News & Gossip

In an order sheet of the hearing held on July 11, the division bench of technical member Anu Jagmohan Singh and judicial member Kishore Vemulapalli asked the parties to serve a fresh notice of final hearing to the central/state governments, tax authorities, and regulatory bodies like the Competition Commission of India (CCI) and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Fukunaga, a Japanese-American engineer, sold Funimation to Sony, which merged it with Crunchyroll, expected to contribute 36% of Sony Pictures' profit by 2028. Fukunaga joins India's top comic app Toonsutra, founded by Sharad Devarajan and Vishal Anand, backed by leading investors. Toonsutra aims to revolutionize India's digital storytelling market.

Media and entertainment bodies have planned to request the Karnataka government to revoke the 1-2% cess on cinema tickets and OTT subscriptions. The cess would also affect TV channels and related establishments and could lead to higher consumer costs. Legal and other steps might be taken if the request is denied.

Cinema exhibitors and film producers are exploring a unified eight-week theatrical window for both north and south India, with discussions also considering further extensions to safeguard box office revenues, according to PVR Inox MD Ajay Bijli.

Regional print media companies are projected to see an 8-9% revenue increase this fiscal year due to strong advertising revenue growth and a loyal subscriber base, according to a Crisil report. The report also noted potential economic changes and shifts in consumer preferences as factors to monitor.

Cinema exhibitors and film producers in India are in discussions to standardize a consistent eight-week theatrical window across both north and south India. They are also considering extending this period to safeguard box office revenues. This development was revealed by PVR Inox MD Ajay Bijli during the company's Q1 earnings call.

Prime Video has introduced generative AI-powered personalized recommendations to enhance user experience globally. Launched on July 23, these updates will become available to all customers over the coming weeks. The aim is to help viewers discover new titles, manage subscriptions, and switch add-on subscriptions seamlessly through a single login.

ShareChat and JioCinema have joined forces to provide exclusive short-form multilingual content centered around the Paris Olympics 2024 from July 26 to August 11. Celebrating the Olympic spirit, the partnership aims to deliver the best moments in regional languages and offer insights from sports legends and commentators. Viacom18, the official media rights owner of the Paris Olympics 2024, praised the collaboration, emphasizing the importance of making digital content accessible to all Indians and enhancing engagement through innovative offerings.

The video entertainment economy is projected to grow 8% annually on average, reaching $13 billion by 2028, according to a Media Partners Asia report. This growth is driven primarily by streaming video on demand (VOD), which is expected to account for half of the new revenue growth.

SPNI had recently appointed Gaurav Banerjee as the new Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective on or before August 26, 2024, pending regulatory approvals.

Sreeram was promoted to the position of country director in February 2023 following Gaurav Gandhi's elevation as Vice President of Asia Pacific at Prime Video effective April. Sreeram joined Prime Video in 2018 as Head of Customer and Brand Marketing and was subsequently promoted to Director of Marketing in October 2020. In 2022, he was elevated to Director of Subscription Video on Demand (SVOD) Business.

Regional OTT platforms like Stage and Chaupal are raising capital due to plateauing growth. Stage raised ₹40 crore from Blume Ventures and Planet Marathi $5 million. The FICCI-EY report shows regional content exceeds Hindi. Akshay Bardapurkar and global diasporic audiences drive expansion. Vinay Singhal notes internet and UPI boost regional platforms.

The Karnataka government has decided to impose a 2% cess on movie tickets and over-the-top (OTT) subscriptions. This move is expected to result in increased costs for cinema chains and OTT platforms, who will likely pass on the additional charges to consumers.

The $8.5 billion Reliance-Disney merger, under CCI scrutiny, includes cricket and Wimbledon rights. Creating the largest entertainment player with 120 TV channels, two streaming services, aiming for 40% ad market share, competing with Zee and Sony. The CCI examines YouTube’s role, premium video market implications, led by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance and Media Partners Asia data.

Hardik Pandya launched a performance wear line through a revenue-sharing deal with FanCode-owned FanCode Shop, priced from ₹999 to ₹2,299. FanCode will design, manufacture, and market the items. Rise Worldwide’s Nikhil Bardia noted this is Pandya's first licensing venture. The launch includes key items like t-shirts, vests, and jackets, diversifying from his typical endorsement deals.

Print media in India experienced significant revenue and profitability growth in the June quarter, driven by increased ad spending during the general elections and lower newsprint prices. The market size reached ₹10,000-11,000 crore, with sectors like education, real estate, and jewellery seeing a jump in ad spends. Brand managers believe print advertising remains relevant due to factors like trust, extensive reach, high visibility, and strong brand recognition.

The US India Business Council suggested the Indian government introduce production-linked incentives for the media and entertainment industry in the upcoming Budget, along with steps to level the playing field between Indian and foreign companies. Recommendations also included liberalising the satellite communications industry, clarifying tax issues, supporting the energy sector's growth, and enhancing financial services. These measures aim to attract investments, enhance policy certainty, and drive sustainable growth across various sectors in India.

Indian brands like Radico Khaitan, Adani Group, and JSW sponsor athletes for Paris Olympics. Reliance Foundation's India House collaborates with Coca-Cola and Omega. IOA's revenue doubled to ₹50 crore. Short video reels cost ₹2-6 lakh. Athletes Neeraj Chopra, PV Sindhu, and PR Sreejesh feature. Involvement from Bharat Petroleum, Aditya Birla, Amul, and Puma's gear for 40 athletes.

Locomotive Global Media has acquired exclusive Indian rights to adapt All3Media International's acclaimed thriller Boat Story. Directed by Mayank Sharma, known for Breathe, the adaptation aims to blend the original's essence with local flair. The series, originally aired on BBC One and Amazon Freevee, will be tailored for the Indian audience.

Disney Star will be responsible for producing the world feed and broadcasting the event in India as the host broadcaster for the event. This is a continuation of Disney Star’s long-standing endeavour to popularise women’s cricket, which started with the live broadcast of the Women’s World Cup in 2013.

India ranked second globally for Netflix's paid net subscriber additions and third by revenue percentage growth in the June quarter, driven by strong content such as the web series ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’. Netflix's paid net additions reached 8 million in the second quarter, up from 5.9 million in the same period last year. The global paid subscriber base for the streaming giant stood at 278 million.

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is in talks with Adani Group and Torrent Group to sell a controlling stake in the Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise, Gujarat Titans. The three-year-old franchise could be valued at between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. CVC bought the franchise in 2021 for ₹5,625 crore ($745 million at the then-exchange rate).

Collective Artists Network, India’s leading new media entity, has acquired Galleri5, an AI-driven influencer marketing platform. This acquisition aims to enhance their creator and content ecosystem with advanced AI solutions. Earlier acquisitions include Terribly Tiny Tales and Under 25 Universe, emphasizing their commitment to scaling and empowering the digital and creator communities.

On conversion of FCCBs to equity, Zee will issue 1,240 million fully diluted equity shares of ₹1 each to the FCCB holders at the conversion price of ₹160.20 per equity share. The date of issuance of FCCBs was July 16, and the floor price was ₹152.45 per share. The dollar-to-rupee conversion rate has been fixed at ₹83.5658 per US dollar.

Earlier in a filing, the company said the FCCBs would be issued to Resonance Opportunities Fund, St. John's Wood Fund Ltd. and Ebisu Global Opportunities, on terms and conditions mutually decided between the company and the 'proposed' investors.

IN10 Media Network has appointed four senior leaders: Amarpreet Singh Saini as VP of Content & Strategy at Filamchi Bhojpuri, Manish Soni as VP at Ishara, Vinod Rao as VP at Nazara, and Dipti Kalwani as Senior VP of TV and AVOD at Juggernaut Productions. These appointments aim to boost content creation and channel growth.

FIFA is seeking broadcast rights for the 32-team Club World Cup in the U.S., with key teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City participating. The tournament, to be held in June-July, aims to offer substantial prize money to teams. Talks with Apple for global rights reportedly faced challenges, with the European Club Association expressing concerns. The revamped tournament will serve as a rehearsal for the 2026 World Cup in the same U.S. venues.

Over-the-top (OTT) platforms are investing in international content to expand their original content offerings amid audience fragmentation. Disney+ Hotstar has successfully adapted international titles like The Night Manager, Criminal Justice, Aarya, and Bad Cop. JioCinema has launched reality shows like Temptation Island and Bigg Boss OTT, while SonyLIV has adapted Israeli shows like Your Honour and Fauda for the Indian market.

The company, which received a HITS licence from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) on Friday, will undertake its future subscriber expansion through HITS, the official added, requesting anonymity.

India hosts the World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Goa from November 20-24, alongside the International Film Festival of India (Nov 20-28). Announced by I&B Minister Vaishnaw and CM Sawant, it aims to improve IP rights, industry collaboration, and networking in the USD 27.5 billion media sector.

In an advisory dated July 10, the MIB stated that the existing arrangements for provisioning of capacity in C, Ku or Ka frequency bands from foreign satellite operators can be extended till March 31, 2025.

Meghalaya becomes the first State to launch an OTT platform that monetizes youth passion. To cater for the huge youth population base, Government of Meghalaya introduced Hello Meghalaya OTT platform that intends to engage them in productive activities and enable economic growth.

Viacom18's Paris 2024 coverage starts July 26 with 20 4K feeds, free on JioCinema. Featuring Indian and Women Athletes streams and Siddharth Sharma's vision, it airs on Sports18-1 HD in Tamil and Telugu. Olympians include Sakshi Malik, Sania Mirza, Viren Rasquinha, Vijender Singh, Somdev Devvarman, Murali Sreeshankar, Parupalli Kashyap, and Atanu Das.

Tata Play has expanded its global reach by partnering with Akash Digital TV in Bangladesh to offer its white label solution, Tata Play Binge. This collaboration allows Akash Digital TV to utilise Tata Play's Cloud technology, simplifying content access for OTT aggregators. Tata Play aims to enhance its platform internationally and generate revenue by providing end-to-end development opportunities for OTT aggregators worldwide.

TV broadcasters are preparing to challenge the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India's (Trai) directive legally. The directive mandates that pay channels available on DD Free Dish must be free to other distributors. Sources familiar with the situation revealed this information.

​​In 2016, when Instagram launched Stories — a version of Snapchat’s offering with the same name — it was a gentler, kinder world. So, having “Stories [that] allow you to share everyday moments and grow closer to the people and interests you care about” — as Instagram describes the feature on its ‘About’ page — probably seemed harmless.

The Delhi Film Policy, launched in 2022, is designed to promote the city as a vibrant and attractive film shooting destination. Bollywood movie 12th Fail is likely to be the first feature film to benefit under this initiative.

Viacom18 sets mobile ad rates equal to TV for Paris Olympics 2024, priced at Rs 1,40,000 per 10 seconds. Free streaming on JioCinema, with sponsor outlays of Rs 20 crore. Broadcasting in multiple languages with 18 live feeds.

India TV chairman Rajat Sharma has been elected as the new president of the News Broadcasters & Digital Association, succeeding Avinash Pandey. Sharma emphasizes the need for unity in facing industry challenges and ensuring a free and fair news environment for media operations in India.

GT20 Canada: Fans in India can catch all the action of the upcoming GT20 Canada, starting July 25 exclusively on Star Sports. The league features top T20 players like Babar Azam and Shaheen Shah Afridi. With 21 league games in 13 days, the tournament aims to boost cricket's popularity in North America. Star Sports' collaboration with GT20 Canada ensures world-class cricket entertainment for Indian viewers.

Ultimate Table Tennis (UTT) partners with Viacom18 to broadcast UTT 2024 in Chennai from August 22 to September 7. Matches can be streamed on JioCinema and shown on Sports18 Network. The fifth season features eight teams including new additions Ahmedabad SG Pipers and Jaipur Patriots, with top Indian and global players competing.

The animation stated, "Cartoon Network is essentially dead and other big animation studios are not far behind. What happened to all the animation workers? Many are unemployed in record numbers, with some jobless for over a year, despite carrying the industry during the pandemic. When Covid first hit, animation was able to operate completely remotely, making it one of the only forms of entertainment that could continue production uninterrupted. But studios repaid them by cancelling projects, outsourcing jobs, and laying off artists en masse."

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued tariff orders and interconnection regulations to reduce the regulatory burden on distribution platform operators (DPOs) amidst the migration of pay-TV customers to other platforms. The regulator has lifted the cap on network capacity fee (NCF) and brought it under forbearance to allow DPOs the ability to charge customers based on their paying capacity. Earlier, the cap on NCF was Rs 130 for 200 channels and Rs 160 for over 200 channels.

PVR Inox and Amazon Pay have joined forces to enhance payment options for moviegoers in India. Customers can now enjoy secure transactions using Amazon Pay's solutions including UPI, Amazon Pay Balance, and Amazon Pay Later. The partnership aims to provide a convenient and rewarding experience for cinema enthusiasts.

Banijay Asia has partnered with All3Media International to create an Indian adaptation of the award-winning series *The Tourist*, originally produced by Two Brothers Pictures. This collaboration aims to bring a unique blend of mystery and suspense to Indian audiences, retaining the essence of the original while infusing it with Indian cultural elements. Banijay Asia’s Mrinalini Jain and All3Media’s Sabrina Duguet expressed excitement about the project, highlighting Banijay Asia’s success with previous adaptations and their confidence in delivering a high-quality version of this globally acclaimed thriller.

Despite the Indian Premier League and the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in 2023, four private direct-to-home (DTH) operators in India lost 3.28 million active subscribers in the fiscal year ending March 2024. Free streaming of the events by JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, along with price hikes by broadcasters, led to the decline. Competition from OTT platforms and Prasar Bharati-owned DD Free Dish also contributed to the drop in subscribers.

The domination of regional films at India's box office has become significant, as their share in total box office collections rose from 40.3% in the June 2023 quarter to 56.8% in the June 2024 quarter. Despite a steady overall box office collection of ₹1,798 crore in the June 2024 quarter compared to ₹1,796 crore in the same period of the previous year, the share of Hindi films in the total collections has declined from 41.3% to 35.1%.

Spotify India LLP's net loss declined 26% to ₹344 crore in FY23. Revenue rose 86% to ₹167 crore while expenses fell 9% to ₹504 crore. Subscriptions increased 66%, ad revenue 91%. Entered India 2019, contends with JioSaavn, Amazon Prime Music, and Apple Music. Globally, Spotify has 615 million users. Data from Tofler; FY24 unfiled.

Culver Max Entertainment, operating Sony Sports Network, acquired India TV rights for Major League Cricket 2024. JioCinema retains streaming rights. The second edition starts with reigning champions MI New York vs. Seattle Orcas. The final is in Texas on July 29.