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New Delhi: The merger of media assets of Reliance Industries and the India business of global media house the Walt Disney is expected to be complete by the end of the third quarter of this fiscal, according to a regulatory filing by billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led group. The fair trade regulator CCI has already approved the merger of Viacom 18 and <keyword id="19976122" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Star-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Star India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Star India">Star India</keyword> and NCLT (National Company Law Tribunal) has sanctioned the scheme regarding it. "The companies are in the process of obtaining other requisite approvals for the completion of the transaction and transaction closer is expected in 3Q FY 25," informed Reliance Industries on Monday in its quarter earning statement. The merger of Reliance group-controlled media assets - TV18 Broadcast and E18 - with Network18 Media &amp; Investments has already been sanctioned by the NCLT and was made effective on October 3, it said. Earlier on September 27, the government approved the transfer of licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by media entities of Reliance Industries to Star India. "The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, vide its order dated September 27, has granted its approval for transfer of Licenses relating to Non News &amp; Current Affairs TV channels held by <keyword id="19976121" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> Media Private Limited in favour of Star India," it had said. Viacom18 is the holding company that owns the media and entertainment business of billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and Bodhi Tree Systems. Both sides are in the final stages of the merger, making some adjustments in the business as per the Competition Commission of India (CCI) directions. On August 30, the NCLT had approved the scheme of merger of Viacom18 Media and Digital 18 Media, holding media and entertainment assets of Reliance Industries with Star India. The scheme had proposed the transfer and vesting of Media Operations Undertaking from Viacom 18 and Jio Cinema into Digital18, which is a subsidiary of Viacom 18. This would be followed by "demerger, transfer and vesting of V18 Undertaking from Digital 18 into Star India". The merger of the media assets of Reliance Industries and The Walt Disney Co.'s India business will create the country's largest media empire worth over Rs 70,000 crore. Earlier, the CCI had said it has cleared the "proposed combination involving Reliance Industries Ltd, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, Digital18 Media Ltd, Star India Pvt Ltd and Star Television Productions Ltd, subject to the compliance of voluntary modifications". Viacom18 is part of the RIL group, and Star India is wholly owned by The <keyword id="19986269" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Walt-Disney-Company" source="keywords">Walt Disney Company</keyword>. Star Television Productions, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, is owned indirectly by Walt Disney. The CCI, however, did not disclose voluntary modifications in the original deal made by the two parties. As per the deal, Mukesh Ambani-led RIL and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent of the combined entity that will house two streaming services and 120 television channels. Walt Disney will hold the remaining 36.84 per cent stake in the combined entity, which will also be India's largest media house. Reliance Industries has also agreed to invest close to Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture to give it the muscle to fight rivals like Japan's Sony and Netflix. Nita Ambani, wife of billionaire and RIL Chairman <keyword id="19916798" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani" source="keywords">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>, will head the joint venture, while Uday Shankar will be the vice-chairperson.

Reliance expects to complete merger with Disney's India business in Q3

<ul><li><keyword id="19940563" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="JioCinema" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="JioCinema">JioCinema</keyword> has announced new ad-free premium plans for individuals and families.</li><li>The premium subscription plans have been priced starting at ₹29 per month.</li><li>Here’s everything you need to know about JioCinema’s new subscription plans.</li></ul> Mukesh Ambani-owned streaming platform JioCinema on Thursday announced its new premium plans after teasing them for a few days. The new premium subscription plans from the digital arm of Viacom18 offer ad-free content. JioCinema has an extensive catalogue, including the ongoing <keyword id="19966825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indian-Premier-League" source="keywords">Indian Premier League</keyword> (IPL) and content from HBO, Warner Bros., and Paramount, among others. The new content plans are cheaper than its current plans and are aimed at offering an ad-free experience like <keyword id="21423024" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix-and-Prime-Video" source="keywords">Netflix and Prime Video</keyword>. Do note that sports content, including the IPL, will continue to be free with Jio’s ad-supported tier. Existing <keyword id="20426557" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="JioCinema-Premium" source="keywords">JioCinema Premium</keyword> users will be upgraded to Jio’s new plans for free. “The introduction of JioCinema Premium breaks the numerous cost and quality barriers that exist in accessing premium entertainment. With 4K streaming, best-in-class audio, offline viewing and no device restriction all at a customer-centric pricing is sure to democratise access to quality entertainment for all of India,” Kiran Mani, chief executive officer, <keyword id="21420202" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18-Digital" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Viacom18 Digital" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Viacom18 Digital">Viacom18 Digital</keyword>. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="JioCinema Premium plans pricing" comment="subhead" text="JioCinema Premium plans pricing"><keyword id="21423025" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Jiocinema-premium-plans" source="Orion">JioCinema Premium plans</keyword> pricing</cmsannotation> The new JioCinema Premium plan is priced at ₹29 per month for the individual plan, offering online and offline access to 4K content on one device. It includes access to all premium content on the platform without any ads, except sports and live content, which will continue to show ads. For families, JioCinema has introduced the new Family plan, which offers all the same benefits as the Premium plan and allows streaming on four devices at once. It is priced at ₹89 per month. Do note that the company has not announced long-term plans and you only have the option to select from the monthly plans. JioCinema has said that these are introductory prices. The actual prices of the plans are ₹59 and ₹149 respectively. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="International content in regional languages" comment="subhead" text="International content in regional languages">International content in regional languages</cmsannotation> JioCinema has announced several partnerships over the last few months, including with HBO and Paramount. The company has said that in addition to English, content from international studios will be available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Marathi and Bengali. “On an average, pricing for broadcaster-based OTT’s in India is ₹103 per month (Zee5, Sony Liv, Disney plus premium plan), whereas global giant OTT’s average pricing is ₹358 (Netflix premium plan, Amazon video), which implies that Jio Cinema Premium pricing is at a steep discount of 86% vs average price of peers; however, Jio Cinema’s depth of offerings in originals/global content remains much lower compared to global peers,” said Karan Thorani, Elara Securities. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/gigabyte-aorus-co49dq-49-inch-qd-oled-144hz-curved-gaming-monitor-launched-in-india/articleshow/109563798.cms">GIGABYTE AORUS CO49DQ 49-inch QD-OLED 144Hz curved gaming monitor launched in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/realme-narzo-70-narzo-70x-5g-smartphones-launched-in-india-starting-at-11999/articleshow/109557895.cms">Realme Narzo 70, Narzo 70X 5G smartphones launched in India starting at ₹11,999</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-let-loose-event-scheduled-for-may-7-ipads-expected-to-be-launched/articleshow/109553148.cms">Apple Let Loose event scheduled for May 7 – New iPad models expected to be launched</a>

An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema

Mumbai, Viacom 18 has bagged the <keyword id="6391629" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci-media-rights" source="Orion">BCCI media rights</keyword> in both TV and digital for the next five years, announced Jay Shah, the <keyword id="6354756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci" source="Orion">BCCI</keyword> Honorary Secretary. Viacom18 beat competition from Sony Sports Network and Disney Star in an e-auction held on Thursday. "Congratulations @viacom18 for winning the @BCCI Media Rights for both linear and digital for the next 5 years. India Cricket will continue to grow in both spaces as after @IPL, and @wplt20, we extend the partnership @BCCI Media Rights as well. Together we will continue to capture the imagination of Indian cricket fans," said Shah on the social media platform "X". Viacom18, a relative newcomer in the broadcasting world through its TV channel Sports18 and digital platform Jio Cinema, is also the holder of TV and digital rights to the Women's Premier League (WPL) till 2027. It also has the rights to Cricket South Africa matches to be broadcasted in India from 2024-31. Viacom18 has taken the BCCI bilateral media rights from Disney Star, who had won the television and digital rights for the 2018-23 cycle for INR 6138 crore. Disney Star had won the rights to the 2012-18 cycle of broadcasting Indian cricket in the country for INR 3851 crores. "Also, a big thank you to @starindia @DisneyPlusHS for your support over the years. You played a key role in making India Cricket reach its fans across the globe," added Shah, also the President of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The BCCI has opted for an e-auction for the bilateral media rights, with a base price of INR 25 crore for India digital and rest of world TV &amp; digital rights and INR 20 crore for India television rights, continuing the trend from IPL media rights auction. It brought the combined rights value to INR 45 crore per game for a total of 88 matches for the 2023-28 cycle. Viacom18's cycle of showing India's matches will begin with the three-match ODI series against Australia from September 22-27, a preparatory series before the Men's ODI World Cup. --IANS nr/bsk

Viacom 18 bags BCCI media rights in both digital and TV for next five years

<keyword id="6355199" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance-industries">Reliance Industries</keyword> Limited (<keyword id="6484187" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="ril">RIL</keyword>) does not seem to be keen on a deal with Sony Pictures for a stake sale and merger in Viacom 18. As per sources, <keyword id="3820" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mukesh-Ambani">Mukesh Ambani</keyword> led RIL is not keen on the Sony conversation. Sources said digital media and entertainment is an essential pillar of Jio's digital business strategy. Reliance plans to invest aggressively and grow the digital media business. They added that Reliance wants to retain management control over the digital operations and invest behind creating India's number 1 OTT destination as well as broadcast platform. Sources revealed that entertainment is central to Jio's FTTH plans in partnership and collaboration with other content and production companies. "There is a lot of interest from content companies and production houses in partnering with Reliance and Jio, and investors are keen to back such partnerships," they added. Earlier, there were reports that Sony is likely to own 74 per cent after a merger with Viacom 18. As per reports, a merger of Sony Pictures Network and Viacom 18 was being discussed. Viacom 18 is a 51:49 JV between Reliance owned Network 18 and Viacom. There had been a buzz about the deal for some months now.

Reliance ditches Viacom18 merger talks with Sony – has its eyes set on building India's No.1 OTT and broadcast platform

New Delhi, Walt <keyword id="19899232" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disney" source="keywords">Disney</keyword> CEO <keyword id="20023956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bob-iger" source="keywords">Bob Iger</keyword> has said a joint venture with <keyword id="19936674" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="reliance" source="keywords">Reliance</keyword> Industries after merging its <keyword id="19895063" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="india" source="keywords">India</keyword> business would benefit the company in terms of profit and also "derisk" its business in the Indian market. The merger deal will create a big entity and help it to stay in the market at a "significant level", said Iger at a Morgan Stanley investor conference earlier this week. "We had an opportunity to align with Reliance, which is obviously the company that has done very well there and one that we respect. And in doing so, end up owning part of a bigger media company. And we believe that, that not only should benefit us in terms of the bottom-line, but derisk us as well there," he said. Last month, Walt Disney Co. and Reliance Industries announced signing of binding pacts to merge their media operations in India. Under the deal, Reliance and its affiliates will hold 63.16 per cent and Disney will have 36.84 per cent in the JV, which will create India's leading media company that will house two streaming services and around 120 television channels. "We wanted to stay in India. We made a big investment in India when we purchased the assets of 21st Century Fox. We are one of the biggest media companies in India. But even though it is the most populous country in the world, we felt we want to be there because of that, we also know that there are challenges in that market," he said. Iger said, the merger will create a big entity and help it to stay in the market at a "significant level". "So, it's kind of the best of both worlds. We stay in the market at a significant level. We have a very good partner in Reliance, and we get to have a chance of growing a business and lowering the risk of doing so," he added. The transaction values the joint venture at Rs 70,352 crore (USD 8.5 billion) on a post-money basis, excluding synergies. Billionaire Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance has also agreed to invest at closing Rs 11,500 crore into the joint venture to give it the muscle to fight rivals such as Japan's Sony, and Netflix. Its OTT platform Disney + Hotstar has seen its paid subscriber base decline from around 55 million to 40 million in the first quarter of FY24 because of Reliance's <keyword id="19985346" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="jio-cinema" source="keywords">Jio Cinema</keyword> winning exclusive rights for live sports. The combined entity will have the largest OTT subscriber base. Disney + Hotstar was launched in India in 2020, post the acquisition of the entertainment assets of 21st Century Fox at a valuation of USD 71.3 billion, thereby taking over the operations of Star India and Hotstar. It housed entertainment and cinema channels such as StarPlus and StarGold as well as sports channels like Star Sports. While Disney + Hotstar rapidly increased its subscriber base initially with the streaming rights of cricket matches (IPL, World Cup), it lost the bid for the digital streaming rights in 2023-27 cycle, which was won by Reliance-backed Viacom18 for USD 720 billion, 12.92 per cent higher than what Star India had paid on an average per match value. Media ventures of Reliance are currently housed in Network 18, which owns TV18 news channels as well as a plethora of entertainment (under the 'Colors' brand) and sports channels. NW18 also has stakes in moneycontrol.com, bookmyshow and publishes magazines. NW18 owns news channels CNBC/CNNNews. Reliance separately owns a movie production arm - JioStudios, and majority stakes in two listed cable distribution companies, Den and <keyword id="20777796" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hathway" source="keywords">Hathway</keyword>. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-february-2024/slidelist/108323754.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/top-selling-cars-in-india-in-february-2024/slidelist/108323754.cms" target="_blank">Top selling cars in India in February 2024</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-and-xiaomi-14-ultra-with-snapdragon-8-gen-3-launched-in-india/articleshow/108304169.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-and-xiaomi-14-ultra-with-snapdragon-8-gen-3-launched-in-india/articleshow/108304169.cms" target="_blank">Xiaomi 14 and Xiaomi 14 Ultra with Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 launched in India</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/retail-auto-sales-grow-by-13-in-february-but-elevated-inventory-levels-a-concern/articleshow/108289901.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/retail-auto-sales-grow-by-13-in-february-but-elevated-inventory-levels-a-concern/articleshow/108289901.cms" target="_blank">Retail auto sales grow by 13% in February, but elevated inventory levels a concern</a>

Merger with Reliance would boost company's profits and reduce risk in India: Disney CEO Bob Iger

<keyword id="187712" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18">Viacom18</keyword> has expanded its digital ecosystem with the launch of its first subscription play – <keyword id="3701222" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Voot-Kids">VOOT Kids</keyword>. The plaftorm that has been certified by Early Childhood Association (ECA) will offer a collection of over 20,000 videos, e-books, stories and quizzes, aims to usher in the next evolution in the kid’s digital ecosystem. “Viacom18 has grown over the years by focussing on white spaces that are challenging and yet have tremendous potential. As a network, we have been the undisputed leader in kids’ entertainment content since the past 5 years. Our digital play VOOT is the second largest video-on-demand platform in the country today.” said <keyword id="1118047" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sudhanshu-Vats">Sudhanshu Vats</keyword>, Group CEO &amp; MD, Viacom18, adding, “VOOT Kids is a synergy of these two growth stories from the house of Viacom18. Marking our sharper segmented foray into the world of subscription based VoD, VOOT Kids is India’s first and only multi-format Kids app offering Fun &amp; Learning. No other kids app offers Watch, Read, Listen &amp; Learn all at one place” With a mission to make screen time meaningful for Kids, the app strikes a balance between fun learning and entertainment for kids between the age of 02 to 08 years. The app will achieve this by delivering a holistic experience focussed on viewing, reading, listening and playing all in one place. The app encompasses Kids’ favourite toons, best of pre-school and learning shows, beautifully crafted picture e-books, audio stories and fun quizzes and will empower parents with relevant and superior quality engagement options for their children. Behind this impressive content line-up are partnerships with best in class brand owners and leaders like Nickelodeon, Oxford University Press, Warner Media, Green Gold, Ceebeebies, TV Asahi, Sony Music, Hasbro, Mattel, Lego and many more. Speaking about VOOT’s venture into the premium subscription space, <keyword id="260775" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gourav-Rakshit">Gourav Rakshit</keyword>, COO, <keyword id="3304677" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18-digital">Viacom18 Digital</keyword> Ventures said, “The foray into the subscription space with VOOT Kids is the first step in our journey towards building an entire digital ecosystem under brand VOOT. VOOT Kids has been built on the 3 pillars of Product Experience, Content and Safety. In VOOT Kids, we are bringing an offering that is child-friendly, yet parent focussed and gives them an opportunity to bond with an immersive co-consumption experience. Our brand philosophy of ‘Masti Mein Acchai’ reflects our mission to make screen time meaningful.” VOOT Kids is a key enabler that enhances the bond between parents and children through immersive co-consumption experiences. The curated ad-free content library has parental control features that allow parents to evaluate progress, limit screen time and track content consumed which makes VOOT Kids India’s safest one-stop online destination that entertains, engages and enriches kids, all under one roof. Elaborating, <keyword id="2622409" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saugato-Bhowmik">Saugato Bhowmik</keyword>, Business Head, VOOT Kids said, “VOOT Kids is a category creating product in the space of digital fun learning that caters to needs of discerning Indian parents who seek meaningful screen-time that aids in holistic development of the child’s mental, emotional and social faculties. The app has the largest and most versatile offerings in the space of toon videos, e-books, audio stories and fun quizzes that provides children with a parent-controlled, safe and entertaining content destination.” He further added, “We believe masti should never be served up without acchai and the same holds true the other way around. And this is our guiding philosophy at VOOT Kids" VOOT Kids will be Viacom18’s first ever digital subscription service providing immersive content delivered through an elevated product experience and seamless gameplay. With this launch, VOOT Kids will bring alive the ‘Masti Main Acchai’ brand idea through a high decibel integrated marketing plan that will reach over 50 million households driven by a mix of print, on-air, on-ground activations and digital outreach.

Viacom18 launches its first subscription play, VOOT Kids

<ul><li>Apart from running a pure SVOD model right now, <keyword id="8612979" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="voot-select">Voot Select</keyword> is also looking at partnering with telcos to provide combined offers for their consumers. </li><li>After seeing 335 million interactions on Voot in 2019, <keyword id="260775" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Gourav-Rakshit">Gourav Rakshit</keyword>, COO, <keyword id="2947361" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Viacom18-Digital-Ventures">Viacom18 Digital Ventures</keyword> is eyeing to triple it to 1 billion by the end of this fiscal and he believes that this approach will keep Voot ahead of its competition. </li><li>Rakshit further shares the content lineup for Voot Select, what encouraged them to launch SVOD-led model, its target audience and a few things that will drive its future. </li></ul><div type="Video" msid="74488859" hostid="261" title="Voot Select's Gourav Rakshit shares its content plan and vision to become the top India premium OTT player" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=74488859"></div>

 After becoming the first successful AVOD platform in India, Viacom18 is expanding its digital portfolio by launching Voot Select. Its latest SVOD platform envisions to be the leader of Indian premium OTT space by FY21. Talking about Voot Select’s vision, Gourav Rakshit, COO, Viacom18 Digital Ventures said, "Just like Voot is the leader in the Indian OTT space and Voot Kids is definite a leader, I would like Voot Select to be the leader in the Indian premium OTT content space. I don’t know if we would be able to make a huge dent among the global majors that have set shops in India, but if we can achieve that, then I think it will be a well-spent year.” Content Plan for Voot Select Launched on March 3, Voot Select promises to deliver 30 originals in 12 months, offer over 1500 blockbuster movies, and have over 35 24-hours live TV channels. With the advent of Over-the-Top platforms, Indians have developed an insatiable need for watching content. Leveraging this opportunity, Viacom18 aims to transform into a digital-first network. As its first step in this direction, Voot Select will bring all fictional content from Viacom18’s portfolio on its platform, 24 hours before the episodes premiere on TV. All the non-fiction content can be accessed on the platform 15-30 minutes before its airing time. Voot Select will also provide a wide array of global content experiences through a few exclusive and unique content partnerships with CBS, CBS All Access, Showtime, Sony Pictures, Fremantle, BBC, Endemol Shine and more. 24/7 LGBTQ channel, Revry TV will make its debut in India on Voot Select. Apart from running a pure SVOD model right now, Voot Select is also looking at partnering with telcos to provide combined offers. Explaining its subscription and revenue model, Rakshit said, “There will be a very compelling direct-to-consumer business that will result in them paying the fees, but we will also partner with other providers in the market like the telcos or people who own the consumers, who have either reach-relationship or billing-relationship with the consumers. They would want to offer our service as a benefit to their consumers, so those partnerships will also emerge. But for now, SVOD will be the large part of the proposition.” A smooth 2019 that led to the launch of Voot Select Voot reached 100 million MAUs with 100 billion minutes of watch time in 2019. The platform witnessed 4X growth in the number of views from Tier II, Tier III and regional markets. It saw 335 million interactions in 2019, making it India's most engaged OTT platform. It took another leap last year by launching Voot Kids. Within the first two months of the launch, it saw 2.5 million downloads and 55 plus minutes were spent by per viewer. Speaking about Voot’s growth trajectory, Rakshit said, “Voot’s AVOD became unit-economics-positive in 2019 and that was a significant achievement because it also gave us the ability to try and invest in newer business and Voot Kids and Voot Select are a product of that success. A 100 million MAUs is also a testimony that a large number of people already exist on Voot and we will now primarily aim to bring that to Voot Select.” When asked what factors led to this success, Rakshit credited it to Voot’s investment on engagement and user loyalty. He said, “I think one of the big turning points that we had for Voot was that we really over-invested on interactivity. Rather than being a broadcasting or curating platform, we started engaging a lot more with our consumers. Our consumers started sharing their voices with us and that created a habit that made us number one in terms of engagement in the Indian OTT space. The frequency of people that come to our platform is also higher than everyone else and that helps to make your unit economy stronger because you are not spending as much money to bring in newer people onto the platform.” What lies in the future After seeing 335 million interactions on Voot in 2019, Rakshit eyes to triple it to 1 billion by the end of this fiscal and he believes that this approach will keep Voot ahead of its competition.

Voot Select envisions to be the leader of the Indian premium OTT space by FY21

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">CBS All Access"Star Trek: Discovery"</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>CBS and Viacom have agreed to reunite, creating another US <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> powerhouse that could be better positioned to compete with Netflix and media giants Disney and Comcast.</li><li>The deal-making may not end there. Executives from the two companies are reportedly considering other acquisitions as well. </li><li>Business Insider reported on how Viacom insiders feel about the merger, what's next for CBS and Viacom, and how the combination could bolster their streaming services.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.</a></li></ul>CBS and Viacom finally agreed this week to reunite, after splitting 13 years ago, in an all-stock deal that could create another US media powerhouse.The deal brings together CBS' broadcast, sports, and news networks, Showtime, and streaming services like CBS All Access, with Viacom's movie studio Paramount Pictures and array of international TV networks like Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, MTV, and BET. It also pools the two companies' production resources, and creates a vast <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> portfolio.The feeling at Viacom internally, based on Business Insider's interviews with a half dozen current and former employees, is relief that the deal is finally done and anxiety around what comes next.Recent major media tie ups, like Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox and AT&amp;T's merger with WarnerMedia, led to layoffs and staff changes.Check out what Viacom insiders are saying about the deal: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/viacom-employees-say-good-spot-after-cbs-deal-2019-8">INSIDE VIACOM: What employees are saying about the blockbuster CBS merger and think will happen next</a>Some Viacom staffers have been put at ease by Viacom CEO Bob Bakish's rise in power. Bakish was chosen by CBS and Viacom's board to lead the combined company, to be called ViacomCBS.Read more about the proposed leadership structure: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/viacom-staffers-bob-bakish-power-grab-viacom-cbs-merger-2019-8">Viacom CEO Bob Bakish's power grab during the CBS merger has put some employees at ease, but Wall Street has major concerns about the leadership structure</a>But the deal-making may not end with one merger. Executives from both companies said on a call with analysts this week that they'll continue looking for opportunities to grow their businesses, and that their merger will put them in better financial shape to jump on future deals.Discovery, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Starz, and its owner Lions Gate are some of the companies thought to be of interest to CBS and Viacom.Read more about what's next for CBS and Viacom: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/viacom-cbs-next-deal-media-ad-tech-other-potential-targets-2019-8">M&amp;A experts break down what Viacom and CBS could buy next, from ad-tech to James Bond</a>One big upside to deal, and reason we may see more combinations like it, is that it could help CBS and Viacom scale their streaming services and production resources to better compete - and sell movies and TV shows to - media giants like Netflix, Disney, and Comcast.Read more about how the deal could help bolster CBS and Viacom's streaming services: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-cbs-viacom-merger-could-compete-against-netflix-disney-2019-6">3 big ways CBS merging with Viacom could help it fight Netflix - and one downside to the deal</a>Are you a CBS or Viacom insider with a tip for another story? Let me know at <a href="mailto:arodriguez@businessinsider.com">ARodriguez@businessinsider.com</a>. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quentin-tarantino-once-upon-time-hollywood-details-you-missed-2019-7">39 details you may have missed in Tarantino's 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

What the CBS-Viacom merger means for employees, the future of TV, and the next round of deal-making

<ul><li><keyword id="1553175" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="vodafone-idea" source="Orion">Vodafone Idea</keyword> today announced the conversion of interest on its spectrum and AGR dues to equity, making the government the largest shareholder.</li><li>The government intervention might help Vodafone Idea raise debt to fund its business, but finding equity investors still remains a major task for the telco.</li><li>Analysts are divided on the matter, with some suggesting that this could prove to be a useful intervention for the sector as a whole, while others expressed apprehension over the government’s ability to steady the ship.</li></ul>The Indian government has done what many experts and analysts did not think it would – pick up a stake in a telecom operator that was on the brink of a collapse just a few months ago. The message is loud and clear – the government does not want the Indian telecom sector to become a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/what-if-vodafone-idea-dies/articleshow/85127937.cms">duopoly of Reliance Jio and Airtel</a>. However, the market response to the announcement was brutal – Vodafone Idea’s shares dipped by as much as 19% in early trade yesterday (January 11). As of 3:30 p.m., it was down by over 20%, suggesting that the market is spooked by the government’s entry as a shareholder. <div type="image" title="Vodafone Idea 15_09_21 to 11_01_22." msid="88836372" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Vodafone Idea share price has fallen by nearly 21%.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is on street’s mind" comment="subhead" text="What is on street’s mind">What is on street’s mind</cmsannotation> The likely question that the market is asking is, does the government need to own yet another telco? The government’s ability to steer the ship of Vodafone Idea and government-run BSNL together might be reason enough to doubt, as an investor, but this does not have to be the case if the government leaves Vodafone Idea’s management alone. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Glass half full?" comment="subhead" text="Glass half full?">Glass half full?</cmsannotation> On the flipside, some analysts believe this could actually prove to be useful for the stakeholders of both Vodafone Idea and BSNL MTNL – the subscribers, investors as well as the government. Deven Choksey, the managing director of KRChoksey Shares &amp; Securities, says that a merging Vodafone Idea with BSNL could prove to be a timely decision, especially with the 5G era almost here. Vodafone Idea’s wireless coverage and BSNL’s pan-India wired coverage could complement each other very well, and help both the companies take on rivals Reliance Jio and Airtel. "If Vodafone Idea and BSNL enter into an asset sharing (active / passive, Inter Circle Roaming) agreement on 2G, 4G &amp; later 5G, it could end up being a win-win for both the companies, allowing both the companies to leverage each of their assets then its their customer base which will benefit," said Errol Dale Pinto, former circle enterprise head of Vodafone Idea. "This is likely the best arrangement for Vodafone Idea, allowing it to lighten the burden on its books and avoid the interest costs, clearing the path for its profitability &amp; between PE Funds &amp; the Govt, the latter works out better in control &amp; manoeuvrability for the revival of VI," he added. <div type="image" title="Telecom market share (active users) Apr20 - Oct21." msid="88836441" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Telecom market share.&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Easier said than done" comment="subhead" text="Easier said than done">Easier said than done</cmsannotation> However, realising these synergy gains is easier said than done. Some analysts believe that the government picking up a stake in Vodafone Idea ‘might be a remedy worse than the disease’. <div type="Video" msid="85209717" hostid="261" title="What if Vodafone Idea dies and can it be saved?" thumbUrl="https://denmark.timesinternet.in/cmslite/api/app/images.jpg?msid=85209717"></div> “Converting Vodafone Idea into a government company, or merging it with a government company might probably be a remedy worse than the disease,” <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/government-picking-up-a-stake-in-vodafone-idea-might-be-a-remedy-worse-than-the-disease-say-experts/articleshow/86221662.cms">said</a> R Chandrashekhar, former secretary of Telecom and Information Technology, in an <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/what-if-vodafone-idea-dies/articleshow/85127937.cms">exclusive interview</a> with Business Insider in August <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/minimising-the-fallout-from-a-vodafone-idea-collapse-heres-what-lenders-and-experts-suggest/articleshow/85171047.cms">last year</a> when talks of a telecom relief package were still doing the rounds. And then there’s the massive elephant in the room – the problem of a culture clash. “Bringing together an Indian company, a global company culture and a public sector company’s culture together, and managing the fate of those 1 lakh public sector employees – who in the private sector has the wherewithal to do it?” asked Sanjay Kapoor, former chief executive officer (CEO) of Bharti Airtel, in an interview last year. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Who will fund Vodafone Idea’s capex?" comment="subhead" text="Who will fund Vodafone Idea’s capex?">Who will fund Vodafone Idea’s capex?</cmsannotation> What Vodafone Idea needs now is to spend on expanding its network capabilities and gearing up for the 5G era – and this means it needs money right now. The recent tariff hikes might have helped ease the short-term cash flow crunch to a certain extent, but it needs more than just a short-term boost. “Vodafone Idea is still not investing enough on capex. They still have to look for equity investors, and at least increase their capex investment in line with Bharti and Jio,” said Nitin Soni, senior director at Fitch Ratings in a conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/CNBCTV18News/status/1480745971818450945">CNBC-TV18</a>. According to Dale, a robust 5G launch would need a Telco to invest around ₹20,000-25,000 crores including capex, spectrum &amp; critically a maximum Fibre backbone. With this announcement, the telco fulfils a significant portion of that requirement and makes it 5G Auction ready. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Too little, too late and too slow?" comment="subhead" text="Too little, too late and too slow?">Too little, too late and too slow?</cmsannotation> While a Vodafone <keyword id="12931527" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="idea-bsnl-merger" source="Orion">Idea-BSNL merger</keyword> could theoretically be pulled off, it might still be too little, too late and perhaps too slow in a sector that moves as fast as telecom. Especially, when considering the fact that Vodafone Idea has lost nearly 64 million subscribers since the beginning of 2020. Both Reliance Jio and Airtel are blazing past with their 5G investments and partnerships – Jio <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/jio-google-5g-announcement-google-cloud-reliance-retail-jiomart/articleshow/83807617.cms">announced</a> a partnership with Google back in June last year, while Airtel has <a href="https://www.airtel.in/press-release/11-2021/airtel-conducts-indias-first-5g-trial-in-the-700-mhz-band-in-partnership-with-nokia">conducted</a> its own 5G trials already, in addition to demonstrating enterprise use cases. For what it’s worth, Vodafone Idea <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/5g-trials-vodafone-idea-demos-network-slicing-over-5g-sa-with-nokia-in-gandhinagar/88148337">joined</a> the party, too, albeit a little late. While Vodafone Idea is still in talks with vendors for sourcing 5G equipment, its rivals Jio and Airtel are a little ahead, having either <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/reliance-jio-gets-approval-to-buy-5g-gear-from-trusted-vendors-122010400023_1.html">received approval</a> or <a href="https://telecom.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/airtels-5g-strategy-riding-on-local-manufacturing-in-talks-with-all-vendors/80561557">receiving confirmation</a> from vendors like Nokia and Ericsson. However, Choksey says that by converting the spectrum and adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues into equity, Vodafone Idea now has more room to borrow money. Money that it could use to fund its capital expenditure for improving its network quality, investing in new technologies and bidding for the upcoming 5G spectrum. The government has helped Vodafone Idea to survive, but to thrive it needs money and it needs it now. While analysts are divided on how this will work out for Vodafone Idea’s stakeholders, the next few months are going to prove critical for the telco’s future. Update: A <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/telecom/telecom-news/centre-wants-no-role-in-vodafone-ideas-ops-plans-to-exit-once-firm-stabilises/articleshow/88843863.cms">report</a> by The Economic Times states that the government does not want to run Vodafone Idea’s operations, citing unnamed senior government officials. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/vodafone-idea-news-the-government-is-now-the-biggest-shareholder-in-vodafone-idea/articleshow/88824061.cms">The government is now the biggest shareholder in Vodafone Idea</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/government-picking-up-a-stake-in-vodafone-idea-might-be-a-remedy-worse-than-the-disease-say-experts/articleshow/86221662.cms">Government picking up a stake in Vodafone Idea ‘might be a remedy worse than the disease’, say experts</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/airtel-vodafone-idea-and-jio-welcome-telecom-relief-package-but-analysts-are-divided-on-whether-it-is-enough/articleshow/86252002.cms">Airtel, Vodafone Idea and Jio welcome telecom relief package, but analysts are divided on whether it is enough</a>

Government owning Vodafone Idea is just half the task – the other half is to find the money

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>CBS and sister company Viacom have agreed to merge in an all-stock deal that would create a combined company with around $28 billion in revenue, <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190813005648/en/">the companies announced</a> on Tuesday afternoon.</li><li>The feeling at Viacom, based on interviews with current and former employees, is relief that the long-awaited deal is done and anxiety around what comes next.</li><li>While some employees in Viacom's ad sales and marketing teams are concerned about potential layoffs and upward mobility, other staffers felt that Viacom was emerging as a leader over CBS, which made them more confident in their job prospects.</li><li>Viacom employees that Business Insider spoke with were also bracing for more deal activity, believing that a deal with Viacom was just one step in CBS' growth plans.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul>CBS and Viacom have agreed to merge - after 13 years apart and two stalled merger attempts in recent years - bringing TV channels like MTV, VH1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, and BET under the same roof as CBS, Showtime, and CBS' sports and news networks, the <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190813005648/en/">companies announced</a> on Tuesday afternoon. The proposed all-stock deal would create a combined company with roughly $28 billion in revenue, the companies said.For employees at the two New York-based companies, especially longtime staffers who had been with CBS or Viacom since before the 2005 split that established the companies as separate entities, the tie-up brings to a close years of will-they-or-won't-they drama.The feeling at Viacom internally, based on interviews with a half dozen current and former employees, is relief that the deal is finally done and anxiety around what comes next."There is much angst about more layoffs and consolidation, which must be frustrating since Viacom as a standalone business has been making some good progress," one former Viacom executive told Business Insider. "People in the sales and marketing jobs are worried about their upward mobility."<h2>Is Viacom gaining the upper hand?</h2>How individual Viacom staffers are responding to the merger depends largely on where they sit within the organization.Layoffs are common in any merger, and recent tie-ups between media companies like Disney and Fox, and AT&amp;T and WarnerMedia, have led to staff changes. While some teams at Viacom, such as the ad sales and marketing groups, and other staffers who work across Viacom's networks, are concerned about layoffs, others believe Viacom has the upper hand over CBS.A CBS acquisition of Viacom was previously seen as better for Viacom than CBS, one former CBS employee said.Viacom had been the weaker of the two companies in recent years because its large portfolio of cable-TV channels had struggled as more people abandoned traditional pay-TV bundles in the US.But Viacom, which has been overhauling its TV networks to focus on fewer, more impactful brands, has started to show improvements. The company <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/viacoms-revenue-increases-on-film-division-growth-11565267441">grew domestic advertising revenue for the first time in 20 quarters</a> during its third quarter of 2019. Its deal this year to acquire ad-supported streaming-TV service Pluto TV, which has 18 million monthly active users, also helped boost ad revenue."They've actually got shows that are doing well on TV," one current Viacom employee said. "The Pluto thing was massive because it's TV viewing with commercials that's 18 to 34-[year-olds]."One big question facing the ad sales team that could affect possible layoffs is whether Viacom's Sean Moran or CBS' Jo Ann Ross, who has experience <a href="https://www.adweek.com/tv-video/cbs-ad-sales-chief-jo-ann-ross-has-overseen-6-super-bowls-and-has-the-stories-to-prove-it/">selling around CBS' all-important NFL rights</a>, will lead ad sales for the combined company.But Viacom staffers were emboldened recently by another executive appointment. CBS' and Viacom's boards agreed that Viacom's Bob Bakish would be installed as CEO of the joint CBS-Viacom if a merger deal was reached, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-viacom-reportedly-agreed-on-leadership-team-combined-company-2019-8">The Wall Street Journal reported</a>.The agreement to hand control of the combine company over to Bakish suggested that Viacom's international footprint would be a linchpin to future expansion."The idea that Bob could be leading does say a lot about Viacom's international strength," one current employee said. "It is why he rose to the top, I think."It also gave Viacom staffers more confidence in their job prospects."The underlying feeling was if it Bob Bakish was to stay in power then it would be a good thing for everyone at Viacom," one former Viacom employee said.<h2>Staffers are already bracing for more deal-making</h2>Despite job concerns, some Viacom employees feel that the company is stronger with CBS in its corner.Deals are happening across the US media landscape and it was only a matter of time before Viacom was scooped up, one former employee said. A worry among Viacom staffers was that the company, alone, could be broken up and sold in parts to media companies that wouldn't have common investors or aims, as CBS and Viacom do, leaving employees there with even less certainty.Now that a marriage between CBS and Viacom is officially on the way, Viacom employees are bracing themselves for the next wave of merger activity."The main reason to bring CBS and Viacom together could also be to make a new, more attractive package for the next round of acquisitions," one current Viacom employee said. "Whether Viacom is a $12 billion company alone or $30 billion company with CBS, either version is dwarfed by AT&amp;T, Comcast, Disney, Netflix ... If anyone is concerned, it's let's get passed this, and see what new assets we have that we can work with."<a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/30/cbs-viacom-discovery-may-merge-for-survival.html">CNBC reported earlier this year</a> that CBS was open to buying other companies in addition to Viacom, such as Discovery Communications, Sony Pictures, or MGM. CBS also had in informal talks with Lionsgate to acquire Starz, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-lions-gate-ent-m-a-cbs/lions-gate-offered-to-sell-starz-to-cbs-for-5-5-billion-sources-idUSKCN1SN2CC">Reuters reported</a> in May.The company is trying to grow quickly so it can better compete for future NFL rights against deep-pocketed companies like Amazon, the CNBC report said.CBS also has two streaming-video subscription services, CBS All Access and Showtime, which it might look to grow with assets from Starz or another company.Already, there could be opportunities to put programming from Viacom networks such as Comedy Central, MTV, or Nickelodeon, or the studio Paramount TV, on those streaming services - shaking up Viacom's distribution strategies. CBS said last week that it would bring original and licensed kids programming into CBS All Access later this year, one sign that the company is experimenting with expanding the audience for the service.At the network level, one current and one former Viacom employee that Business Insider spoke to pointed out that the company was <a href="https://deadline.com/2018/10/kent-alterman-chris-mccarthy-expand-portfolios-kevin-kay-exits-viacom-restructuring-1202489674/">recently reorganized</a>, bringing MTV, VH1, CMT, and Logo under the leadership of Chris McCarthy; and Comedy Central, Paramount Network, and TV Land under Kent Alterman. Those networks were seen as lean already - some, like CMT, <a href="https://www.thewrap.com/layoffs-strike-cmt-as-part-of-reorg-heads-of-marketing-and-nashville-office-both-let-go/">had layoffs</a> in recent months and years- and the staffers didn't anticipate major cuts unless Viacom was willing to lose some aspects of production or development.Business Insider did not speak to current employees at BET or Nickelodeon.<h2>The wait-and-see approach</h2>Ahead of the merger announcement, multiple employees at Viacom said they weren't concerning themselves too much with the deal talks until a combination was officially announced. Some employees that Business Insider reached out to for this story also said they had not been following the news much, and that the merger hadn't come up in conversations they were privy to at work.One current executive said any staff changes on the ad sales side probably wouldn't come until the 2020 Upfront season was over, which would give employees time to find new jobs if there were layoffs.These staffers were generally learning of developments in the CBS-Viacom deal alongside the rest of the world, through media reports, they said.CBS and Viacom did not immediately respond to Business Insider's request for comment. Are you a CBS or Viacom insider with a tip for another story? Let me know at <a href="mailto:arodriguez@businessinsider.com">ARodriguez@businessinsider.com</a>.

Viacom employees open up about their hopes and fears after the CBS merger, and what they think will happen next

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> business keeps consolidating, and <keyword id="18635" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Amazon">Amazon</keyword>'s purchase of <keyword id="21557" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="MGM">MGM</keyword> Holdings isn't the first sign.</li><li>Disney bought 21st Century Fox in 2019, gaining control of <keyword id="191565" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Hulu">Hulu</keyword>, and AT&amp;T is merging WarnerMedia with Discovery.</li><li>The deals signal a trend that many in the media world realize survival lies in the <keyword id="572624" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Streaming">streaming</keyword> market.</li></ul>It's official - <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-mgm-studios-acquisition-deal-streaming-james-bond-prime-video-2021-5">Amazon is acquiring MGM Studios' parent company for $8.45 billion</a>, it announced Wednesday.That means that movies and shows owned by MGM could eventually appear on Amazon's Prime video streaming platform for users to watch. It's yet another instance of a tech company partnering with a film industry power player to round out its streaming offerings and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-disney-hbo-max-hulu-compared-which-is-best-streaming-2021-5">compete with deeply entrenched rivals like Disney and Netflix.</a>And as streaming services continue to gain favor over traditional TV, media firms are likely happy to oblige, helping further industry consolidation. Film studios without their own streaming service are especially keen on finding a way to get eyeballs on - and monetize - their libraries.Here are some of the biggest mergers, acquisitions, and deals amongst tech platforms and traditional film companies that have set the stage for the <keyword id="3143186" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="streaming-wars">streaming wars</keyword>.<h2>Disney and 21st Century Fox</h2><div type="image" title="drew barrymore never been kissed" height="1716" width="2288" msid="83061585" hostid="261"></div>Disney bought the film company 21st Century Fox and its decades-old 20th Century Studios subsidiary, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-acquires-fox-71-billion-dollar-deal-2019-3">in a $71 billion sale that closed in 2019.</a> Disney's streaming platform, Disney+, launched in December of that year with films like "Never Been Kissed" and "Ever After" available to watch.Those 21st Century Fox films will join Disney's already attractive library it built with past acquisitions of LucasFilm -home to "Star Wars" and "Indiana Jones" - and Marvel.<h2>The Fox deal also gave Disney control of Hulu</h2><div type="image" title="handmaids tale" height="834" width="1112" msid="83061586" hostid="261"></div>Hulu has always had a complicated ownership setup, but Disney now owns a majority of the company and maintains full operations of the streaming platform.Through its 21st Century Fox acquisition, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-disney-fox-deal-could-concentrate-power-in-media-2017-12">Disney also absorbed the corporation's 60% stake in Hulu</a>, one of the original streaming services that launched in 2007. It later acquired <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hulu-buys-back-att-stake-2019-4">AT&amp;T's 9.5% stake in Hulu,</a> bringing its stake to about 70%. Comcast is the only other shareholder, which is guaranteed to own a minimum of <a href="https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190514005500/en/">21% thanks to a 2019 deal. </a>Disney even offers a $13.99 <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.disneyplus.com%2Fwelcome%2Fdisney-hulu-espn-bundle%3Fcid%3DDSS-Search-Google-71700000059616273-%26s_kwcid%3DAL!8468!3!505182871131!b!!g!!%252Bespn%2520%252Bhulu%2520%252Bdisney%2520%252Bbundle%26gclid%3DCjwKCAjw47eFBhA9EiwAy8kzNAeZjVRpTslfzh216_k_Ov8wmbJWPQu2TkoMnObWBWZCDb3M9dyvqRoCbS4QAvD_BwE%26gclsrc%3Daw.ds">bundle</a> that includes Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+.<h2>Netflix announced a deal with Sony in April</h2><div type="image" title="Tom Holland SpiderMan" height="1200" width="1600" msid="83061587" hostid="261"></div>The agreement will allow <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-gets-streaming-rights-to-sony-spider-man-movies-2021-4">Netflix to offer Sony's future 2022 films</a> in the US, including installments of the "Spider-Man" franchise with Tom Holland. Other potential future Sony releases could include "Jumanji" and "Ghostbusters."After Sony's movies are released in theatres in 2022, they'll first go to pay-per-view and then hit Netflix. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/netflix-gets-streaming-rights-to-sony-spider-man-movies-2021-4">As Insider's Travis Clark reported</a>, the deal gives Sony - which doesn't have its own streaming platform - an avenue to showcase its films. And it gives Netflix even more theatrical releases to entice paying customers.<h2>Disney will also have Sony movies after Netflix has its turn</h2><div type="image" title="Spider-man" height="900" width="1200" msid="83061589" hostid="261"></div>After a Sony film is released in theatres in 2022, has its pay-per-view television run, and spends an expected 18 months on Netflix, it'll be offered on Disney+ and Hulu. Sony and Disney said <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disney-to-stream-spider-man-and-other-sony-movies-2021-4">the US licensing deal will be in effect from 2022 until 2026.</a>The agreement means that future "Spider-Man" movies could eventually call Disney+ home alongside Disney-owned Marvel's film franchise, which Holland appears in as well.Sony and Disney ran into a snag in the past over Sony's movie rights to hundreds of Marvel characters and Disney's Marvel productions. The solution was for <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/sonys-spider-man-deal-with-disney-and-marvel-studios-explained-2019-8">Disney and Sony to agree</a> on the Spider-Man character being allowed to appear in one more standalone film and another Marvel Cinematic Universe installment.<h2>AT&amp;T's massive WarnerMedia-Discovery merger will create a new streaming giant</h2><div type="image" title="wonder woman 1984" height="1061" width="1415" msid="83061591" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/att-discovery-warner-media-create-new-streaming-giant-2021-5">The communications giant announced last week</a> that it was spinning off its WarnerMedia content arm, which includes HBO and Warner Bros., both of which AT&amp;T acquired when it bought then-Time Warner for $81 billion in 2018. AT&amp;T plans to merge WarnerMedia with the media company Discovery. That means content from the two companies' 100-plus brands, including HGTV and Discovery, would all exist under one umbrella. Such a service could give Netflix, the reigning streaming champ, a run for its money. The deal is expected to close in mid-2022.The <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/discovery-plus-what-shows-to-watch-streaming-service-2021-1">Discovery Plus streaming platform had already launched in early January</a> with subscriptions starting at $4.99 and showing programs from Food Network, HGTV, TLC, BBC, and Discovery Channel, home to Shark Week. It was the first new streaming service to launch in 2021.<h2>MGM Studios is home to the oldest and most beloved film classics</h2><div type="image" title="James Bond movies" height="1200" width="1600" msid="83061595" hostid="261"></div><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-mgm-studios-acquisition-deal-streaming-james-bond-prime-video-2021-5">Amazon is shelling out $8.5 billion to acquire MGM Holdings</a>, whose 97-year-old MGM Studios is behind some of the world's most classic movies and TV shows. The company said that the "more than 4,000 films" and "17,000 TV shows" were big factors in making the purchase.<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-amazon-gets-mgm-deal-james-bond-tv-shows-movies-2021-5">Movies include "Silence of the Lambs"</a> starring Anthony Hopkins, "Rocky," and the extensive James Bond film catalog. Although as Insider's Travis Clark reported, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/amazon-wont-have-total-control-of-bond-after-buying-mgm-2021-5">MGM owns just half of the rights to Bond</a>, with the rest belonging to producers that handle the creative direction of the franchise. That means that it could get tricky if Amazon ever wanted to, say, produce a TV series starring the famous character.<h2>Viacom merged with CBS in 2019 with Paramount already under its belt</h2><div type="image" title="a quiet place 2" height="774" width="1033" msid="83061596" hostid="261"></div>Viacom's acquisition of Paramount may have closed in 1994, but the move set the company up well for what would become the 21st-century streaming wars. So did <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-viacom-merger-what-means-employees-streaming-deal-making-2019-8">Viacom's merger with CBS in 2019. </a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/cbs-just-announced-a-digital-streaming-service-following-in-hbos-footsteps-2014-10">The streaming service CBS All Access launched in 2014</a> and was <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/viacomcbs-to-rebrand-cbs-all-access-streaming-service-as-paramount-2020-9">rebranded as Paramount Plus</a> in 2020 as the pandemic drove a business boom in the streaming market.Since "A Quiet Place 2" is distributed by Paramount Pictures, the movie starring Emily Blunt will be available on the streaming service on <a href="https://www.cnet.com/news/quiet-place-part-2-hbo-max-cruella-spiral-will-not-be-streaming/">July 12.</a>

Amazon's $8.5 billion bet on MGM is the latest sign that tech is transforming Hollywood. Here are the biggest deals that have altered the streaming world.

<ul><li><keyword id="6354312" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipl" source="Orion">IPL</keyword>’s per-match value stands at $13.5 million (approx. ₹105 crore), making it the world’s <a href="https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/ipl/jay-shah-interview-ipl-media-rights-bcci-lucrative-global-sports-league-7965335/">second</a> most valuable sporting property after the National Football League, which is valued at $17 million.</li><li>With IPL’s value jumping considerably, it’s the broadcasters who will have to shell out more money than ever before.</li><li>Here’s how much Disney-Star and Sony have paid for IPL over the years, and what <keyword id="3820" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="mukesh-ambani" source="Orion">Mukesh Ambani</keyword>'s Viacom18 will shell out for the next cycle.</li></ul>Mukesh Ambani and <keyword id="540922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="disney-star" source="Orion">Disney Star</keyword> have made the Board Control of Cricket India (<keyword id="6354756" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bcci" source="Orion">BCCI</keyword>) richer by ₹44,075 crore, but that is only a part of the story. The IPL, with an average streaming viewership of 600 million people, has exploded in value, making it the second most valuable sports league in the world. The ongoing auction has also made IPL one of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/mukesh-ambanis-viacom18-bags-digital-rights-of-ipl-while-star-grabs-tv-rights/articleshow/92181172.cms">richest entities</a> in the sporting world as its value has tripled over the previous five-year cycle. BCCI will earn a whopping ₹107.5 crore per match only from Indian TV and digital rights over the next five years. The base price for TV and Digital rights for 410 games was ₹33,620 crore. After the first round of auction for two bundles, the TV and digital rights have grown by 31% or ₹10,455 crore on the base price. It saw media giants like Disney-Star, Mukesh Ambani's Viacom18 and Sony Corp vying for these media rights. But how much has the IPL grown in value since its inception? More than five times! 2018 vs 2022: How much broadcasters paid for IPL IPL was launched in 2008, a year after the Indian cricket team won the first-ever T20I world cup in 2007. Over the next decade, the IPL would go on to revolutionise cricket, and further cement BCCI’s position as the leader of world cricket. Nothing shows how much IPL has grown than this – BCCI is now making the same amount of money every year from IPL rights as it did in the first ten years. <div type="image" title="ipl-bid-1" msid="92201303" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;BI India&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Essentially, the value of IPL jumped four times in the 2018-23 cycle when Disney Star acquired the broadcasting rights, when compared to the first ten years when Sony held the rights. Now, Mukesh Ambani and Disney Star have together paid nearly 11 times more money than Sony paid per year to broadcast IPL. <keyword id="90837" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ipl-auction" source="Orion">IPL auction</keyword> has now entered into the third day of intense bidding war. After winning digital rights, Viacom is putting its best foot forward to grab package C as well, which includes non-exclusive digital rights. If Ambani’s Viacom lets go of package C, its rivals will be allowed to air 18 matches for free. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="92181172" title="Mukesh Ambani’s Viacom18 bags digital rights of IPL, while Star grabs TV rights" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

You Searched For "viacom18 sony merger" and got 12 results

Reliance expects to complete merger with Disney's India business in Q3

PTI

An Ambani disruption in OTT: At just ₹1 per day, you can now enjoy ad-free content on JioCinema

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Viacom 18 bags BCCI media rights in both digital and TV for next five years

IANS

Reliance ditches Viacom18 merger talks with Sony – has its eyes set on building India's No.1 OTT and broadcast platform

IANS

Merger with Reliance would boost company's profits and reduce risk in India: Disney CEO Bob Iger

PTI

Viacom18 launches its first subscription play, VOOT Kids

BI India Partner

Voot Select envisions to be the leader of the Indian premium OTT space by FY21

Karuna Sharma

What the CBS-Viacom merger means for employees, the future of TV, and the next round of deal-making

Ashley Rodriguez

Government owning Vodafone Idea is just half the task – the other half is to find the money

Rounak Jain

Viacom employees open up about their hopes and fears after the CBS merger, and what they think will happen next

Ashley Rodriguez

Amazon's $8.5 billion bet on MGM is the latest sign that tech is transforming Hollywood. Here are the biggest deals that have altered the streaming world.

Katie Canales

Mukesh Ambani, Disney Star are paying 11x more than Sony did during the first ten years of IPL

Karuna Sharma

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