Key Highlights
- JioStar merges JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar for a huge content library
- It offers Bollywood, global shows, and IPL sports
- Reliance holds the majority stake
With the creation of JioStar.com by Disney Star and Reliance Industries, a significant shift in India’s digital streaming market is imminent. This new platform, which will combine the best features of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, is scheduled to officially launch today, November 14, 2024. The “coming soon” page on JioStar.com is already operational, giving a preview of what’s to come. The portal aims to combine local favorites from JioCinema with popular international Disney films.
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JioStar Merger: Features
- Massive Content Library: Viewers can access over 125,000 hours of movies, TV shows, sports, and international content. Popular series like Game of Thrones, Grey’s Anatomy, and Modern Family will all be available under one subscription.
- Sports Content: JioStar will include content rights for the IPL, one of India’s most popular sporting events, which will continue to be available on Disney+ Hotstar.
- Platform Vision and Performance Upgrades: JioStar aims to deliver a seamless user experience, integrating JioCinema’s local content with Disney’s globally recognized shows. Addressing past performance issues, JioCinema will also be upgrading its tech stack to ensure smoother streaming, especially during live events.
Management and Leadership
Nita Ambani will chair the joint venture, with Uday Shankar as vice-chairperson. Co-CEOs Kevin Vaz and Kiran Mani will lead operations, and the legal and distribution teams will be managed by Viacom18’s Anil Lale and Piyush Goyal, respectively.
Investment and Ownership
Valued at around Rs. 70,000 crores, the merger gives Reliance a controlling stake of 63.16%, while Disney holds 36.84%. Reliance has also pledged Rs. 11,500 crores to help JioStar compete with streaming giants like Netflix and Sony.
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Approval and Regulation
The merger has been approved by the National Company Law Tribunal and the Competition Commission of India. As part of the CCI’s directive to address monopolistic concerns, it was suggested that certain channels, such as Colors Marathi and Star Jalsha Movies, be divested.
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