Only firms that have scale in content and a technology engine that drives its discovery and monetisation can compete,' explains Vanita Kohli Khandekar.
The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has flagged possible anti-competitive concerns with respect to the proposed USD 8.5-billion Viacom18-Star India merger and has sought detailed responses from the parties concerned, sources said.
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Viacom18 Media (Viacom18), and The Walt Disney Company announced on Thursday that they have completed the merger of Viacom18's media and JioCinema businesses into Star India (SIPL), creating a mega joint venture valued at Rs 70,352 crore. The new entity will be guided by three chief executive officers (CEOs), "who will lead the company into a new era of ambition and disruption", according to a joint statement. Kevin Vaz will lead the entertainment division across all platforms, Kiran Mani will head the combined digital division, and Sanjog Gupta will oversee the sports operations.
'As you're watching the IPL live, there's a conscious effort to showcase the entertainment portfolio.'
Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries has completed the merger of its media assets with the India business of global media house Walt Disney and formed a joint venture with a valuation of over Rs 70,000 crore. The JV will be one of the largest media and entertainment companies in India with a combined revenue of approximately Rs 26,000 crore and will be led by Nita Ambani as its chairperson, according to a joint statement.
Competition Commission of India on Wednesday said it has approved the merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries and Walt Disney Co to create the country's largest media empire. The deal, announced six months ago, has been cleared by the CCI with certain modifications proposed by the two parties.
Walt Disney Co and Reliance Industries on Wednesday announced signing of binding pacts to merge their media operations in India to create a Rs 70,000 crore behemoth. Reliance and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent in the combined entity while Disney will hold the remaining 36.84 per cent, the companies said in a statement.
Mukesh Ambani-owned Reliance Industries (RIL) is in discussions to acquire a 29.8 per cent stake in Tata Play from the Walt Disney Company, according to sources close to the development. This move is seen as part of RIL's broader strategy to deepen its footprint in India's television distribution sector. Tata Sons, the holding company of the Tata group, currently holds a 50.2 per cent stake in the satellite television broadcaster.
Disney Star is mulling legal actions against Zee Entertainment for backing out from a $1.4 billion sub-licensing agreement for TV broadcast of international cricket matches in India, according to industry sources. This could brew another legal trouble for Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL), which is already facing an arbitration plea by Sony Group at the Singapore International Arbitration Centre, claiming $90 million for breach of conditions of their merger agreement. Disney Star, an Indian subsidiary of media conglomerate The Walt Disney Company, is working on its strategy over the development, said industry sources.
Assume Voot, JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar are merged into one entertainment app, and you have a streaming service with more than 233 million unique visitors. That is a reach just under half of India's largest streaming app: YouTube. 'This level of consolidation does not exist even in the US.'
Combines UTV, Disney, Indiagames businesses to drive growth in mobile, online, interative TV
The Securities and Exchange Board of India has approved The Walt Disney Company's deal to increase stake in Ronnie Screwvala-promoted UTV Software Communications beyond 15 per cent, six months after the deal was initially signed. Sebi, the market regulator, has also okayed the US-based company to launch an open offer.
It also said that to make it easier for people to subscribe, Disney+ Hotstar VIP has tied up with telecom players Jio and Airtel.
After Do Dooni Chaar, the first Hindi live-action movie distributed by The Walt Disney Company (Disney) in India, won a National Award, the Hollywood studio tied up with UTV Motion Pictures (UTV) for more.
Walt Disney Company is keen to capitalise on the subcontinents' burgeoning mobile space to reach new audiences.
Indiagames is a leading developer and publisher of mobile and online games.
The Walt Disney company has withdrawn its application to trademark the term 'SEAL Team 6', on its toys, games and a TV show, to apparently cash in on the elite unit that killed Osama bin Laden after US Navy declared it would protect its rights.
The BCCI is set for a windfall of gigantic proportions as the IPL broadcast rights (TV and digital) could fetch the Board up to US $5 billion for the next five-year cycle (2023-2027) while some high-profile interest is being seen in the bidding process for the two new teams.
UTV Software Communications has launched an English business news channel, UTVi. The channel will go on the air by April-end. The company has entered into a content tie-up with Disney-ABC International Television (Asia-Pacific), the international TV distribution arm of The Walt Disney Company, for news programming & services. The channel is positioned to cater to the growing business aspirations of young Indians. The channel will attempt to de-jargonise the financial markets.
Disney+ Hotstar reported its biggest decline in paid subscribers to date - a fall of 3.8 million subscribers, or 6 per cent of its total - in the October-December period. The drop in numbers came after two warnings by the company that Hotstar's paid subscriber base would shrink as it didn't have streaming rights for the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the 2023-27 media cycle. The IPL would start on April 1 this year and continue till May 28.
Indus Clothing will manufacture branded jeans and fashion accessories in India.
Walt Disney is planning to open 135 more stores in India over the next four years.
The Walt Disney Company has invested Rs 118 crore (Rs 1.18 billion) for a 15 per cent stake in UTV Global Broadcasting (UGBL), the broadcasting arm of UTV Software Communications. Walt Disney currently holds 300,000 equity shares in the company.
Leading integrated media and entertainment company UTV Software Communications Ltd has decided to divest its entire stake in United Home Entertainment Ltd to the Walt Disney Company
Rajat Jain, managing director, Walt Disney India has decided to leave the company to pursue new opportunities after a three-year stint.
In a significant move, entertainment giant The Walt Disney Company plans to buy longtime partner Pixar Animation Studios Inc for $7.4 billi
After a three-month hiatus, the Walt Disney Company's largest Magic Kingdom in Asia is back in business. The Shanghai Disney Resort threw open its doors Monday -- albeit with strict social distancing and public safety measures in place. Tickets for the earliest days of Shanghai Disneyland's re-opening sold out rapidly on Friday.
Shah Rukh Khan hopes to showcase the good things in life in the second season of the chat show, Ted Talks.
Verma, who was born in India, grew up in Ohio and the Central Valley of California. She served as an audience development and content strategist on the Biden-Harris campaign, the transition team said on Thursday.
The venture, they said, would focus on technology and media opportunities in emerging markets. Industry sources said the focus would be on digital media, with India being the big driver.
The chairman of the Essel Group says he has settled 91.2 per cent of the estimated Rs 11,000 crore debt on the group's books.
The 4 week online learning programme is available in English and Hindi, and will soon be offered in some regional languages.
Byju's acquires licences of hundreds of characters from Disney; to use cartoon characters to teach math, science.
Chanda Kochhar is among the three Indians in Time's Most Influential list.
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