<ul><li>It has chosen to remain a premium player that provides original content.</li><li>Almost 40% of <keyword id="1723835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hoichoi" source="Orion">hoichoi</keyword>’s revenues come from international subscriptions – US, UK, Australia, Canada, Middle East and Bangladesh are its key overseas markets.</li><li>It’s expanding its distribution globally with tie-ups with telecom players in Bahrain, Bangladesh and more.</li><li>The group’s television background helped them maintain the timelines and stick to budgets, which helped contain creative costs.</li></ul>When Shree Venkatesh Films (SVF), a West Bengal-based film and TV production company, wanted to get into OTT in 2017 – they wanted to start small – launching five original shows across three genres under the brand name hoichoi, which means excitement. Those were early days for vernacular shows – until then Indian original series across languages mostly premiered on YouTube and were short-form content. This was just before the launch of Netflix’s Sacred Games and Amazon Prime’s Inside Edge. Much like these shows, hoichoi’s bets took off too. <div type="image" title="WhatsApp Image 2022-10-03 at 6.08.30 PM." height="900" width="1200" msid="94629590" hostid="261" sizebytes="34982" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Soumya Mukherjee, chief operating officer of Hoichoi&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “We saw an initial uptick for our originals. Four out of the five shows we launched created a lot of buzz,” Soumya Mukherjee, chief operating officer of hoichoi told Business Insider India. Ever since, there has been no stopping this regional OTT platform, which now caters to over 250 million Bengalis worldwide. The platform claims to be one of its kind with over 100 originals in a single language and more than 2,000 hours of content across web series, movies, shorts, docu-series and more. Moreover, it claims to have turned profitable within five years of its launch in spite of a large number of in-house productions of original films and shows. The OTT player claims that its direct subscriptions grew 50%, with a 20% month-on-month increase in watch time, in the post-lockdown period. “Along with this, hoichoi continues to have one of the highest refresh rates in India for a single language, with close to 5-7 titles, which includes original shows, world premiere movies and Hindi-dubbed originals releasing every month,” the company said. Turu love, Tansener Tanpura, Karagar and Kaiser are some of its top-rated shows on IMDB. Premium-only The secret, Mukherjee says, lies in its pricing strategy. “From the start, we positioned ourselves as a premium product with around ₹1,000 per annum. From day 1, we knew that content had to be protected and had never looked to diversify. We want to tell great stories with a good mix of movies and shows,” he said. In the US, it charges around $10 per month - on par with what OTT giant Netflix charges in the market. The reason is the love for content in the mother tongue, Bengali, which is the second most-spoken Indian language, as per Mukherjee. “Bengalis are deeply rooted to their culture wherever they are,” he said. In fact, almost 40% of hoichoi’s revenues come from international subscriptions, including the US, UK, Australia, Canada, Middle East and Bangladesh. The OTT claims that customer stickiness is high and almost 70-75% of their subscribers renew subscriptions annually. It premiers a new movie every month and that aids its renewals, it claims. “While our monthly active users have increased by 40%, our international user base has also risen by 30%. Not only do these numbers make us ecstatic, but also motivate us to do even better, as we step into our sixth year,” said Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of hoichoi. Content Refresh: 25 new shows announced Hoichoi also claims to go the extra mile with its user experience. “To help some of our elderly subscribers, we send our people to visit personally and demonstrate as and when needed,” says Mukherjee. As India’s first vernacular OTT enters its sixth year, it announced 25 new shows – four from Bangladesh and 21 from India – with top creators and across genres. For its latest series, it also roped in national award-winning creator Srijit Mukherji, who is creating a crime detective show Feluda. Mukherjee attributes hoichoi’s success to Bengal’s wide talent pool of writers, producers, actors, technicians and directors, in addition to its legacy. “We imbibed the discipline of TV and the quality of films into the OTT venture,” he explains. The group’s presence in television helped them maintain the timelines and stick to budgets, which helped contain creative costs. Their targeted marketing also helped contain marketing costs to 20% of the overall revenue — which Mukherjee claims is one of the lowest in the industry. Over the years, hoichoi launched a lot of new faces, but is also now focusing on bringing in bigger actors into its fold. “Naturally production costs will increase but in terms of revenue growth we are doing ok,” he says. Distribution strategy Last year, the platform became a part of Prime Channels – where multiple OTTs can be subscribed to. While it is seeing traction for its Hindi-dubbed library on Prime Channels as well as on MX Player, it wants to remain rooted in Bengali. Its best-performing show on both these platforms was Charitraheen. It has also partnered with Jio, Airtel XStream, Tata Play and Dish TV and is looking at deep integration within and outside India as well. It has tied up with Bangladeshi telecom players Grameenphone, Robi and Banglalink and also Bahrain-based telco Batelco. Also, the player is not too worried about password sharing, which is the blight of its business. “We do not see too many cases of password sharing. We only offer two simultaneous streaming across five devices,” Mukherjee says. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/auto-sales-remain-buoyant-in-september-with-reports-of-a-good-festive-season-ahead/articleshow/94622721.cms">Auto sales remain buoyant in September with reports of a good festive season ahead</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/electronics-mart-india-ipo-set-to-open-on-oct-4-commands-grey-market-premium-of-30/share/articleshow/94620046.cms">Electronics Mart India IPO set to open on Oct 4; commands grey market premium of ₹30/share</a>

This pioneering regional OTT has turned profitable in 5 years – here’s how

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12594482" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="vanessa-lachey" source="Orion">Vanessa Lachey</keyword> addressed the lack of <keyword id="12948930" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="body-diversity" source="Orion">body diversity</keyword> on "<keyword id="13090922" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="love-is-blind" source="Orion">Love Is Blind</keyword>" in a recent interview. </li><li>While promoting DQ's Miracle Treat Day, she said some people may feel "insecure" in the pods.</li></ul>Host Vanessa Lachey addressed the lack of body diversity <a href="https://www.insider.com/love-is-blind-vanessa-lachey-confronted-shake-2022-7">on "Love Is Blind"</a> in a recent interview with Insider.She said she often wonders if some contestants don't make it past the "pods" stage of the experiment because they feel "insecure" and don't have enough time to make meaningful connections. "Their whole life they've been so insecure about being themselves because of this crazy swipe generation that we are in and this catfishing world that we're in, that they're so afraid to be themselves," Lachey said of contestants who may not believe they fit into conventional beauty standards.On the first phase of <a href="https://www.insider.com/cool-facts-about-love-is-blind-on-netflix-2020-2">Netflix's hit dating show</a>, male and female contestants live in separate pods and only communicate with each other in designated rooms, separated from each other by a wall. The point is to get to know each other and hopefully build a genuine connection that turns into true love before knowing what your partner looks like.When a contestant feels like they're in love, they propose marriage and move on to the next stage of the experiment, where they finally get to meet in person and commit to exploring their relationship in the real world — with Netflix cameras following them, of course. <div type="image" title="Nick Lachey and Vanessa Lachey on &quot;Love Is Blind.&quot;" height="2397" width="3197" msid="93121361" hostid="261" sizebytes="549914"></div>Lachey acknowledged that many couples who move past the pods stage fit into conventional beauty standards. She's not a part of the casting process but said she knows that <a href="https://www.insider.com/love-is-blind-deepti-vempati-interview-2022-6">"Love Is Blind" and Netflix</a> give people with diverse bodies a "fair shot" as far as casting them on the show. "I wonder if they truly don't have enough time in those two weeks to find themselves, A, and then be themselves to then find that spouse," Lachey continued.She said no one on the show controls who gets engaged, so that is part of the reason why we don't see more physically diverse contestants move on to the stage of the show where they go on vacation with their partners. The "NCIS: Hawai'i" star said she often has conversations about diversity on the show with <a href="https://www.insider.com/nick-vanessa-lachey-say-couples-therapy-makes-them-better-parents-2022-7">her husband and co-host, Nick Lachey</a>. Lachey was speaking with Insider to promote <a href="https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-us/miracle-treat-day/">Dairy Queen's Miracle Treat Day</a> coming up on July 28. Participating stores will donate a dollar from every Blizzard purchased to Children's Miracle Network Hospitals."You are bringing health and hope to local kids and also treating yourself to a <a href="https://www.insider.com/dairy-queen-blizzard-flavors-ranked-worst-to-best-review#smores-blizzard-20">summer Blizzard treat</a>," Lachey said. <div type="image" title="Vanessa Lachey." height="2100" width="2800" msid="93121362" hostid="261" sizebytes="223884"></div>As for increasing diversity <a href="https://www.insider.com/love-is-blind-wildest-post-finale-moments-season-2-shake-2022-3">on "Love Is Blind,"</a> whether that means diversifying body types or including LGBTQ people in the experiment, the solutions aren't simple. "If you think about if you did just women, then it wouldn't be separate quarters, it would just be one big house of everybody out for themselves, I guess. And if you did the men, it would be the same," Lachey said.This would be the only way to set up the experiment without Netflix doing matchmaking pre-production and choosing who to separate from each other, thus eliminating the blind part of the experiment.Lachey said that despite these logistical difficulties, the streaming service is committed to "embracing" diversity and even teased "you will see some of that in the dating reality television world of Netflix soon."

Vanessa Lachey addresses the lack of body diversity on 'Love Is Blind' and thinks it may have to do with contestants feeling 'insecure'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Warning: Major spoilers ahead for Netflix's "<keyword id="13570638" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-ultimatum" source="Orion">The Ultimatum</keyword>."</li><li><keyword id="13613429" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="april-melohn" source="Orion">April Melohn</keyword> appeared on "The Ultimatum" with her then-boyfriend <keyword id="13605351" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="jake-cunningham" source="Orion">Jake Cunningham</keyword>. </li></ul>April Melohn shared how she felt seeing her boyfriend Jake Cunningham choose Rae Williams on "The Ultimatum" finale in an interview with <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-ultimatum-breakout-star-april-spills-on-jakes-devastating-break-up-lie-and-finding-love">The Daily Beast</a>."Seeing him just let me walk off crying like that and then approach this new girl that he just met a few weeks ago like, 'Hey gorgeous' — in the same tone that I remember him approaching me when we first started <keyword id="11911213" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="dating" source="Orion">dating</keyword> — it was cringe," she said. "It was also just disrespectful, and it broke my heart."Netflix's "The Ultimatum" follows six couples where one person is ready to marry their partner and the other is unsure. Throughout the season, the participants select a new partner from one of the other couples to have a "trial marriage" with. They live with that person in a three-week "trial marriage" and see if there is a "connection" that might be stronger than what they have with their original partner.After three weeks with their new partner, the participants are reunited with their original partner for a second "trial marriage," where they ultimately decide if they are better off <a href="https://www.insider.com/every-kardashian-wedding-ranked-kim-kourtney-khloe-2022-4">marrying</a> their original partner, being in a new relationship with their trial partner, or leaving alone. Rae and Jake chose each other as trial spouses. By the end, they'd each left their original partners but did not end up together. In the season finale's "Ultimatum Day," Jake met with April to tell her he wasn't going to propose. During his break-up speech, he also told her "me and Rae are not running off together," which seemed to directly contradict what happened next.<div type="image" title="Rae Williams and Jake Cunningham from Netflix dating reality show &quot;The Ultimatum&quot;" height="1106" width="1476" msid="90856003" hostid="261"></div>April said she was comforted when Jake told her he was not choosing to be with Rae during the season. "Him not choosing me hurt," said April. "But hearing him say, 'I'm not choosing you but I'm not choosing her either' made me feel better."However, after Jake and April's conversation, Jake and Rae reconnected on screen. During the season finale, Jake presented Rae with a plane ticket to take a trip anywhere in the world together, which appeared to be the start of them embarking on a new relationship together.Ultimately, Jake and Rae didn't go on that trip, and they ultimately decided to give one another time to transition from their breakups rather than start dating one another. Rae previously told Insider that <a href="https://www.insider.com/are-rae-and-jake-from-the-ultimatum-still-together-interview-2022-4">Jake is currently single and "his DMs are closed."</a>April said during the show's reunion special on Wednesday that she and Rae's original partner <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-ultimatum-netflix-rae-not-proud-of-punching-zay-2022-4">Zay Wilson</a> "were both put on the shit end of the stick" because their partners "instantly" connected. "Watching it unfold I could tell immediately that he wanted to be back with Rae," she said on the reunion.She also revealed on the reunion that she started dating someone new a few months after the show and spoke more about that relationship in her interview with the Daily Beast."This guy just came, swept me off my feet, we went on our first date, I didn't think anything of it," she told the Daily Beast. The couple has already moved in together."I was just like, 'OK, we're gonna go to an <a href="https://www.insider.com/lost-city-daniel-radcliffe-sandra-bullock-first-red-carpets-terrifying-2022-3">awkward</a> dinner, I'm gonna come home, yada yada yada. And here we are six months later, we're still dating," she added.

April from 'The Ultimatum' calls out the 'disrespectful' way Jake handled their relationship on the finale: 'It broke my heart'

<ul class="summary-list"><li><keyword id="12292510" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="kristen-bell" source="Orion">Kristen Bell</keyword> told Ellen DeGeneres on Monday that she "couldn't prove" to her daughter she wasn't a zombie.</li><li>It was made even more difficult when she got a bad bruise on her face after colliding with a chair. </li></ul>Kristen Bell explained <a href="https://www.ellentube.com/video/sneak-peek-kristen-bell-had-a-difficult-time-proving-to-her-daughter-shes-not-a-zombie.html#time=79">on Monday's episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show"</a> that she recently faced a unique <keyword id="11910745" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="parenting" source="Orion">parenting</keyword> challenge when trying to prove to her youngest daughter, 7-year-old Delta, that she wasn't a zombie.The "Gossip Girl" narrator said that Delta, shortly before her 7th birthday, asked her mother a dreaded question. "She said, 'How do I know you're my real mom?'" Bell told host Ellen DeGeneres. Bell, who shares Delta and 8-year-old daughter Lincoln with husband <a href="https://www.insider.com/dax-shepard-emasculated-tweets-less-money-than-kristen-bell-2021-12">Dax Shepard</a>, said she offered up a very honest answer to the child's "existential" moment. "I was like, 'I don't know any other way to prove it to you other than like, you lived in my body, I can show you the DNA proof,'" she recalled.But that didn't settle the matter for Delta. According to Bell, Delta followed up with, "How do I know you're not really a zombie and you're gonna peel my mom's face off and prove that you're a zombie?"<div type="image" title="Kristen Bell" height="3452" width="4603" msid="89257953" hostid="261"></div>"I couldn't prove that that wouldn't happen," Bell admitted. "I was really stumped." Bell has been open about parenting challenges in the past. In 2018, <a href="https://www.insider.com/kristen-bell-controversial-sleep-trick-locking-doors-2018-3">she told Parents magazine</a> that she and Shepard put the lock on the outside of then 3-year-old Delta's door because otherwise, the toddler wouldn't sleep.The couple, <a href="https://www.insider.com/dax-shepard-kristen-bell-relationship-timeline-2018-10#october-2013-they-tied-the-knot-8">who married in 2013</a>, also made headlines after Bell admitted that <a href="https://www.insider.com/kristen-bell-waits-for-children-stink-before-washing-mila-kunis-2021-8">they wait for "the stink"</a> before bathing their daughters. The fact that Bell isn't a zombie is less controversial than that, but she explained to DeGeneres how fate stepped in to make it even harder to prove to Delta that she wasn't one of the undead.<div type="image" title="Dax Shephard and Kristen Bell" height="1548" width="2065" msid="89257954" hostid="261"></div>"I went to kiss them goodnight and I went BAM right into this antique hard chair," the "Frozen" actor explained, miming how she smacked her face into the furniture. "I've never experienced that feeling before because it was pitch black and it felt like someone, out of nowhere, just smacked me in the face with a two-by-four."She implied that the accident resulted in zombie-like injuries on her face. "And then I had this big bruise and my nose was swollen," Bell explained, adding that Delta's reaction was, "I knew it.""She thought that this was the zombie now," Bell laughed.Bell's new comedy, "The Woman Across the Street From the Girl in the Window," is available to stream now on Netflix.

Kristen Bell's 7-year-old daughter left her 'stumped' after asking the 'Good Place' star to prove she wasn't a zombie

<ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="12189586" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="squid-game" source="Orion">Squid Game</keyword>" fell to second place on Netflix on Saturday as the third season of Netflix's "You" took the top spot.</li><li>The Korean drama about strangers competing in deadly children's games became Netflix's most-watched show globally.</li></ul>Much like the infamous Korean death match itself, only one show can come out on top of Netflix's US <keyword id="12325871" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="top-10" source="Orion">Top 10</keyword> list. While <a href="https://www.insider.com/s?q=%22squid+game%22">"Squid Game"</a> remained number one on the list for weeks, the hit Netflix television series fell to number two on Saturday after it was dethroned by the streaming platform's popular thriller series "You," fresh off its season 3 release.The South Korean drama, which centers on a group of strangers competing in twisted and deadly children's games for a large cash prize, spent 24 days in the top spot for the streamer in the US. It fell short of the longest-reigning program on the streaming service, <a href="https://tvline.com/2021/07/10/manifest-on-netflix-second-longest-streak-top-10-popularity/#:~:text=Manifest%20thus%20ties%20Netflix's%20Tiger,1.r,1.">"Ginny &amp; Georgia,"</a> which stayed at the top spot for 29 days in the US earlier this year. "Squid Game" does, however, set the record for a non-English program in the coveted spot.Netflix's "You" - which is now in its third season and centers on a murderous couple raising a newborn son in the suburbs - clinched the top spot after premiering on Friday. "Squid Game," became <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-squid-game-on-pace-to-be-biggest-hit-show-2021-9">Netflix's most watched show</a>after it premiered in September, <a href="https://www.thedrum.com">drawing 111 million views</a>. It snowballed into a global phenomenon, spawning <a href="https://www.insider.com/squid-game-netflix-red-light-green-light-dancing-fan-video-2021-9">viral memes</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/netflix-says-will-remove-squid-game-phone-number-afterprank-calls-2021-10">thousands of prank calls</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/dalgona-candy-squid-game-toffee-honeycomb-challenge-tiktok-viral-netflix-2021-10">a candy craze</a>, <a href="https://www.insider.com/squid-game-fight-video-netflix-popup-store-paris-france-viral-2021-10">pop-up stores</a>, and even talks of developing of a <a href="https://www.insider.com/real-life-squid-game-is-being-organized-in-abu-dhabi-2021-10">real-life game</a>.Though the show lost its number one spot in the US, it <a href="https://flixpatrol.com/top10/netflix/">remains at the top of Netflix's Top 10 in almost 50 countries</a>, including the UK, France, Russia, and Hong Kong, according to the most recently released numbers shared on Friday. However, the show also lost its number one spot in its home country of <keyword id="11944254" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="south-korea" source="Orion">South Korea</keyword>, falling to fellow Korean show "Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha." "Squid Game" still remains number one for the streaming service globally at 24 days, behind the record set by Netflix's pandemic hit <a href="https://flixpatrol.com/top10/netflix/world/longest-streak/">"Queen's Gambit,"</a> which earned the longest streak for number one worldwide earlier this year with a whopping 46 days. The show's high performance indicates promise for the streamer's investment strategy, which has involved <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-is-leaning-into-international-tv-shows-for-originals-data-2021-2">leaning into international productions</a> following the successes of shows like the Spanish series "Money Heist (La Casa de Papel)" and the French drama "Lupin." Meanwhile, a second season for "Squid Game" remains unconfirmed, though <a href="https://www.insider.com/squid-game-season-ones-finale-explained-questions-we-still-have-2021-10">fans are speculating about a follow-up to the series' first season</a>.

After a near-record run at the top of Netflix's US Top 10 list, pop culture smash 'Squid Game' has been bumped by another show

<ul class="summary-list"><li>AT&amp;T is discussing a deal to split off <keyword id="45859" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="content">content</keyword> assets and combine them with <keyword id="6421627" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="discovery">Discovery</keyword>, a source told Insider.</li><li>The deal, which could be announced in the coming days according to multiple reports, would create a new <keyword id="572624" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Streaming">streaming</keyword> giant better placed to take on Netflix and Disney. </li><li>Both companies declined to comment on the discussions.</li></ul>AT&amp;T, the telecom giant that also owns a host of <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> and <keyword id="4578" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment">entertainment</keyword> outlets including HBO, TNT, CNN, and Warner Bros., is in talks with Discovery to combine content assets, a source told Insider. Such a deal would create a new streaming giant better placed to compete with Netflix and Disney. It would also involve AT&amp;T splitting off assets it acquired when it bought Time Warner for $85 billion in 2018.<a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-16/at-t-is-said-in-talks-to-combine-content-assets-with-discovery-kor6r2uj?srnd=premium&amp;sref=BWbpWjRmWjRm">Bloomberg was first to report</a> the possible deal. The discussions are ongoing but a deal could be announced as soon as Monday, the Wall Street Journal later <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-t-in-talks-to-combine-media-assets-including-cnn-with-discovery-11621183450?mod=hp_lead_pos1">reported.</a>The deal would include several parts of WarnerMedia's division, including CNN, TNT and TBS, according to the WSJ, which said a big stake of the new entity would be owned by AT&amp;T shareholders.AT&amp;T declined Insider's request for comment. A spokesperson for Discovery told Insider the company will "never comment on market speculation or rumors."AT&amp;T had a market capitalization of about $230 billion as of Friday. Discovery, with its reality TV focused programming and networks including the Food Network, HGTV and TLC, has a market capitalization of about $17 billion.The prospective deal raises questions about who will run the combined entity. The <keyword id="34938" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="entertainment-industry">entertainment industry</keyword> establishment has been lukewarm on WarnerMedia's CEO Jason Kilar, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insiders-question-jason-kilars-leadership-at-warnermedia-2020-12">who ruffled feathers in Hollywood</a> with a straight to streaming strategy for newly released movies. <a href="https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wsj.com/amp/articles/the-hbo-max-bosss-script-for-a-new-hollywood-11621008116">The Wall Street Journal revealed that</a> WarnerMedia paid some $200 million to smooth talent who were upset by the change.Meanwhile, Discovery CEO David Zaslav is close with CNN chief Jeff Zucker, who had been positioning to run WarnerMedia. As AT&amp;T <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/att-time-warner-acquisition-what-it-will-own-2018-6">pursued its landmark merger with Time Warner</a> three years ago, the company maintained that joining forces was the only way both could compete with the likes of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-use-netflix-tips-and-tricks">Netflix</a> and Amazon. A deal could give HBO Max a much better shot at competing with Netflix and Disney+, since Discovery's non-scripted content from HGTV and Food Network are hugely popular with viewers.In addition, AT&amp;T had been planning to expand HBO Max internationally, and the Discovery combination could be a big boost to those plans. Discovery owns European rights to Olympic Games and owns Eurosport. The <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> comes on the eve of the TV upfronts when advertisers commit billions of dollars to the traditional and streaming video business.AT&amp;T has seen steady growth of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-hbo-max">HBO Max</a> since it launched last year. It <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/att-q1-2021-earnings-hbo-max-subscriber-growth-vs-netflix-2021-4">gained almost 3 million subscribers</a> in the first quarter of 2021, bringing total subscribers to 9.7 million. The platform is set to expand its reach from just the US, launching in Latin America next month. In total, HBO Max and HBO combined have about 64 million subscribers globally, compared to Netflix's 208 million.Discovery Plus launched in the increasingly crowded streaming market in January. The streaming platform is home to <a href="https://www.discoveryplus.com/?c1=Performancemktg&amp;c2=Google&amp;c3=SEMcopy&amp;c4=NA&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQiAlsv_BRDtARIsAHMGVSakVGgVvbFoBGHabL5gSE8f6WjXkdOrzy8KJX8-h6adCSf1GdZ5v5QaAvuEEALw_wcBv5QaAvuEEALw_wcB">55,000 episodes</a> of shows from brands like HGTV, Food Network, TLC, A&amp;E, History Channel, and the Discovery Channel, which airs the popular Shark Week series each year. Discovery Plus also features content from the BBC.

AT&T is in deal talks to create a new streaming giant with Discovery

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The actress who played <keyword id="28540" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Princess-Diana">Princess Diana</keyword> on "<keyword id="2328640" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="the-crown">The Crown</keyword>" told <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jan/24/emma-corrin-in-the-end-i-had-an-appreciation-for-dianas-complexity-the-crown">The Guardian</a> she's pleased to move on.</li><li><keyword id="10152174" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="emma-corrin">Emma Corrin</keyword> said she looks forward to playing roles that don't involve a "posh English" accent.</li><li>"The industry loves to pigeonhole," Corrin told the publication.</li></ul>"The Crown" actress Emma Corrin said she's "pleased to move on" from Princess Diana after playing the late royal in the show's fourth season. Speaking to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2021/jan/24/emma-corrin-in-the-end-i-had-an-appreciation-for-dianas-complexity-the-crown">The Guardian</a>, Corrin said she wants the opportunity to play other roles that don't involve doing a "posh English" accent."Though I'm sad I only did one series, I always knew that was all I was signing on for, and I played her from 16 to 28. I took her from girl to woman, and I loved that arc," Corrin told the publication. "But I'm also quite pleased to move on. The industry loves to pigeonhole. The sooner I can move away from doing posh English, the better, even though that's what I am."Read more: <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-crown-star-olivia-colman-fears-unemployment-after-playing-queen-2020-12">'The Crown' star Olivia Colman says she's 'quite pleased' to no longer be playing the Queen even though she fears unemployment</a>Olivia Colman also won't be reprising her role as the Queen in the show's fifth season. The actress, who played the monarch in the third and fourth season of the show, recently said she was pleased to move on from the role, <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-crown-star-olivia-colman-fears-unemployment-after-playing-queen-2020-12">despite still fearing unemployment.</a>Speaking about her future outside of the show, Corrin told The Guardian: "I want to do a gritty, independent film, maybe in Scotland or something. I'll have an outrageous accent, and flowing red hair."The actress also responded to the criticism the show has faced, saying that calls for a fictional disclaimer were "inevitable."Read more: <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-crown-got-princess-diana-prince-charles-wrong-royal-chef-2021-1">Princess Diana's former chef says 'The Crown' got her relationship with Prince Charles wrong: 'Don't say they were never in love'</a>"On some level, I do understand it. These people are alive. There's bound to be protectiveness. I just think it does a disservice to the appreciation of cinema, television, writing, even the imagination," she added. The show has faced criticism from royal experts and royal staff for inaccuracies in its portrayal of the royal family and their relationships. Princess Diana's former chef Darren McGrady recently <a href="https://www.insider.com/the-crown-got-princess-diana-prince-charles-wrong-royal-chef-2021-1">told Insider</a> that the show misrepresented Prince Charles and Diana's love story."I saw the two of them, I saw them dancing at the Ghillies Ball at Balmoral. Everyone was stepping aside and whooping. Charles was the DJ, and Diana in her ballgown. She spun him around so fast, he was laughing out loud," McGrady told Insider. "You can't hide that. Don't say they were never in love, because seeing things like that ... they should have portrayed more things like that."

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<a href="https://businessinsider.com/100-people-transforming-business-2021-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener"></a><div type="image" title="Squid Game" height="2680" width="3573" msid="87744911" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Hollywood's second century will be shaped by powerful creative and technological forces from across the globe.</li><li>Netflix hit "Squid Game" reflects the entertainment industry's increasingly international focus. </li><li>Insider is highlighting 10 people transforming <keyword id="11894119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="media" source="Orion">media</keyword> and entertainment for worldwide audiences. </li></ul>If Hollywood's first century was defined by the dominance of America's creative output, its second is shaping up to reflect powerful forces — artistic, economic, technological — from across the globe. Look no further than Netflix's South Korean export <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bridgerton-compared-to-other-netflix-top-original-shows-viewership-2021-1">"Squid Game,"</a> which took the streamer's own executives by surprise when it became an international phenomenon, racking up an audience of 142 million households — or around two-thirds of Netflix's total subscriber base — to become the service's most-watched series ever. The race for global streaming dominance is what drove two huge media M&amp;A deals that were announced in May and are set to close in 2022: Pending FTC approval, Discovery will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/att-discovery-warner-media-create-new-streaming-giant-2021-5">acquire WarnerMedia</a>, the parent of HBO and Warner Bros., for $43 billion and Amazon will <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-mgm-studios-acquisition-deal-streaming-james-bond-prime-video-2021-5">shell out $8.45 billion</a> for film studio MGM.At stake is the $843 billion that the global streaming market is expected to command by 2027, per Acumen Research and Consulting. "Size and global scale matter," said Pivotal Founder and CEO Jeffrey Wlodarczak, an analyst who specializes in entertainment and streaming research. The battle for subscribers has a ripple effect, he added, "increasing the barriers to entry for the competition and raising the bar on a player's ability to pay up for the best talent."<h2>Pandemic shifts ramped up the globalization of entertainment</h2>Now in its second year, the COVID pandemic continues to accelerate the globalization of the streaming wars, pushing media giants NBCUniversal, <keyword id="46161" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="disney" source="Orion">Disney</keyword>, and WarnerMedia to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/future-of-hollywood-movie-theaters-after-coronavirus-analysis-2020-9">release tentpole feature films online</a> and driving a 26% increase in global streaming service subscriptions (to 1.1 billion), per the Motion Picture Association. "Consumers were looking for new and unique content and were being attracted to try things outside of their norm," said Kevin Westcott, who leads the US technology, media and telecommunications practice for Deloitte.For its third annual list of the leaders transforming business, Insider is highlighting 10 visionaries who are leveraging these technological innovations and societal changes to transform media and entertainment for audiences everywhere. Streaming leader Netflix has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-has-5-year-advantage-international-tv-squid-game-2021-10">a head start with worldwide audiences</a> (it has operated in more than 130 countries since 2016) largely thanks to Bela Bajaria, who was promoted to global head of TV in summer 2020 on the strength of her ability to spin local-language programs like "Lupin" into worldwide hits. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2F">Disney+</a> is in hot pursuit, however, with its 116 million subscribers, and it's expected to surpass Netflix by 2025 according to Digital TV Research. Some of the most resonant content on the service was created by the teams under <keyword id="11899344" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="marvel" source="Orion">Marvel</keyword> Studios President Kevin Feige, who has deftly adapted the Marvel Cinematic Universe for the small screen with juggernaut series "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fseries%2Fwandavision%2F4SrN28ZjDLwH">WandaVision</a>," "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fseries%2Floki%2F6pARMvILBGzF">Loki</a>," and "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fseries%2Fthe-falcon-and-the-winter-soldier%2F4gglDBMx8icA">Falcon and the Winter Soldier</a>."<h2>Media companies are seeking global reach in all formats</h2>Global reach also drives media outside of streaming screens. Finding an international audience for podcasts like "Dirty John" and "The Shrink Next Door" was a big reason that Jen Sargent, CEO of podcast studio <keyword id="12546961" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="wondery" source="Orion">Wondery</keyword>, was able <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-will-acquire-podcast-startup-wondery-2020-12">to sell the business</a> to <keyword id="12361695" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="amazon-music" source="Orion">Amazon Music</keyword> at the end of 2020. "Wondery has always had a culture of taking risks," she told Insider, adding that she believes consumer behaviors in the U.S. "absolutely apply to global markets." And it's the devoted worldwide fan base for online game "Fortnite" — 56 million players and counting — that gave <keyword id="11962372" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="epic-games" source="Orion">Epic Games</keyword> CEO Tim Sweeney the juice to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-is-appealing-epic-games-case-anti-steering-2021-10">take on Apple</a> over how it does business on its App Store. The power of the popular is also changing the path to stardom, as more and more creators accelerate their rise via video-powered social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. Lil Nas X — who rose to megafame as his single "Old Town Road" took off on TikTok — leveraged his online fanbase into <a href="https://www.insider.com/lil-nas-x-devil-lap-dance-montero-sneakers-twitter-internet-2021-3">a chart-topping album release</a> when "Montero" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200. Streamer Rachell "Valkyrae" Hofstetter has parlayed her 3.5 million YouTube subscribers into a rich multi-year deal with the video platform, an equity position in gaming organization 100 Thieves, and sponsorships from AT&amp;T, Lexus, and others. Even a much more traditional medium, the email newsletter, is being remade as <keyword id="11931414" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="substack" source="Orion">Substack</keyword> — led by CEO Chris Best — has opened the door for writers to create, distribute, and monetize their own work.<h2>Diverse artists and creators are finding new opportunities</h2>This proliferation and democratization of platforms also has created more opportunity than ever before for fresh voices from historically underrepresented groups. Just ask Billy Porter, who won an Emmy for his portrayal of an HIV-positive fashion designer in FX's "Pose," or Chloe Zhao, who became the first woman of color to win the Oscar for best director and went on to helm Marvel film <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eternals-box-office-underwhelms-compared-to-other-marvel-movies-2021-11#:~:text=Marvel's%20%22Eternals%22%20opened%20with%20%2471,domestic%20debut%20of%20the%20pandemic.&amp;text=The%20movie%20is%20the%20worst,yet%20for%20an%20MCU%20movie.">"Eternals,"</a> which features the franchise's first deaf and first gay characters. Or Michaela Coel, who burst into the zeitgeist with a bracingly original narrative about sexual assault and trauma with her HBO series <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-may-destroy-you-intimacy-coordinator-ita-obrien-helps-actors-2021-9">"I May Destroy You"</a> — and who'll take her own place in the MCU with a role in 2022's "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."Together these creators, artists, and storytellers, along with the business leaders who work to amplify and monetize their work, are making the most of a new world of audiences and opportunities.

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<ul><li style="list-style-type: none;"><ul class="summary-list"><li>"<keyword id="11551622" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="high-on-the-hog">High on the Hog</keyword>" inspired Black chefs to highlight the African diaspora's culinary connections.</li><li>Scholars detail similar dishes between Africa, the Caribbean, and Americas seen today in recipes.</li><li>Culinary arts is one of many exchanges between the diaspora, including ingredients, and language.</li></ul></li></ul><keyword id="6181" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Food">Food</keyword> critics often argue that Black food is treated as the underbelly of America's cuisine although it would be nowhere without it. Throughout the pandemic, cultural documentaries and explorations of US history have been in <a href="https://time.com/5932847/black-art-chad-sanders/">high demand</a>. But, viewers and creatives grow tired of diluted Black narratives that barely scratch the surface of community complexities."When our stories get told, when our food gets talked about, it's the 'hardship' story. I don't even mean celebrating resilience," food writer and host Stephen Satterfield <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/17/dining/osayi-endolyn-high-on-the-hog.html">told the New York Times</a>,following the release of Netflix's critically acclaimed docuseries "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America"The docuseries is based on the <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7200344-high-on-the-hog">New York Times bestseller</a> of the same name by culinary historian and co-host Jessica B. Harris. For Haitian chef Stephan Berrouet-Durand, he finally saw himself in the 4-part series. "As I watched, I'm seeing the connection between who I am, where I'm from, and within the story of how I became who I am," he told Insider.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Reagan Gomez (@ReaganGomez) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1397703441422503937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2021</a></blockquote>Led by an all-Black creative team, including Roger Ross Williams, Karis Jagger and Fabienne Toback, audience follow Satterfield as he navigated the intersections between the Atlantic Slave trade and the Black culinary traditions brought to America.But, for many, High on the Hog is more than just a food documentary; it's a celebration of Black liberation and resilience. Since its release, viewers were moved by this voyage to a piece of archived American history, deeming it an emotional and spiritual journey connecting traditional American cuisine and ingredients to the Motherland."This has always been part of our tradition as a diasporic people descending from the continent of Africa," Satterfield told the Times.Although Haiti's specific influence wasn't mentioned in the limited series, chef Berrouet-Durand says the film, and other cultural programming like it, has been crucial in highlighting Black stories told by the diaspora, without white gaze.<h2>Chefs across the African diaspora connected with the docuseries</h2><div type="image" title="greek okra dish ragout" height="668" width="1000" msid="84037800" hostid="261"></div>Inspired by the film, Berrouet-Durand and Black chefs representing Africa, the Caribbean and Americas are expanding culinary palettes with a taste of the diaspora's shared history - connecting cuisines along the entire Trans-Atlantic slave trade, including their diasporas in Latin America, Caribbean islands and parts of the African continent Hollywood often leaves out. "Food really tells you a whole lot about people's identity and people's cultural heritage," said Nigerian archaeologist Chioma Ngonadi. "So we need to tell these stories, we need to talk about these people to learn what has happened, and compare it with what is happening now." Scholars often pinpoint the shared histories in the African, Caribbean and Afro-Caribbean populations on account of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade and well after. From Afro-Mexicans whose celebration of Juneteenth <a href="https://www.texasmonthly.com/being-texan/mexican-village-juneteenth-celebration/">dates back to their African-American descendants</a>, to American <a href="https://slate.com/human-interest/2015/08/the-most-successful-slave-rebellion-in-history-created-an-independent-haiti-and-secured-the-louisiana-purchase-and-the-expansion-of-north-american-slavery.html">slave rebellions funded by Haiti,</a> the diaspora's inter-connectivity is nothing new.But <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5606333/">recent studies</a> have sought to shine a light on that history often excluded from classrooms. High on the Hog takes audiences on this journey through that its continued impact on the culinary arts.Haitian-American food historian and archaeologist Peggy Brunache told Insider the extensive similarities between the Caribbean and African food-ways are apparent as well.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-JAY BLESSED®️ (@JAYBLESSED) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1399040786222698498?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 30, 2021</a></blockquote>Highlighting Louisiana as an example, Brunache notes its distinct, Creole history is often cited as the northern extension of the Caribbean due to a significant influx of Black people leaving Saint Domingue (modern day Haiti) in 1791 and long after. "Having large numbers of Black people that are always amongst themselves, socially, culturally, racially segregated, allowed them to keep creating or recreating an Africanized food <keyword id="24504" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="culture">culture</keyword>," she explained. Ingredients like peanuts, tomato, corn, and cassava travelled from west to east on trade routes of colonizers by way of the enslaved. West African communities then brought their ingredients to the Caribbean and the Americas. <div type="image" title="Fried fish" height="538" width="800" msid="84037802" hostid="261"></div>In the film, when Satterfield recalls his childhood eating fried fish and tomato based spaghetti while eating Benin's comparable dish Ganvié (fried fish and tomato), Trinidadian Chef Brigette Joseph immediately thought of stewed fish - a similar dish through the Caribbean where the fried fish is tossed into a tomato-infused creole sauce. Chef Berrouet-Durand told Insider that's because "food tends to travel.""Food never stays in one place. Depending on where you are, food tends to evolve as well," he said. But stewed fish is far from the only connection. High on the Hog explores the crafts of technique, language, and ingredients also united African American, Afro-Caribbean and African communities.Even the lexicon in which traditional dishes are named is similar throughout the African diaspora. Accra, for example, is the name of the largest town in Ghana, while across the Atlantic, it's a beach in Barbados where enslaved Africans first made landfall from the Motherland's shores. In food, Accra is a Haitian fritter made of fried black-eyed peas and salted cod - called "stamp and go" in Jamaica. Most notable, perhaps, is okra. It's called "gumbo" in Haiti - the same word for the staple Louisiana dish for which descendants use okra for the base. Dr. Brunache explains that these parallels come from an exchange between the diaspora, which became ingrained in the culture. "It is a source of pride and joy. It didn't just feed the body; it fed the soul," Dr. Brunache said. "That's why it's called soul food." <h2>Culinary scholars told Insider it's essential to pass on the traditions</h2>While celebrating similarities, High on the Hog notes how Black cultures are not monolithic. Where Black communities come from are just as diverse. Trinidadian Chef Leigh Ann Martin told Insider it would be "an injustice to the entire diaspora" to try representing all of it in any given docuseries.<blockquote class="twitter-tweet blockquote" data-lang="en" data-cards="" data-conversation="">-Vers Bttm of The Barrel (@Danez_Smif) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/1398730637587124227">May 29, 2021</a></blockquote>She said that's where Black chefs throughout the diaspora can step in, inspiring a new generation to continue the discourse. For many, High on the Hog validates the cultural resistance that kept the diaspora bonded through time. For chefs like Martin, it honors the Black "voices that have been here, African roots have been here," and serves as a reminder to the next generations to cherish the tradition while passing the torch."We have to carry on and contribute to the conversation," she said. "We all have work to do."

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