are fans ourselves, driven by a similar obsession for sports. The launch of our multi-sport products showcases our digital leadership and offers sports fans outstanding news, features and video experiences around top sports of interest to Indian fans. They also provide the perfect complement to our television collaboration with Sony Pictures Networks India as well as reinforce ESPN’s signature ‘Game around the Game’ analysis across platforms”.

    Sony Pictures Networks India Digital Business executive vice president & head Uday Sodhi said, “Sony LIV has been instrumental in bringing the best of entertainment to the digital millennials. Sports is an integral part of our offering. Together with ESPN, we are geared to increase our offering manifold.”

    PERSONALIZATION
    Passions for sport are intensely personal and ESPN has made it easy to personalize the user experience on both ESPN.in and the ESPN app — and rewards fans for doing so.  A powerful personalization engine lets every fan select their favorite sports, leagues and teams, and then prominently delivers the latest scores, news, video and images related to those in a distinct ‘Favorites’ section. After registering on either the site or the app, a fan can set their Favorites, which will then work seamlessly across both the site and the app, and on any device – mobile, tablet, laptop, desktop – where they are logged in.

    Users of the ESPN app can also set custom tailored notifications, so they will be alerted with all the latest developments for their Favorites, general news and more.

    COMPREHENSIVE CONTENT AND COVERAGE
    ESPN is the #1 digital sports publisher in India, and around the world – known for its insightful content with personality and its unbiased reporting and analysis with authority.

  • Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) VOD service Sony LIV has announced the launch of a cinematic extravaganza for all movie fans with its Hollywood library. Besides a wide range of TV shows, sports properties, Bollywood flicks, songs and original web content, cinema aficionados can now enjoy instant access to internationally celebrated movies anytime and anywhere.

    Sony Liv is going the extra mile to enhance the entertainment experiences for its viewers wherein the biggest upcoming Hollywood blockbusters will premiere on the platform before their television airing.

    Sony Liv EVP and head for digital business Uday Sodhi said, “At Sony Liv, we are committed to continuously enhance the entertainment experience of our viewers. After receiving an overwhelming response for our Bollywood library, we are now extending our catalogue to allow English movie buffs to catch up with their Hollywood dose of entertainment- right from award-winning favourites to unseen gems. Our endeavour is to make an entire bouquet of eclectic yet engaging cinematic properties accessible at ease since Sony Liv is a complete digital entertainment destination that consumers can turn to for riveting content of every kind.”  

    The library gives viewers a chance to access a wide selection of hugely popular American movies on their own preferred digital devices. The platform claims to offer comprehensive and attractive for its discerning digital audience through its Hollywood library.

    Liv already offers an extensive Bollywood library with over 1,000 films from across genres. It already has a portfolio of critically acclaimed films like The Pursuit of Happyness, Django Unchained, The Da Vinci Code, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angels and Demons and the Spiderman series, etc.

    The platform also rolled out a web-series for the online platform called #LoveBytes. It has also rolled out a digital film entitled Chhoti Khushito support a social media campaign, #LIVThisDiwali.

  • Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    Sony Liv adds Hollywood blockbusters for subscribers

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks’ (SPN) VOD service Sony LIV has announced the launch of a cinematic extravaganza for all movie fans with its Hollywood library. Besides a wide range of TV shows, sports properties, Bollywood flicks, songs and original web content, cinema aficionados can now enjoy instant access to internationally celebrated movies anytime and anywhere.

    Sony Liv is going the extra mile to enhance the entertainment experiences for its viewers wherein the biggest upcoming Hollywood blockbusters will premiere on the platform before their television airing.

    Sony Liv EVP and head for digital business Uday Sodhi said, “At Sony Liv, we are committed to continuously enhance the entertainment experience of our viewers. After receiving an overwhelming response for our Bollywood library, we are now extending our catalogue to allow English movie buffs to catch up with their Hollywood dose of entertainment- right from award-winning favourites to unseen gems. Our endeavour is to make an entire bouquet of eclectic yet engaging cinematic properties accessible at ease since Sony Liv is a complete digital entertainment destination that consumers can turn to for riveting content of every kind.”  

    The library gives viewers a chance to access a wide selection of hugely popular American movies on their own preferred digital devices. The platform claims to offer comprehensive and attractive for its discerning digital audience through its Hollywood library.

    Liv already offers an extensive Bollywood library with over 1,000 films from across genres. It already has a portfolio of critically acclaimed films like The Pursuit of Happyness, Django Unchained, The Da Vinci Code, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Angels and Demons and the Spiderman series, etc.

    The platform also rolled out a web-series for the online platform called #LoveBytes. It has also rolled out a digital film entitled Chhoti Khushito support a social media campaign, #LIVThisDiwali.

  • How ready is India for the digital disruption?

    How ready is India for the digital disruption?

    MUMBAI: The Indian media and entertainment industry is enamoured by the possibilities that the digital world poses for it. Within digital, ‘video’ and ‘mobile’ seem to be most used and often abused words. To tap in and make the most of this ‘digital video’ revolution that  the country is set to see in 2016, several small and big players have rolled out or planned VOD or OTT services..

    But is India ready for this digital disruption? Have those who are betting high on the success of the video business really taken into consideration the groundwork and infrastructure needed to actually make profit?  Moderator and Bloomberg TV India consulting editor Vikram Oza raised these questions at FICCI Frames 2016 during a panel discussion – ‘And the walls came tumbling down : Digital disruption.’ In front of him on the panel were  – SPN digital business EVP Uday Sodhi, Viacom18 Digital Ventures COO Gaurav Gandhi, HOOQ cofounder and content head Krishnan Rajagopalan, Arre COO Ajay Chacko and Elemental Tecnologies SVP Daniel Marshal  – each a pioneer of digital world in his own right.

    Within the first fifteen minutes into the discussion, the audience had a good idea of where things stood in the digital video business. “While a fair bit of 3G and 4G is taking off, the industry is still at a nascent stage to make assumptions. Monetization, bandwidth and content needed to fall in place to set the groundwork going,” said Sodhi summing it up.

    When posed a query on bandwidth costs and subscription issues, Gandhi gave an optimistic perspective. “Currently the data prices are very high. So much of the consumption behaviour we are seeing will drastically change as the bandwidth opens up and becomes cheaper. We need to aim for a setting when data prices become part of everyone’s utility bill. That is when no one will hesitate from paying for an OTT service.”

    Marshal added his take from his experience of the international market and how it played out there. “What I have observed in the US is that there are more users with multiple subscriptions since the combined cost is still less than what people used to pay for their cable subscriptions. If India has to really see the end of this convergence, adaptability and bandwidth needs to be worked on heavily,” he suggested.

    Another variable that is a hindrance for digital convergence is the complicated and poor payment gateways. “It is true that in India the present payment gateway options are a major challenge to both the service provider and the consumers. From my experience, a huge part of willing consumers put off payments because of the payment method. It is indeed a big challenge and a part of it is that people are still hesitant to trust their money with online payments. Thus the adoption is lower. TRAI tried to deal with the issue by strengthening the security process in the transaction and sort of got overzealous with it, which is costing the industry in a different way. I would say it will take another 5 years for the payment options to be easy and secure and ready to handle the digital disruption,” Sodhi opined.

    With everyone jumping on the mobile video bandwagon and promising an on demand video service, was there a need for the players to differentiate their offerings? After all, according to Google research, the current range of smartphones in the market allowed users to have only few apps before their devices slowed down. While the industry remained a free market, this clearly meant that only few services would survive this tough competition and make their way to the users’ handsets.

    To put matters into perspective, Gandhi said, “Currently 85 per cent of the content is owned between the five major TV networks and the two TV studios. The content offered by their OTT players may look homogenous because our first natural instinct is to put forth the existing content from our TV and movie library. But newer original content for the web is also being produced currently.”

    Rajagopalan shared that his OTT service HOOQ, which already has a large presence in the international market, is banking on its large Hollywood movie library as the differentiating factor. “Apart from that we have also identified regional and smaller studios that don’t have a contract with major broadcasters’ networks in India to provide us with fresh content. So ours is an international and regional approach.”

    Acknowledging the need to create web only content, instead of banking on existing libraries, Chacko added, “What an audience individually consumes is different social viewing. The content itself needs to be disruptive if it were to survive these initial years of just investment and to break even eventually. Each player will work on its strengths and try everything and anything between micropayments (or pay per view revenue model) to ad-funded content.”

    It is obvious from the discussions that there is a long way to go for India to reach a point when these OTT players can reap the optimum benefits of what they are sowing as investment today. Will they be able to make it through the dry years ahead until the infrastructure and country is ready? Is it worth the time and money that they are putting in?

    Chacko addressed this with a simple comparison to the eCommerce markets. “Compared to the eCommerce business there is almost no customer acquisition cost when it comes to digital media. What we gain organically is what these eCommerce brands pay millions of dollars for. Therefore, with an almost zero marketing budget one can sustain oneself in the industry as long as one has strong content,” Chacko said.

    The panel also pointed out that digital video business paves way for an exponential growth. With better devices and network, the business will grow not just by tens but thousands so it made sense to invest in it.  

    The moderator then rolled the ball in the panellists court by asking them if their advertisers were buying these arguments that they gave in favour of the OTT/ digital business. The panellists unanimously agreed that media planners and buyers were excited about this newly evolving media. They were happy about giving an alternative to their clients and so were the advertisers, given the measurability and reach the media gave them.