Revered Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and ace Indian soccer player Bhaichung Bhutia are among the subjects of projects selected at the inaugural edition of India’s Doc Film Bazaar.
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount Global has sold its 13% ownership stake in Indian TV and streaming company Viacom18 to Reliance Industries for $517 million. Reliance was already the majority owner of Viacom18.
The pact comes two weeks after Disney and Reliance Industries announced a blockbuster $8.5 billion deal merging their massive Indian TV and streaming businesses. As part of that agreement, Reliance’s Viacom18 is merging with Disney’s Star India.
On March 13, Paramount Global entered an agreement with Reliance Industries to sell Paramount’s entire 13.01% equity interest in Viacom18 for the equivalent to approximately $517 million based on the current foreign exchange rate, according to a filing with the SEC on Wednesday.
Bodhi Tree, a company controlled by former Disney India chair Uday Shankar and James Murdoch, owns 15.97% of Viacom18.
Viacom18 calls itself “one of India’s fastest growing entertainment networks.” The business includes a portfolio of 38 channels across general entertainment, movies, sports, youth, music and kids genres.
The pact comes two weeks after Disney and Reliance Industries announced a blockbuster $8.5 billion deal merging their massive Indian TV and streaming businesses. As part of that agreement, Reliance’s Viacom18 is merging with Disney’s Star India.
On March 13, Paramount Global entered an agreement with Reliance Industries to sell Paramount’s entire 13.01% equity interest in Viacom18 for the equivalent to approximately $517 million based on the current foreign exchange rate, according to a filing with the SEC on Wednesday.
Bodhi Tree, a company controlled by former Disney India chair Uday Shankar and James Murdoch, owns 15.97% of Viacom18.
Viacom18 calls itself “one of India’s fastest growing entertainment networks.” The business includes a portfolio of 38 channels across general entertainment, movies, sports, youth, music and kids genres.
- 3/13/2024
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount Global has sold its 13% equity interest in Viacom18 Media to Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries for the equivalent $517 million.
The close of the transaction, revealed in an SEC filing, is subject to regulatory approval and the completion of a previously announced joint venture involving Reliance, Viacom18 and Star Disney.
After the closing, Paramount will continue to license its content to Viacom18.
The move provides the Bob Bakish led, Shari Redstone-owned company, struggling with high debt and streaming losses, with an infusion of fresh cash. It’s in line with Paramount’s strategy of divesting assets it considers non-core as it has with publisher Simon & Schuster, mixed martial arts promoter Bellator, real estate and other businesses. Layoffs in February impacted about 800 U.S. employees. It remains the subject of ongoing M&a speculation with David Ellison’s Skydance to rival media groups to private equity.
Disney and Reliance late last...
The close of the transaction, revealed in an SEC filing, is subject to regulatory approval and the completion of a previously announced joint venture involving Reliance, Viacom18 and Star Disney.
After the closing, Paramount will continue to license its content to Viacom18.
The move provides the Bob Bakish led, Shari Redstone-owned company, struggling with high debt and streaming losses, with an infusion of fresh cash. It’s in line with Paramount’s strategy of divesting assets it considers non-core as it has with publisher Simon & Schuster, mixed martial arts promoter Bellator, real estate and other businesses. Layoffs in February impacted about 800 U.S. employees. It remains the subject of ongoing M&a speculation with David Ellison’s Skydance to rival media groups to private equity.
Disney and Reliance late last...
- 3/13/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Paramount Global could be set for change in the tough Indian media market.
A Bloomberg report, citing unnamed sources, claims the MTV and Comedy Central owner is in talks with Reliance Industries to sell its stake in their channels and streaming venture, Viacom18.
This would allow Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man, to consolidate his media assets as his conglom Reliance Industries prepares to form its new merged venture with Disney India.
Reliance already majority controls Viacom18, whose JioCinema has been one of the most consistent challengers to Disney’s streamer, Disney+ Hotstar, in India. Viacom18 also operates channels such as Colors, Comedy Central and MTV and has a production-distribution wing, Viacom18 Studios.
Bloomberg reported that talks over the 13% may not result in a deal, but are ongoing. A sale would bag Paramount, has been looking to reduce debts and cut spending internationally, around $550M.
Reliance is set to indirectly...
A Bloomberg report, citing unnamed sources, claims the MTV and Comedy Central owner is in talks with Reliance Industries to sell its stake in their channels and streaming venture, Viacom18.
This would allow Mukesh Ambani, India’s richest man, to consolidate his media assets as his conglom Reliance Industries prepares to form its new merged venture with Disney India.
Reliance already majority controls Viacom18, whose JioCinema has been one of the most consistent challengers to Disney’s streamer, Disney+ Hotstar, in India. Viacom18 also operates channels such as Colors, Comedy Central and MTV and has a production-distribution wing, Viacom18 Studios.
Bloomberg reported that talks over the 13% may not result in a deal, but are ongoing. A sale would bag Paramount, has been looking to reduce debts and cut spending internationally, around $550M.
Reliance is set to indirectly...
- 3/7/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney has taken another big step toward realigning its India strategy. The company has signed a non-binding term sheet with Reliance Industries that would see the two merge their Indian operations, the completion of which would create one of India’s biggest entertainment empires. The news was first reported by The Economic Times.
Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.
The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.
The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.
Under the terms, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance group would own 51% of the merged entity through a combination of shares and cash. Disney would hold the remaining 49% of shares.
The term sheet was finalized at a meeting last week in London that saw Bob Iger advisor Kevin Mayer representing Disney and Ambani advisor Manoj Modi there for Reliance. According to the Economic Times, the duo has been working for months on terms.
The merger deal is expected to be completed by February, even though Reliance is said to be hoping to wrap it up in late January.
- 12/26/2023
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: JioCinema is heading to Temptation Island.
An Indian version of the Banijay format has been in the works for some time now and we can now reveal Viacom18’s streamer has snapped up the evergreen dating format and is preparing to launch the show.
JioCinema hopes the show will replicate the success it has had with Bigg Boss, the long-running Indian version for Big Brother, following a deal with distributor Banijay.
The format sees couples put their relationship to the test in an enchanting tropical paradise. As in other versions, they’ll be tempted to sever their ties and explore new romances as they willfully separate and immerse themselves in an environment filled with allure. JioCinema said the format’s “focus on relationships and human emotions… is expected to strike a chord with Indian viewers, offering them a unique and compelling viewing experience.”
We’ve known the show was...
An Indian version of the Banijay format has been in the works for some time now and we can now reveal Viacom18’s streamer has snapped up the evergreen dating format and is preparing to launch the show.
JioCinema hopes the show will replicate the success it has had with Bigg Boss, the long-running Indian version for Big Brother, following a deal with distributor Banijay.
The format sees couples put their relationship to the test in an enchanting tropical paradise. As in other versions, they’ll be tempted to sever their ties and explore new romances as they willfully separate and immerse themselves in an environment filled with allure. JioCinema said the format’s “focus on relationships and human emotions… is expected to strike a chord with Indian viewers, offering them a unique and compelling viewing experience.”
We’ve known the show was...
- 10/5/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Uday Shankar, the former head of Disney in India, says that “limitless” changes to the Indian media landscape may soon leave behind conventional ideas of television and video.
The great disruptor is JioCinema, part of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries conglomerate, and in which Shankar is a major investor. JioCinema, which operates streaming services, and is allied with Viacom18, sits alongside the cluster of Jio companies that have, in just a matter of years, exploded the cellular telephony business in India and are doing the same with broadband internet access and video.
“JioCinema is trying to lead the development of video. The limitations of television have been exposed now, though some people refuse to see them,” said Shankar this week, speaking at the Apos convention in Indonesia. “The data revolution gave us opportunity.”
He explained that the recent arrival of mobile broadband meant that for half of the Indian population,...
The great disruptor is JioCinema, part of Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries conglomerate, and in which Shankar is a major investor. JioCinema, which operates streaming services, and is allied with Viacom18, sits alongside the cluster of Jio companies that have, in just a matter of years, exploded the cellular telephony business in India and are doing the same with broadband internet access and video.
“JioCinema is trying to lead the development of video. The limitations of television have been exposed now, though some people refuse to see them,” said Shankar this week, speaking at the Apos convention in Indonesia. “The data revolution gave us opportunity.”
He explained that the recent arrival of mobile broadband meant that for half of the Indian population,...
- 9/29/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Bodhi Tree Systems co-founder and former Disney Apac chief Uday Shankar outlined how his new venture – along with Reliance’s JioCinema – is building an alternative to legacy media in one of the world’s fastest-growing markets, on the first day of Media Partners Asia’s Apos conference in Bali, Indonesia.
Talking to MPA executive director Vivek Couto, Shankar recounted how Reliance Jio created a “fundamental digital revolution” in India with the introduction of low-cost data plans in 2016.
“I was created by and love television, but its limitations have been exposed for a long time,” said Shankar, who headed Star India before serving as president of The Walt Disney Co Apac until 2020.
He is now invested in the next stage of India’s media evolution through his partnership with James Murdoch in Bodhi Tree Systems – part of a consortium of investors that are building out the JioCinema streaming service.
Over the past few years,...
Talking to MPA executive director Vivek Couto, Shankar recounted how Reliance Jio created a “fundamental digital revolution” in India with the introduction of low-cost data plans in 2016.
“I was created by and love television, but its limitations have been exposed for a long time,” said Shankar, who headed Star India before serving as president of The Walt Disney Co Apac until 2020.
He is now invested in the next stage of India’s media evolution through his partnership with James Murdoch in Bodhi Tree Systems – part of a consortium of investors that are building out the JioCinema streaming service.
Over the past few years,...
- 9/27/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Disney is planning to offer free cricket on smartphones and tablets in India as it fights back against subscriber loss at its Indian streaming service Disney+ Hotstar.
The company will stream live matches of the Asia Cup from August 30, as well as the World Cup, which is being hosted by India, in October and November.
Described by Disney+ Hotstar head Sajith Sivanandan as a new “hybrid model,” the strategy is aimed at boosting advertising revenues by increasing the volume of smartphone users accessing the service for free, while at the same time pulling in new subscribers for its paid plans.
Disney+ Hotstar is Disney’s biggest streaming service globally in terms of users, but started shedding subscribers after losing the Indian Premier League Cricket (Ipl) to JioCinema in a $2.9Bn deal last year. JioCinema is jointly owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, Paramount Global and James Murdoch and...
The company will stream live matches of the Asia Cup from August 30, as well as the World Cup, which is being hosted by India, in October and November.
Described by Disney+ Hotstar head Sajith Sivanandan as a new “hybrid model,” the strategy is aimed at boosting advertising revenues by increasing the volume of smartphone users accessing the service for free, while at the same time pulling in new subscribers for its paid plans.
Disney+ Hotstar is Disney’s biggest streaming service globally in terms of users, but started shedding subscribers after losing the Indian Premier League Cricket (Ipl) to JioCinema in a $2.9Bn deal last year. JioCinema is jointly owned by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio, Paramount Global and James Murdoch and...
- 8/29/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
Media Partners Asia has announced the full line-up of speakers for its Apos Summit in Bali, which includes Canal+ Group’s Asia Pacific chief Manuel Rougeron, Bodhi Tree Systems director Uday Shankar and Amazon Prime Video head of international Kelly Day.
Canal+ Group recently acquired a 26% stake in Asian regional streamer Viu, which will also be present at the Asia-focused media, tech, telecoms and streaming conference, with Viu CEO Janice Lee among the confirmed speakers.
The heavy duty roster also includes Warner Bros Discovery CEO and president, Global Streaming, Jb Perrette; Paramount president & CEO, International, Pam Kaufman; Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakatomo; BBC Studios’ SVP & Gm Phil Hardman; Candle Media co-ceo and founder Kevin Mayer; Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany; Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby; and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at Indian streamer SonyLIV.
Leading figures from the tech world include Animoca Brands executive chairman Yat Siu...
Canal+ Group recently acquired a 26% stake in Asian regional streamer Viu, which will also be present at the Asia-focused media, tech, telecoms and streaming conference, with Viu CEO Janice Lee among the confirmed speakers.
The heavy duty roster also includes Warner Bros Discovery CEO and president, Global Streaming, Jb Perrette; Paramount president & CEO, International, Pam Kaufman; Netflix Japan vice president of content Kaata Sakatomo; BBC Studios’ SVP & Gm Phil Hardman; Candle Media co-ceo and founder Kevin Mayer; Foxtel CEO Patrick Delany; Nine Entertainment CEO Mike Sneesby; and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content at Indian streamer SonyLIV.
Leading figures from the tech world include Animoca Brands executive chairman Yat Siu...
- 8/17/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
MIPCOM Keynote Speaker
Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros. Discovery, will give the opening keynote at the 39th edition of TV market Mipcom, which runs Oct. 16-19 in Cannes.
Zeiler is expected to share insight into Wbd’s transformation post-merger as well as lay out the company’s worldwide content and streaming strategy.
Zeiler’s responsibilities for Wbd span strategic oversight of brands and joint responsibility for direct-to-consumer activity (including streaming service Max) across more than 220 markets. He is also responsible for local theatrical production, acquisitions, and country and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Zeiler said: “Our industry is facing heightened disruption and undergoing a process of transformation. These are times of change but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to architect the media ecosystem for the next generation. I’m looking forward to speaking at Mipcom about...
Gerhard Zeiler, president of international at Warner Bros. Discovery, will give the opening keynote at the 39th edition of TV market Mipcom, which runs Oct. 16-19 in Cannes.
Zeiler is expected to share insight into Wbd’s transformation post-merger as well as lay out the company’s worldwide content and streaming strategy.
Zeiler’s responsibilities for Wbd span strategic oversight of brands and joint responsibility for direct-to-consumer activity (including streaming service Max) across more than 220 markets. He is also responsible for local theatrical production, acquisitions, and country and region-specific networks and businesses in Latin America, Europe, Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific.
Zeiler said: “Our industry is facing heightened disruption and undergoing a process of transformation. These are times of change but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to architect the media ecosystem for the next generation. I’m looking forward to speaking at Mipcom about...
- 8/4/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
You can add India to the long list of complicated strategic issues for Bob Iger to figure out during his newly extended second term as CEO of Disney.
Analysts reacted favorably Wednesday to a report in The Wall Street Journal that Disney has begun a review of its Star India business, which includes the possibility of a sale or joint venture. The company reportedly held discussions recently with at least one bank about options for helping the India business grow while offloading some of the costs.
A source with knowledge of the talks at Disney tells The Hollywood Reporter that the strategic recalibration is in its very early stages, however, and any deal option is far from imminent. Murmurs about a potential shake-up coming to Disney’s local leadership have been circulating through the Indian industry of late too. When contacted directly by THR, Disney declined to comment.
Disney’s...
Analysts reacted favorably Wednesday to a report in The Wall Street Journal that Disney has begun a review of its Star India business, which includes the possibility of a sale or joint venture. The company reportedly held discussions recently with at least one bank about options for helping the India business grow while offloading some of the costs.
A source with knowledge of the talks at Disney tells The Hollywood Reporter that the strategic recalibration is in its very early stages, however, and any deal option is far from imminent. Murmurs about a potential shake-up coming to Disney’s local leadership have been circulating through the Indian industry of late too. When contacted directly by THR, Disney declined to comment.
Disney’s...
- 7/13/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski and Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCUniversal has entered into a partnership with Indian streaming service JioCinema, owned by Viacom18, bringing thousands of hours of NBCU films and series to India.
JioCinema also recently signed a deal with Warner Bros Discovery for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros content in India starting this month.
NBCU’s programming will streamed in a Peacock branded hub starting next month on JioCinema’s newly announced ‘JioCinema Premium’ SVOD tier.
The deal includes content from across Comcast NBCUniversal’s production entities and brands, including Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios, Universal Television Alternative Studio, Sky Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Bravo.
First run shows on offer to Indian viewers will include Young Rock, thriller The Lazarus Project; and dark romantic comedy The Lovers.
Indian audiences will also be offered Peacock Originals including Bel-Air, a reimagining of the ‘90s comedy series that starred Will Smith; Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin,...
JioCinema also recently signed a deal with Warner Bros Discovery for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros content in India starting this month.
NBCU’s programming will streamed in a Peacock branded hub starting next month on JioCinema’s newly announced ‘JioCinema Premium’ SVOD tier.
The deal includes content from across Comcast NBCUniversal’s production entities and brands, including Universal Television, UCP, Universal International Studios, Universal Television Alternative Studio, Sky Studios, DreamWorks Animation, Universal Pictures, Focus Features and Bravo.
First run shows on offer to Indian viewers will include Young Rock, thriller The Lazarus Project; and dark romantic comedy The Lovers.
Indian audiences will also be offered Peacock Originals including Bel-Air, a reimagining of the ‘90s comedy series that starred Will Smith; Pitch Perfect: Bumper In Berlin,...
- 5/29/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
New Delhi, May 3 (Ians) Allen Career Institute on Wednesday announced the appointment of Nitin Kukreja as its new CEO, as the premier coaching institute aims to deliver a digital-first consumer experience at scale.
Allen plans to further scale its digital team based in Bengaluru to 200 by the end of the year, expanding its reach from 3 lakh to 2.5 crore students.
In June last year, Allen Career Institute had announced to foray into the online edtech space, launching its maiden digital arm, Allen Digital Pvt. Ltd.
“Kukreja is a values-driven leader with exceptional strategic capabilities and strong experience in scaling businesses. We look forward to him helping realise the full potential of Allen’s pioneering position and its 35-year-old legacy,” said Brajesh Maheshwari, Chairman, Allen Career Institute.
In April last year, Allen raised $600 million from Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform by former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and ex-Disney executive Uday Shankar.
Allen plans to further scale its digital team based in Bengaluru to 200 by the end of the year, expanding its reach from 3 lakh to 2.5 crore students.
In June last year, Allen Career Institute had announced to foray into the online edtech space, launching its maiden digital arm, Allen Digital Pvt. Ltd.
“Kukreja is a values-driven leader with exceptional strategic capabilities and strong experience in scaling businesses. We look forward to him helping realise the full potential of Allen’s pioneering position and its 35-year-old legacy,” said Brajesh Maheshwari, Chairman, Allen Career Institute.
In April last year, Allen raised $600 million from Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform by former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and ex-Disney executive Uday Shankar.
- 5/3/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming plans in India have come into focus. The studio unveiled a multiyear deal Thursday with Viacom18 that will make the Indian entertainment giant’s JioCinema streaming platform the new online home of thousands of hours of film and TV content from HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros.
Wbd content was previously licensed in India by Disney’s Star TV, but that deal expired in March. Wbd and Viacom18 say their new partnership, which begins in May, includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear. And users will be able to watch HBO Original, Max Original and Warner Bros. Television series on JioCinema on the same day as their U.S. release.
The new deal adds to growing market sway of Viacom18’s streaming channels, which in 2022 acquired all digital rights for five years to Indian Premier League cricket, India’s most popular sporting event by far.
Wbd content was previously licensed in India by Disney’s Star TV, but that deal expired in March. Wbd and Viacom18 say their new partnership, which begins in May, includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear. And users will be able to watch HBO Original, Max Original and Warner Bros. Television series on JioCinema on the same day as their U.S. release.
The new deal adds to growing market sway of Viacom18’s streaming channels, which in 2022 acquired all digital rights for five years to Indian Premier League cricket, India’s most popular sporting event by far.
- 4/27/2023
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warner Bros Discovery has signed a multi-year licensing deal with Viacom18 under which its JioCinema service will become the new streaming home of HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros content in India starting next month.
The partnership, which includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear, covers HBO series such as House Of The Dragon, The Last Of Us, Succession and The White Lotus; Max Original series including And Just Like That…, Peacemaker and The Flight Attendant; and upcoming Warner Bros movies and library titles including Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings and the DC Universe movies.
The deal with JioCinema replaces the streaming partnership that Warner Bros Discovery previously had with Disney+ Hotstar for India, which came to an end on March 31, when Disney opted to not renew the long-term licensing pact.
Although English-language product is considered niche in India, its reach is growing according to recent research, and...
The partnership, which includes exclusive content rights across digital and linear, covers HBO series such as House Of The Dragon, The Last Of Us, Succession and The White Lotus; Max Original series including And Just Like That…, Peacemaker and The Flight Attendant; and upcoming Warner Bros movies and library titles including Harry Potter, Lord Of The Rings and the DC Universe movies.
The deal with JioCinema replaces the streaming partnership that Warner Bros Discovery previously had with Disney+ Hotstar for India, which came to an end on March 31, when Disney opted to not renew the long-term licensing pact.
Although English-language product is considered niche in India, its reach is growing according to recent research, and...
- 4/27/2023
- by Liz Shackleton
- Deadline Film + TV
A set of transactions to super-charge Indian TV and streaming company Viacom18 — a joint venture of conglomerate Reliance Industries and Paramount Global, with the financial backing of Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform set up by James Murdoch and media exec Uday Shankar — has closed.
Murdoch’s Bodhi, whose investors include the Qatar Investment Authority, has added Comcast’s NBCUniversal Media to its financial backers, according to reports. But it also cut its investment in Viacom18 from an originally targeted $1.78 billion, now worth around $1.69 billion, to about $528 million.
Reuters cited a source as blaming the shortfall on a funding squeeze due to a broader dealmaking slowdown. Asian media reports also cited broader market trends as a factor, but said Bodhi Tree continues to plan to raise the rest from investors.
Viacom18 is still set to get $1.89 billion in growth funding. “The partnership will enable Viacom18 to innovate and disrupt the media and entertainment sector,...
Murdoch’s Bodhi, whose investors include the Qatar Investment Authority, has added Comcast’s NBCUniversal Media to its financial backers, according to reports. But it also cut its investment in Viacom18 from an originally targeted $1.78 billion, now worth around $1.69 billion, to about $528 million.
Reuters cited a source as blaming the shortfall on a funding squeeze due to a broader dealmaking slowdown. Asian media reports also cited broader market trends as a factor, but said Bodhi Tree continues to plan to raise the rest from investors.
Viacom18 is still set to get $1.89 billion in growth funding. “The partnership will enable Viacom18 to innovate and disrupt the media and entertainment sector,...
- 4/14/2023
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
NBCU and Sky owner Comcast has invested in James Murdoch’s Bodhi Tree Systems, which in turn is becoming a key player in a new-look Viacom18.
Comcast-owned company NBCUniversal Media has paid an undisclosed amount for a shareholding in Bodhi Tree, which former Fox CEO Murdoch launched with ex-Star and Disney India Chairman Uday Shankar launched last year. The Competition Commission of India approved the investment on Wednesday.
Bodhi Tree has used some of this to finance a minority shareholding in Indian media group Viacom18, which is now under a new shareholding structure, following the completion of a planned partnership with Mukesh Ambani’s conglom Reliance Industries and Paramount Global that completed yesterday.
In effect, the trio has merged locally to create a major TV and films player. Notably, Reliance’s streaming and pay-tv service JioCinema integrated into TV channels and streaming operator Viacom18. JioCinema owns the rights to the...
Comcast-owned company NBCUniversal Media has paid an undisclosed amount for a shareholding in Bodhi Tree, which former Fox CEO Murdoch launched with ex-Star and Disney India Chairman Uday Shankar launched last year. The Competition Commission of India approved the investment on Wednesday.
Bodhi Tree has used some of this to finance a minority shareholding in Indian media group Viacom18, which is now under a new shareholding structure, following the completion of a planned partnership with Mukesh Ambani’s conglom Reliance Industries and Paramount Global that completed yesterday.
In effect, the trio has merged locally to create a major TV and films player. Notably, Reliance’s streaming and pay-tv service JioCinema integrated into TV channels and streaming operator Viacom18. JioCinema owns the rights to the...
- 4/14/2023
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Comcast, the conglomerate behind NBCUniversal and the Sky European TV giant, is to invest $200 million in Bodhi Tree Systems, a company headed by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, a former head of Disney in India.
The move was approved by the Competition Commission of India on Wednesday. The funds will be directed to buying a small minority stake in Indian media group Viacom18.
The move is part of a complicated series of transactions that bind Viacom18 ever closer to Reliance Industries, the petroleum to telecoms conglomerate controlled by Mukesh Ambani which is now upending Indian media with its Jio cellular, broadband internet and streaming companies.
Bodhi Tree, which was also behind Viacom18’s nearly $3 billion bid for digital rights to the Indian Premier League cricket tournament, has a commitment to invest a total of $1.69 billion into Viacom18, with $538 million as an initial tranche.
Bodhi Tree’s current transaction is reported...
The move was approved by the Competition Commission of India on Wednesday. The funds will be directed to buying a small minority stake in Indian media group Viacom18.
The move is part of a complicated series of transactions that bind Viacom18 ever closer to Reliance Industries, the petroleum to telecoms conglomerate controlled by Mukesh Ambani which is now upending Indian media with its Jio cellular, broadband internet and streaming companies.
Bodhi Tree, which was also behind Viacom18’s nearly $3 billion bid for digital rights to the Indian Premier League cricket tournament, has a commitment to invest a total of $1.69 billion into Viacom18, with $538 million as an initial tranche.
Bodhi Tree’s current transaction is reported...
- 4/14/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Mumbai, April 13 (Ians) Viacom18 on Wednesday announced that following the sanction by National Company Law Tribunal (Nclt) Mumbai, the scheme of merger of Reliance Storage Limited with itself has become effective. Viacom18 has as a result allotted shares to Bodhi Tree Systems and Ril group entities as consideration for the scheme of merger.
Upon consummation of this merger, (i) the integration of JioCinema into Viacom18 has been completed; and (ii) Viacom18 has access to Rs 15,145 crore of cash for its planned growth, comprising Rs 10,839 crore contributed
by Ril group entities and Rs 4,306 crore by Bodhi Tree Systems. The Qatar Investment Authority (Qia), which is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar, is an investor in Bodhi Tree Systems.
As a consequence of the closing of these transactions, the shareholding of Viacom18 will be:
(a) Equity: TV18, 50.994 per cent; Paramount Global, 48.994 per cent; Bodhi Tree, 0.011 per cent.
(b) Ccps: Ril group entities,...
Upon consummation of this merger, (i) the integration of JioCinema into Viacom18 has been completed; and (ii) Viacom18 has access to Rs 15,145 crore of cash for its planned growth, comprising Rs 10,839 crore contributed
by Ril group entities and Rs 4,306 crore by Bodhi Tree Systems. The Qatar Investment Authority (Qia), which is the sovereign wealth fund of the State of Qatar, is an investor in Bodhi Tree Systems.
As a consequence of the closing of these transactions, the shareholding of Viacom18 will be:
(a) Equity: TV18, 50.994 per cent; Paramount Global, 48.994 per cent; Bodhi Tree, 0.011 per cent.
(b) Ccps: Ril group entities,...
- 4/13/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
New Delhi, Jan 1 (Ians) Private Equity-Venture Capital (Pe-vc) firms investments in India fell by 29 per cent in 2022 compared to the record highs of 2021. Pe-Vc firms invested 46 billion in Indian companies in 2022, compared to 65 billion in the previous year, according to Venture Intelligence.
India minted a total of 21 unicorn companies (Vc-funded startups valued at 1 billion or more) in 2022, 18 of them during the first six months of 2022 and less than half the 44 Unicorns minted in 2021.
In fact, the final quarter of 2022 did not see any new unicorns being created. SaaS companies accounted for 29 per cent of all the new unicorns in 2022, followed by Fintech companies with 19 per cent. Overall, unicorn startups in India attracted 9.8 billion worth of investments in 2022, down by 61 per cent compared to the previous year (which saw 25 billion invested in unicorn startups).
2022 witnessed 111 mega deals (100 M+ rounds) worth 31 billion, compared to 152 such investments worth 50.3 billion in 2021. Qatar...
India minted a total of 21 unicorn companies (Vc-funded startups valued at 1 billion or more) in 2022, 18 of them during the first six months of 2022 and less than half the 44 Unicorns minted in 2021.
In fact, the final quarter of 2022 did not see any new unicorns being created. SaaS companies accounted for 29 per cent of all the new unicorns in 2022, followed by Fintech companies with 19 per cent. Overall, unicorn startups in India attracted 9.8 billion worth of investments in 2022, down by 61 per cent compared to the previous year (which saw 25 billion invested in unicorn startups).
2022 witnessed 111 mega deals (100 M+ rounds) worth 31 billion, compared to 152 such investments worth 50.3 billion in 2021. Qatar...
- 1/1/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
New Delhi, Oct 6 (Ians) Viacom18 Sports on Thursday announced that JioCinema will live-stream all the matches of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, set to happen from November 20 to December 18, for free.
Apart from this, the TV broadcast of the marquee tournament will happen on Sports18 – 1 Sd & HD channels.
The 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup will see most matches played in India primetime slots like 18:30, 20:30 and 21:30 Ist. Group stage primetime matches in the showpiece tournament will include key clashes like defending champions France up against Denmark, apart from England vs Iran, Portugal vs Ghana, Brazil vs Switzerland, and Croatia vs Belgium.
“Viacom18 Sports’ multi-platform presentation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be immersive, personalised and offer viewers exclusive experiences on JioCinema. We want consumers to have easy access to world-class production across digital and linear platforms (on Sports 18) to match the event’s stature.”
“Our efforts...
Apart from this, the TV broadcast of the marquee tournament will happen on Sports18 – 1 Sd & HD channels.
The 2022 edition of the FIFA World Cup will see most matches played in India primetime slots like 18:30, 20:30 and 21:30 Ist. Group stage primetime matches in the showpiece tournament will include key clashes like defending champions France up against Denmark, apart from England vs Iran, Portugal vs Ghana, Brazil vs Switzerland, and Croatia vs Belgium.
“Viacom18 Sports’ multi-platform presentation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be immersive, personalised and offer viewers exclusive experiences on JioCinema. We want consumers to have easy access to world-class production across digital and linear platforms (on Sports 18) to match the event’s stature.”
“Our efforts...
- 10/6/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
5G is going to roll out across India from Oct. 1 and Reliance Jio, the country’s leading mobile service operator with 413 million subscribers, will be at the forefront of it. The move could have a transformational effect.
The 5G rollout in India will happen via Jio Platforms, the digital services arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. In August, during the Reliance annual general meeting, Ambani told shareholders that the rollout would be complete by Dec. 2023 and that infrastructure investment would be INR2 trillion (25 billion).
A majority of Indians watch streaming content on mobile devices. Fixed broadband penetration in the country is low and Reliance aims to fix this with Jio AirFiber, which uses 5G to provide fiber-quality connectivity over the air.
“We have to think and reimagine 5G for India,” Saurabh Sancheti, group CFO of Jio Platforms, said at the Apos conference in Singapore on Wednesday. Sancheti is...
The 5G rollout in India will happen via Jio Platforms, the digital services arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries. In August, during the Reliance annual general meeting, Ambani told shareholders that the rollout would be complete by Dec. 2023 and that infrastructure investment would be INR2 trillion (25 billion).
A majority of Indians watch streaming content on mobile devices. Fixed broadband penetration in the country is low and Reliance aims to fix this with Jio AirFiber, which uses 5G to provide fiber-quality connectivity over the air.
“We have to think and reimagine 5G for India,” Saurabh Sancheti, group CFO of Jio Platforms, said at the Apos conference in Singapore on Wednesday. Sancheti is...
- 9/28/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
By numbers, her work in the Hindi film industry seems quite scanty — at 33 films in around a decade and a half. But the statistics fail to reveal that, save around five, all were box-office hits, and some of them broke new ground, making her one of the most popular and successful actresses of all times — and a fashion icon too.
Though she struck gold right from her debut as female lead, and went on to become an “in demand” actress for everything, from frothy romances to tear-jerkers, Sadhana is most remembered for her trademark hairstyle — the famous “Sadhana cut” of fringes or short bangs (itself inspired by the elfin and charming Audrey Hepburn) — and pioneering form-fitting kurtas and churidar pyjamas.
But in her comparatively limited outings, Sadhana, who was born on this day in 1941, showcased her acting prowess. She could essay roles of a rich heiress to a village belle...
Though she struck gold right from her debut as female lead, and went on to become an “in demand” actress for everything, from frothy romances to tear-jerkers, Sadhana is most remembered for her trademark hairstyle — the famous “Sadhana cut” of fringes or short bangs (itself inspired by the elfin and charming Audrey Hepburn) — and pioneering form-fitting kurtas and churidar pyjamas.
But in her comparatively limited outings, Sadhana, who was born on this day in 1941, showcased her acting prowess. She could essay roles of a rich heiress to a village belle...
- 9/2/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Click here to read the full article.
Paramount Global is feeling bullish about its ability to make hit content after a string of recent successes at the box office, including Top Gun: Maverick, and on the Paramount+ streaming service, such as Halo, management said during the company’s second-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday.
“Nowhere is our popularity more evident than at the box office,” president and CEO Bob Bakish told analysts. “Look no further than Top Gun: Maverick, which is already the biggest film was 2022 and our fifth No. 1 title this year. In fact, Top Gun: Maverick just cleared 1.3 billion at the global box office and became one of the top 10 domestic movies of all time. Here we leveraged our portfolio brands, including CBS and MTV, to execute a major company consumer campaign that resonated with audiences everywhere, a strategy that has proven to be highly effective when deployed against our major assets.
Paramount Global is feeling bullish about its ability to make hit content after a string of recent successes at the box office, including Top Gun: Maverick, and on the Paramount+ streaming service, such as Halo, management said during the company’s second-quarter earnings conference call on Thursday.
“Nowhere is our popularity more evident than at the box office,” president and CEO Bob Bakish told analysts. “Look no further than Top Gun: Maverick, which is already the biggest film was 2022 and our fifth No. 1 title this year. In fact, Top Gun: Maverick just cleared 1.3 billion at the global box office and became one of the top 10 domestic movies of all time. Here we leveraged our portfolio brands, including CBS and MTV, to execute a major company consumer campaign that resonated with audiences everywhere, a strategy that has proven to be highly effective when deployed against our major assets.
- 8/4/2022
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
A slew of executives from across the global entertainment and tech sectors will be among the speakers at this year’s Apos, Asia’s influential media industry conference.
With the Asia-Pacific regional still a rare bright spot for growth in the streaming sector, the Singapore-set event will play host to a broad range of presentations and panel discussions that collectively aim to take the pulse of a global entertainment business in flux. Topics will include streaming’s sustainability, the rapid growth of premium Asian content, the coming impact of the metaverse, the battle for sports rights, premium AVOD’s scalability and much more.
Keynote speakers unveiled this week include: Candle Media CEO Kevin Mayer; Netflix’s head of content in Apac, Minyoung Kim; Kelly Day, vp of international at Amazon Prime Video; Warner Bros. Discovery’s president of international, Gerhard Zeiler; Paramount’s head of Europe and Asia,...
A slew of executives from across the global entertainment and tech sectors will be among the speakers at this year’s Apos, Asia’s influential media industry conference.
With the Asia-Pacific regional still a rare bright spot for growth in the streaming sector, the Singapore-set event will play host to a broad range of presentations and panel discussions that collectively aim to take the pulse of a global entertainment business in flux. Topics will include streaming’s sustainability, the rapid growth of premium Asian content, the coming impact of the metaverse, the battle for sports rights, premium AVOD’s scalability and much more.
Keynote speakers unveiled this week include: Candle Media CEO Kevin Mayer; Netflix’s head of content in Apac, Minyoung Kim; Kelly Day, vp of international at Amazon Prime Video; Warner Bros. Discovery’s president of international, Gerhard Zeiler; Paramount’s head of Europe and Asia,...
- 7/28/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New Delhi, July 22 (Ians) Higher education platform upGrad on Friday announced it has acquired online learning institution Harappa Education for Rs 300 crore (about 38 million). upGrad closed the transaction with present Harappa shareholders – Bodhi Tree Systems (a newly-formed platform between James Murdoch and Uday Shankar) and Co-Founders Pramath Raj Sinha and Shreyasi […]...
- 7/22/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
Kummatty (1979).In May of this year, Martin Scorsese's The Film Foundation launched its virtual theater, Restoration Screening Room, with a beautiful digital version of I Know Where I'm Going! (1945) by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, which was followed the next month by Federico Fellini's La Strada (1954). Showing next after these mid-century classics of Western cinema is Kummatty by Aravindan Govindan, a selection in keeping with the foundation's World Cinema Project, which endeavors to preserve and restore neglected films from around the world. Nevertheless, the selection is an unusual choice, as the Indian filmmaker, an avant-garde artist at the vanguard of the Parallel Cinema movement in his native state, is relatively unknown outside of Kerala, let alone the country. Tadao Sato, one of Japan's foremost film scholars and critics, saw Kummatty for the first time in 1982 and stated that he had not seen a more beautiful film.Kummatty’s...
- 7/8/2022
- MUBI
Click here to read the full article.
A hefty price tag led Disney to bow out of bidding for India’s Premier League cricket streaming rights, which went instead to Viacom18 for 2.6 billion.
“We chose not to proceed with the digital rights given the price required to secure that package,” Rebecca Campbell, chairman, international content and operations at The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement on Tuesday. Disney’s Star India service did secure the exclusive TV rights package for the 2023-2027 Indian Premier League cricket seasons for a reported 3 billion.
“We made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value,” Campbell added as Disney, like rival media giants, faces a steep rise in content streaming rights worldwide. The Disney exec added televising Indian cricket matches will enable the studio to showcase and market its own portfolio of TV channels in India, “as well as Disney Star’s impressive collection of local original content,...
A hefty price tag led Disney to bow out of bidding for India’s Premier League cricket streaming rights, which went instead to Viacom18 for 2.6 billion.
“We chose not to proceed with the digital rights given the price required to secure that package,” Rebecca Campbell, chairman, international content and operations at The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement on Tuesday. Disney’s Star India service did secure the exclusive TV rights package for the 2023-2027 Indian Premier League cricket seasons for a reported 3 billion.
“We made disciplined bids with a focus on long-term value,” Campbell added as Disney, like rival media giants, faces a steep rise in content streaming rights worldwide. The Disney exec added televising Indian cricket matches will enable the studio to showcase and market its own portfolio of TV channels in India, “as well as Disney Star’s impressive collection of local original content,...
- 6/14/2022
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
Viacom18 is the new online home of Indian Premier League cricket for the next five years.
The growing streaming and TV company, a joint venture between Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, Paramount Global and Bodhi Tree Systems, the investment company backed by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, will get an overnight surge in Indian video subscribers as soon as the next Ipl season begins. But the firm paid heftily for the privilege: 2.6 billion (205 billion rupees) for the digital rights to the league on the Indian subcontinent for 2023-2027, according to local news outlet The Times of India.
The Indian TV rights for the Ipl are said to have sold to a separate company for an additional 3 billion (235.75 billion rupees), but the winner has yet to be revealed. Bidding on two additional rights packages — TV and digital broadcast rights outside India; and non-exclusive rights for select matches,...
Viacom18 is the new online home of Indian Premier League cricket for the next five years.
The growing streaming and TV company, a joint venture between Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries, Paramount Global and Bodhi Tree Systems, the investment company backed by James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, will get an overnight surge in Indian video subscribers as soon as the next Ipl season begins. But the firm paid heftily for the privilege: 2.6 billion (205 billion rupees) for the digital rights to the league on the Indian subcontinent for 2023-2027, according to local news outlet The Times of India.
The Indian TV rights for the Ipl are said to have sold to a separate company for an additional 3 billion (235.75 billion rupees), but the winner has yet to be revealed. Bidding on two additional rights packages — TV and digital broadcast rights outside India; and non-exclusive rights for select matches,...
- 6/13/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Click here to read the full article.
The future of streaming at the Walt Disney Company faces a potential inflection point this weekend — and it all comes down to professional cricket in India.
On June 12, Disney will compete in a heated bidding war to retain the rights to stream and broadcast Indian Premier League cricket for the next half-decade. Disney has held the rights since buying the bulk of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox in 2019, after Fox subsidiary Star India won the last five-year rights auction with a 2.5 billion bid in 2017.
Some Wall Street analysts are hoping Disney will use this occasion to reset its streaming ambitions. “I would like nothing better than if they didn’t get the Ipl rights and walked back their subscriber number,” MoffettNathanson’s Michael Nathanson recently told The Wall Street Journal. So far, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has stuck by Disney’s goal...
The future of streaming at the Walt Disney Company faces a potential inflection point this weekend — and it all comes down to professional cricket in India.
On June 12, Disney will compete in a heated bidding war to retain the rights to stream and broadcast Indian Premier League cricket for the next half-decade. Disney has held the rights since buying the bulk of Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox in 2019, after Fox subsidiary Star India won the last five-year rights auction with a 2.5 billion bid in 2017.
Some Wall Street analysts are hoping Disney will use this occasion to reset its streaming ambitions. “I would like nothing better than if they didn’t get the Ipl rights and walked back their subscriber number,” MoffettNathanson’s Michael Nathanson recently told The Wall Street Journal. So far, Disney CEO Bob Chapek has stuck by Disney’s goal...
- 6/9/2022
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The late Govindan Aravindan’s 1978 masterpiece “Thamp̄” (“The Circus Tent”) is one of two Indian films at this year’s Cannes Classics selection, alongside Satyajit Ray’s “Pratidwandi” (“The Adversary”) from 1970.
“Thamp̄” was painstakingly restored by India’s Film Heritage Foundation (Fhf), an organization founded by filmmaker Shivendra Singh Dungarpur in 2014. Dungarpur facilitated the restoration of Uday Shankar’s landmark film “Kalpana” (1948) by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, the restored version of which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. He also collaborated with the World Cinema Foundation again for the restoration of the 1972 Sinhalese film “Nidhanaya” directed by eminent Sri Lankan filmmaker Lester James Peries. The restoration premiered at Venice in 2013.
The restoration of “Thamp̄” was a process that took eight months to achieve. Fhf, as a member of the International Federation of Film Archives, also put out a call to all the 171 member institutions around the world...
“Thamp̄” was painstakingly restored by India’s Film Heritage Foundation (Fhf), an organization founded by filmmaker Shivendra Singh Dungarpur in 2014. Dungarpur facilitated the restoration of Uday Shankar’s landmark film “Kalpana” (1948) by Martin Scorsese’s World Cinema Foundation, the restored version of which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012. He also collaborated with the World Cinema Foundation again for the restoration of the 1972 Sinhalese film “Nidhanaya” directed by eminent Sri Lankan filmmaker Lester James Peries. The restoration premiered at Venice in 2013.
The restoration of “Thamp̄” was a process that took eight months to achieve. Fhf, as a member of the International Federation of Film Archives, also put out a call to all the 171 member institutions around the world...
- 5/25/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount Global’s streamer Paramount+ will launch in the U.K. and Ireland on June 22, with other international territories to follow.
June will also see the service’s South Korea launch, with no date specified yet, with further launches planned in Italy, Germany, France and Austria in the second half of the year.
In India, Paramount+ will launch in 2023 in partnership with Viacom18 as part of a recently announced agreement. In April, India’s Reliance and Viacom18 entered a strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems, a platform of James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems and former Disney president Uday Shankar, to form a giant TV and digital streaming company in India.
Raffaele Annecchino, president and CEO, International Networks, Studios and Streaming, Paramount Global, said: “This year will be monumental for our streaming strategy as we accelerate our global ambitions, rapidly expanding Paramount+ in Europe beginning with the U.K., Italy, Germany,...
June will also see the service’s South Korea launch, with no date specified yet, with further launches planned in Italy, Germany, France and Austria in the second half of the year.
In India, Paramount+ will launch in 2023 in partnership with Viacom18 as part of a recently announced agreement. In April, India’s Reliance and Viacom18 entered a strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems, a platform of James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems and former Disney president Uday Shankar, to form a giant TV and digital streaming company in India.
Raffaele Annecchino, president and CEO, International Networks, Studios and Streaming, Paramount Global, said: “This year will be monumental for our streaming strategy as we accelerate our global ambitions, rapidly expanding Paramount+ in Europe beginning with the U.K., Italy, Germany,...
- 5/3/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Paramount+ will launch in the UK and South Korea next month and will be in India next year, Paramount Global CEO Bob Bakish revealed Tuesday.
During the Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) Q1 earnings call that has been taking place in the U.S., Bakish updated on a wealth of Paramount+ international launches that will see the deep-pocketed streamer based in more than 60 markets by the end of this year.
Bakish said June 22 is the launch date for the UK, one of Paramount+’s key markets where it has also ordered much of its international content. The South Korea launch will take place during the same month, following a landmark tie-up with Cj E&m revealed at the back end of 2021.
Launches in Italy, Germany, France and Austria will follow in the second half of this year.
In the UK, Paramount+ will cost £6.99 (8.77) per month or £69.90 (87.71) per year, featuring on Sky as...
During the Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS) Q1 earnings call that has been taking place in the U.S., Bakish updated on a wealth of Paramount+ international launches that will see the deep-pocketed streamer based in more than 60 markets by the end of this year.
Bakish said June 22 is the launch date for the UK, one of Paramount+’s key markets where it has also ordered much of its international content. The South Korea launch will take place during the same month, following a landmark tie-up with Cj E&m revealed at the back end of 2021.
Launches in Italy, Germany, France and Austria will follow in the second half of this year.
In the UK, Paramount+ will cost £6.99 (8.77) per month or £69.90 (87.71) per year, featuring on Sky as...
- 5/3/2022
- by Max Goldbart
- Deadline Film + TV
New Delhi, May 1 (Ians) Bodhi Tree Systems, an investment platform by former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch and ex-Disney executive Uday Shankar, on Sunday announced to invest 600 million in Allen Career Institute which has a pan-India footprint with a growing presence in the Middle East. Founded by Rajesh Maheshwari in 1988, Allen […]...
- 5/1/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
India’s Reliance and Viacom18 have entered a strategic partnership with Bodhi Tree Systems, a platform of James Murdoch’s Lupa Systems and former Disney president Uday Shankar, to form a giant TV and digital streaming company in India.
Bodhi Tree is fundraising with a consortium of investors to invest 1.78 billion in Viacom18, to “jointly build India’s leading entertainment platform and pioneer the Indian media landscape’s transformation to a ‘streaming-first’ approach,” the companies said in a statement.
Viacom 18 is a joint venture of Network 18, the media group controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and U.S. media conglomerate Viacom. It operates 38 channels across nine Indian languages, including the Colors TV channels, and streaming platform Voot.
Reliance Projects and Property Management Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambani’s Reliance Industries which has a presence in television, streaming, distribution, content creation, and production services, will invest 216 million. Reliance’s...
Bodhi Tree is fundraising with a consortium of investors to invest 1.78 billion in Viacom18, to “jointly build India’s leading entertainment platform and pioneer the Indian media landscape’s transformation to a ‘streaming-first’ approach,” the companies said in a statement.
Viacom 18 is a joint venture of Network 18, the media group controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani, and U.S. media conglomerate Viacom. It operates 38 channels across nine Indian languages, including the Colors TV channels, and streaming platform Voot.
Reliance Projects and Property Management Services Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ambani’s Reliance Industries which has a presence in television, streaming, distribution, content creation, and production services, will invest 216 million. Reliance’s...
- 4/27/2022
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, formerly CEO of Star India and president of Walt Disney Asia Pacific, have formed Bodhi Tree, a new outfit backed by the Qatar Investment Authority.
The venture will invest in media and consumer technology opportunities in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on India. The Qia has committed up to $1.5 billion.
Murdoch has been running investment firm Lupa Systems since exiting 21st Century Fox as CEO after Disney acquired most of its assets in 2019.
In an announcement, Bodhi Tree said it will “leverage technology to provide disruptive solutions that drive transformational outcomes in sectors with deep consumer engagement.” Areas might include media, education and healthcare, with the aim to “positively impact” millions of consumers across the region.
Qatar’s backing will enable investments at significant scale, though specific figures have not been cited as yet. The Persian Gulf nation’s sovereign wealth fund has recently...
The venture will invest in media and consumer technology opportunities in Southeast Asia, with a particular focus on India. The Qia has committed up to $1.5 billion.
Murdoch has been running investment firm Lupa Systems since exiting 21st Century Fox as CEO after Disney acquired most of its assets in 2019.
In an announcement, Bodhi Tree said it will “leverage technology to provide disruptive solutions that drive transformational outcomes in sectors with deep consumer engagement.” Areas might include media, education and healthcare, with the aim to “positively impact” millions of consumers across the region.
Qatar’s backing will enable investments at significant scale, though specific figures have not been cited as yet. The Persian Gulf nation’s sovereign wealth fund has recently...
- 2/9/2022
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Argus Capital Corp., the Spac run by former CBS executives Joe Ianniello and Marc DeBevoise, has set its IPO pricing. Offering 26,500,000 units to the public at $10 apiece, Argus aims to raise $265 million to acquire businesses in the “tech-driven media landscape.”
Starting Wednesday, the special-purpose acquisition company’s IPO units are being listed on the Nasdaq under Arguu. The initial public offering is expected to close tomorrow. Its Class A common stock is expected to trade under Argu. (Redeemable warrants will trade under Arguw.)
“Argus’ business purpose is to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses,” according to the mission statement outlined in the IPO’s press release. “While Argus may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, it intends to identify and complete a business transaction with a company in the tech-driven media industry.
Starting Wednesday, the special-purpose acquisition company’s IPO units are being listed on the Nasdaq under Arguu. The initial public offering is expected to close tomorrow. Its Class A common stock is expected to trade under Argu. (Redeemable warrants will trade under Arguw.)
“Argus’ business purpose is to effect a merger, capital stock exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination with one or more businesses,” according to the mission statement outlined in the IPO’s press release. “While Argus may pursue an initial business combination opportunity in any industry or sector, it intends to identify and complete a business transaction with a company in the tech-driven media industry.
- 9/22/2021
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Indian film director Sanjay Leela Bhansali has seen it all – from being physically attacked on the sets of “Padmaavat” to walking the red carpet at a triumphant Cannes screening of “Devdas” – in his 25 years of filmmaking.
A graduate of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India, in Pune, Bhansali equally consumed the oeuvre of Tarkovsky, Uday Shankar’s “Kalpana” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “One From the Heart.” While he could not fathom the Russian auteur’s work in its entirety, “something about how a visual works on the soul of the audience if it’s receiving correctly, and the power of the images, is what I imbibed more than anything else,” Bhansali told Variety.
These days, striking imagery and grand storytelling is what Bhansali is best known for.
He made his mark choreographing the songs of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s “1942: A Love Story” (1994), starring Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala,...
A graduate of the prestigious Film and Television Institute of India, in Pune, Bhansali equally consumed the oeuvre of Tarkovsky, Uday Shankar’s “Kalpana” and Francis Ford Coppola’s “One From the Heart.” While he could not fathom the Russian auteur’s work in its entirety, “something about how a visual works on the soul of the audience if it’s receiving correctly, and the power of the images, is what I imbibed more than anything else,” Bhansali told Variety.
These days, striking imagery and grand storytelling is what Bhansali is best known for.
He made his mark choreographing the songs of Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s “1942: A Love Story” (1994), starring Anil Kapoor and Manisha Koirala,...
- 8/10/2021
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
James Murdoch is joining the special purpose acquisition company (Spac) rush in America, seeking to raise $345 million for his new media and tech venture with Uday Shankar, the former president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India.
In a prospectus published late Tuesday, the duo’s Seven Island Inc is using the blank-check vehicle to raise cash from investors in an IPO. They aim to build a group that will be focused on the South-East and South Asia markets.
The prospectus said: “While our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not necessarily be limited to a particular industry, sector or region, we intend to capitalize on our expertise in the media, entertainment, consumer technology, healthcare, and education industries in Southeast and South Asia, with a particular focus on India. Our acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination,...
In a prospectus published late Tuesday, the duo’s Seven Island Inc is using the blank-check vehicle to raise cash from investors in an IPO. They aim to build a group that will be focused on the South-East and South Asia markets.
The prospectus said: “While our efforts to identify a prospective target business will not necessarily be limited to a particular industry, sector or region, we intend to capitalize on our expertise in the media, entertainment, consumer technology, healthcare, and education industries in Southeast and South Asia, with a particular focus on India. Our acquisition and value creation strategy is to identify, acquire and, after our initial business combination,...
- 5/12/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
James Murdoch is getting in on the Spac frenzy that has taken over Wall Street over the past year.
Murdoch is the co-chairman of Seven Island Inc., a special purpose acquisition company seeking to raise $345 million from investors in an IPO. Murdoch’s partner in the venture is Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and chairman of The Walt Disney Company’s India businesses.
Seven Islands will specifically target businesses in southeast and South Asia, according to its prospectus, with Shankar and Murdoch leveraging their contacts in the region and experience in the media and telecom sector to ...
Murdoch is the co-chairman of Seven Island Inc., a special purpose acquisition company seeking to raise $345 million from investors in an IPO. Murdoch’s partner in the venture is Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and chairman of The Walt Disney Company’s India businesses.
Seven Islands will specifically target businesses in southeast and South Asia, according to its prospectus, with Shankar and Murdoch leveraging their contacts in the region and experience in the media and telecom sector to ...
- 5/11/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
James Murdoch is getting in on the Spac frenzy that has taken over Wall Street over the past year.
Murdoch is the co-chairman of Seven Island Inc., a special purpose acquisition company seeking to raise $345 million from investors in an IPO. Murdoch’s partner in the venture is Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and chairman of The Walt Disney Company’s India businesses.
Seven Islands will specifically target businesses in southeast and south Asia, according to its prospectus, with Shankar and Murdoch leveraging their contacts in the region and experience in the media and telecom sector to ...
Murdoch is the co-chairman of Seven Island Inc., a special purpose acquisition company seeking to raise $345 million from investors in an IPO. Murdoch’s partner in the venture is Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and chairman of The Walt Disney Company’s India businesses.
Seven Islands will specifically target businesses in southeast and south Asia, according to its prospectus, with Shankar and Murdoch leveraging their contacts in the region and experience in the media and telecom sector to ...
- 5/11/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New Delhi, March 19 (Ians) Ficci President Uday Shankar snubbed the Ficci Ecommerce Committee head after a meet today where all associations were present.
In a first, Uday Shankar has said Amazon's claims at a vital stakeholder-dpiit meet Friday were false and need to be rescinded.
Shankar, in a terse distancing from Amazon's claims, said the apex chamber expects zero-tolerance on creative interpretations of Fdi norms.
Amazon is under Ed investigation for misusing Press Notes 2 and 3 and violating the "market place" covenant governing foreign companies in ecommerce.
The U.S. giant has been accused of circumventing Fdi law by investing in multiple downstream Indian companies and then arming them with deep discounting, preferential placement, killing its own ecommerce vendors and millions of brick and mortar rivals with a bear hug.
Dpiit had requested a one-chamber-one-spokesman rule and Ficci therefore fielded Amazon India CFO Raghav Rao at the crucial meeting. Rao...
In a first, Uday Shankar has said Amazon's claims at a vital stakeholder-dpiit meet Friday were false and need to be rescinded.
Shankar, in a terse distancing from Amazon's claims, said the apex chamber expects zero-tolerance on creative interpretations of Fdi norms.
Amazon is under Ed investigation for misusing Press Notes 2 and 3 and violating the "market place" covenant governing foreign companies in ecommerce.
The U.S. giant has been accused of circumventing Fdi law by investing in multiple downstream Indian companies and then arming them with deep discounting, preferential placement, killing its own ecommerce vendors and millions of brick and mortar rivals with a bear hug.
Dpiit had requested a one-chamber-one-spokesman rule and Ficci therefore fielded Amazon India CFO Raghav Rao at the crucial meeting. Rao...
- 3/19/2021
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
After mid-2000s success building the Star TV empire into one of India’s top broadcasters and the dominant local streaming service, James Murdoch and Uday Shankar are back with a new project. Murdoch and Shankar, Disney’s former president in Asia Pacific, unveiled an ambitious new partnership Jan. 14 targeting digital business opportunities in India and Southeast Asia. But details of the venture, including its name and exact strategy, are scarce.
Hal Vogel, CEO of Vogel Capital Management, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the venture will be able to tap into the relationship between Murdoch and Shankar and their expansive networks. “They ...
Hal Vogel, CEO of Vogel Capital Management, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the venture will be able to tap into the relationship between Murdoch and Shankar and their expansive networks. “They ...
- 1/21/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After mid-2000s success building the Star TV empire into one of India’s top broadcasters and the dominant local streaming service, James Murdoch and Uday Shankar are back with a new project. Murdoch and Shankar, Disney’s former president in Asia Pacific, unveiled an ambitious new partnership Jan. 14 targeting digital business opportunities in India and Southeast Asia. But details of the venture, including its name and exact strategy, are scarce.
Hal Vogel, CEO of Vogel Capital Management, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the venture will be able to tap into the relationship between Murdoch and Shankar and their expansive networks. “They ...
Hal Vogel, CEO of Vogel Capital Management, tells The Hollywood Reporter that the venture will be able to tap into the relationship between Murdoch and Shankar and their expansive networks. “They ...
- 1/21/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
James Murdoch, the renegade son of Murdoch family dynasty who broke with the empire last summer, has publicly denounced “media property owners” whose election denialism helped lead to the violent storming of the U.S. Capitol last week that resulted in five death.
“The sacking of the Capitol is proof positive that what we thought was dangerous is indeed very, very much so. Those outlets that propagate lies to their audience have unleashed insidious and uncontrollable forces that will be with us for years,” the youngest Murdoch said in an interview with the Financial Times published Friday.
He didn’t name Fox News but the network run by his father Rupert and brother Lachlan, respectively chairman and CEO of its parent Fox Corp., pushed baseless rumors that President Donald Trump won an election that he had clearly lost. Endless repetition of the lie on Fox, on rival channels that are...
“The sacking of the Capitol is proof positive that what we thought was dangerous is indeed very, very much so. Those outlets that propagate lies to their audience have unleashed insidious and uncontrollable forces that will be with us for years,” the youngest Murdoch said in an interview with the Financial Times published Friday.
He didn’t name Fox News but the network run by his father Rupert and brother Lachlan, respectively chairman and CEO of its parent Fox Corp., pushed baseless rumors that President Donald Trump won an election that he had clearly lost. Endless repetition of the lie on Fox, on rival channels that are...
- 1/16/2021
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Six months after quitting the News Corp. board, James Murdoch is embarking on a new media and tech venture in India alongside Uday Shankar, the former president of The Walt Disney Company Asia Pacific and chairman, Star & Disney India.
Murdoch and Shankar worked together to grow Star into a dominant force in the Indian TV market before it was inhaled by Disney as part of the Mouse House’s $71.3 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Shankar announced his decision to leave Disney last month having built Star to the point where it reaches more than 600 million viewers a month.
Their new, yet-to-be-named venture will be backed by Murdoch’s Lupa Systems. A press release unveiling the company was coy on specifics, but Murdoch said it will look to tap into an explosion in connectivity in India, where mobile data is cheap, and across South Asia to identify “new opportunities for innovation.
Murdoch and Shankar worked together to grow Star into a dominant force in the Indian TV market before it was inhaled by Disney as part of the Mouse House’s $71.3 billion takeover of 21st Century Fox in 2019. Shankar announced his decision to leave Disney last month having built Star to the point where it reaches more than 600 million viewers a month.
Their new, yet-to-be-named venture will be backed by Murdoch’s Lupa Systems. A press release unveiling the company was coy on specifics, but Murdoch said it will look to tap into an explosion in connectivity in India, where mobile data is cheap, and across South Asia to identify “new opportunities for innovation.
- 1/14/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and president of Disney in Asia Pacific, said Thursday that they are partnering to form a new venture that will explore technology and media opportunities in emerging markets.
Murdoch, who no longer holds a role in his family’s media empire, is teaming up with Shankar via Lupa Systems, the New York and Mumbai-based investment firm he established in 2019. Financial terms and details about the partnership were not disclosed. But the venture reunites the duo spent after they spent years working together building Star into a dominant television and streaming player ...
Murdoch, who no longer holds a role in his family’s media empire, is teaming up with Shankar via Lupa Systems, the New York and Mumbai-based investment firm he established in 2019. Financial terms and details about the partnership were not disclosed. But the venture reunites the duo spent after they spent years working together building Star into a dominant television and streaming player ...
- 1/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Murdoch and Uday Shankar, the former CEO of Star India and president of Disney in Asia Pacific, said Thursday that they are partnering to form a new venture that will explore technology and media opportunities in emerging markets.
Murdoch, who no longer holds a role in his family’s media empire, is teaming up with Shankar via Lupa Systems, the New York and Mumbai-based investment firm he established in 2019. Financial terms and details about the partnership were not disclosed. But the venture reunites the duo spent after they spent years working together building Star into a dominant television and streaming player ...
Murdoch, who no longer holds a role in his family’s media empire, is teaming up with Shankar via Lupa Systems, the New York and Mumbai-based investment firm he established in 2019. Financial terms and details about the partnership were not disclosed. But the venture reunites the duo spent after they spent years working together building Star into a dominant television and streaming player ...
- 1/14/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Disney Appoints Apac Chief
Disney has named Luke Kang as President, Asia Pacific, following the departure of Uday Shankar, which was announced in October and becomes effective from December 31. Kang will not, however, be taking on Shankar’s responsibilities in India, with a separate appointment set to be made for the territory by Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer for Disney. Kang will oversee the studio’s business in Australia/New Zealand, Greater China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Heads To Amazon
Animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in numerous international regions including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Japan, and India. All 10 episodes of the first season, which is produced by CBS, will launch on January 22, 2021. Directed by Mike McMahan, the show focuses on the supporting crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships; Tawny Newsome,...
Disney has named Luke Kang as President, Asia Pacific, following the departure of Uday Shankar, which was announced in October and becomes effective from December 31. Kang will not, however, be taking on Shankar’s responsibilities in India, with a separate appointment set to be made for the territory by Rebecca Campbell, Chairman, International Operations and Direct-to-Consumer for Disney. Kang will oversee the studio’s business in Australia/New Zealand, Greater China, Japan, Korea and Southeast Asia.
‘Star Trek: Lower Decks’ Heads To Amazon
Animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks will premiere on Amazon Prime Video in numerous international regions including the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Japan, and India. All 10 episodes of the first season, which is produced by CBS, will launch on January 22, 2021. Directed by Mike McMahan, the show focuses on the supporting crew serving on one of Starfleet’s least important ships; Tawny Newsome,...
- 12/17/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.