Launch of aJio Star, a new entity combining Reliance Industries'' Viacom18 and Disney Star
India:
In, November 2024, merger
between Disney and Reliance's Viacom18, set to introduce a new entity in the
Indian media and entertainment industry: Jio Star. This strategic alliance is a
significant move that positions Jio Star to reshape the digital entertainment
landscape in India, combining the strengths and assets of Viacom18 and Disney
Star under the ambitious leadership of Reliance. Through Jio Star, Reliance
aims to create a robust competitor in India's media market, providing audiences
with innovative, world-class content and strengthening the offerings available
to consumers.
With
Jio Star, Reliance holds a majority 60% stake, while Disney retains a
substantial 37% share, demonstrating both companies' commitment to this
strategic venture. The upcoming launch of Jio star signifies the beginning of
an exciting new chapter. Although the website currently features only a
"Coming Soon" page, anticipation for its planned launch on November
14, 2024. The merged entity will operate two distinct apps to cater to India’s
diverse audience: a premium service, likely branded as Disney+ Hotstar, and a
freemium service under JioCinema. By segmenting content offerings across these
platforms, Jio Star intends to cater to both high-end and mass-market viewers,
creating tailored viewing experience and enabling advertisers to target
specific audience segments more effectively.
In
addition to an innovative content strategy, Jio Star’s entry into the market
aligns with Reliance’s broader goals of leveraging its telecom and digital
infrastructure to expand in the media and entertainment sector. Reliance has
committed a substantial investment of around USD 177.71 Million into Jio Star,
setting the stage for advancements in both technology and content delivery. The
merger also introduces a reshuffled leadership team, integrating top executives
from both Disney Star and Viacom18 to guide the entity through this
transformative period. While Jio Star will deliver a variety of new content,
live sports, such as the Indian Premier League (IPL), will remain on Disney's
Hotstar app, maintaining its exclusivity for audience. This approach allows Jio
Star to focus on premium and freemium entertainment segments without disrupting
existing agreements or user expectations in the sports genre.
Commenting on the recent
development, TechSci Research Director, Mr. Karan Chechi said, “As India’s
digital-first landscape continues to evolve, this merger promises to bring a
new level of entertainment experiences that align with modern consumer
preferences. The integration of artificial intelligence and other digital-first
technologies is expected to enhance content recommendations, improve user
engagement, and provide insights for targeted advertising. Jio Star represents
an ambitious venture that will not only expand Reliance's footprint in the
media sector but also challenge established players like Netflix, Amazon Prime
Video, and SonyLIV. By offering high-quality, accessible entertainment across
distinct platforms, Jio Star will be catering to a wide range of viewers and
empowering advertisers with unique audience insights. Such development are
projected to further boost the Indian media and entertainment market.”