In a recent advertisement, Sachin Tendulkar urges the audience to watch the Indian Premier League “only on” JioCinema. Clearly, when the ad was commissioned, the brief was to draw the audience away from Star Sports, which also will telecast the IPL starting on March 22. After the new turn of events, however, it seems neither Tendulkar nor JioCinema would mind people watching on either platform.
When the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sold the IPL broadcasting rights for the 2023-27 cycle, the rights for digital platforms and television were split into two packages. Star Sports, controlled by Disney, retained the television rights paying 23,575 crore and Viacom18 (JioCinema’s parent, owned by Reliance Industries Ltd) bagged the digital rights for 20,500 crore. And the two engaged in an advertising war. JioCinema got cricketers M.S. Dhoni and Suryakumar Yadav encouraging fans to watch the matches live from anywhere. Star Sports roped in Virat Kohli to emphasise the experience of watching it on television screens. JioCinema stumped everyone by streaming IPL for free.
The rivalry, however, has become a thing of the past, as Viacom18 and Disney are joining hands to create a 70,000-crore media giant. The media undertaking of Viacom18 will be merged into Star India Private Limited through a court-approved scheme of arrangement. Reliance will invest 11,500 crore in the joint venture in which Viacom18 will hold 46.82 per cent, Disney 36.84 per cent and Reliance 16.34 per cent.
This story is from the March 17, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the March 17, 2024 edition of THE WEEK India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Dragon-Tiger Tango
Exploring the differences and similarities between India and China, the Mid-Year Special covers a range of sectors: diplomacy, military power, culture, trade, civil liberties and technology
Neighbours With Benefits
There has never been a better time to pursue a trade deal with China
Shabbats in 10 Downing Street
Diwali lamps are out, Shabbat candles are in— at 10 Downing Street.
Are the Brits racist or are we?
While an Indian-origin UK PM has lost his premiership, in the emerging line-up for his succession as leader of the Tory party are two ladies of Indian origin-Suella Braverman and Priti Patel and two contenders of African heritage, James Cleverly and Kemi Badenoch. There appears to be only one aspirant of indubitably British origin, Tom Tugendhat.
Stories by saris
I had a Hindu-Muslim wedding more than 20 years ago.
Copy editors, Oxford commas and other pestilences
SOMEONE TOLD ME years ago that J.K. Rowling, author of all that Harry Potter nonsense, had her first manuscript rejected eleventy-six times before becoming a sensational bestseller.
TOUCH OF THE DUTCH
Chef Jacob Jan Boerma wants a Michelin starred restaurant in India
The unique Anant Ambani
Anant Ambani, 29-Mukesh and Nita Ambani's youngest child and second son-may turn out to be the most googled man in India when he ties the knot with Radhika Merchant.
The fact that we humans can break any tyranny is beautiful
A journalist reporting from conflict zones for The Times London, Paul Pickering turned novelist to tell the story of Josef Mengele, the 'Angel of Death' at Auschwitz, whom he met in Paraguay.
RACE TO THE FUTURE
China and India aim at reducing STI interdependency risks and enhancing industrial performance through investments
