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.'
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.
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.
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.
'The whole narrative will change from TV is dying to TV-plus-digital is the future.'
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
Walt Disney Company has unveiled a revamped Disneyland California Adventure Park spending a whopping $1.1 billion.
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.
Rediff.com looks at some surprising facts about Mickey Mouse on his 87th birthday.
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.
Reliance Communications, Reliance Infratel, Huawei Technologies and Walt Disney Company (India) are among the companies which misused or diverted funds raised from abroad under the ECB route in the last three years, Parliament was informed on Friday.
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.
Disney Publishing Worldwide (India), a division of Walt Disney Company (India), has announced a licensing agreement with local publisher Junior Diamond to publish Disney comic books, both in English and Hindi.
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.
The proposed transaction has been approved by the boards of both companies.
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.
The animated blockbuster 'Hanuman' would be telecast as a mini-serial on Disney Channel soon.
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.
The Finance Ministry further said decision on seven FDI proposals has been deferred.
The government has cleared 19 foreign investment proposals, including that of Walt Disney Company and Reckitt Benckiser (India), entailing total investment of Rs 2,326.72 crore (Rs 23.26 billion).
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
Walt Disney CEO Michael Eisner, who is in India on an official visit, on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
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