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Reliance-Disney India media merger to control 85% of streaming, half of TV audience

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Reliance-Disney India media merger to control 85% of streaming, half of TV audience

The merger of the Indian media assets of Reliance, Viacom18, and Disney is set to create a dominant force in the country's streaming and TV market. The combined entity will capture 85% of the on-demand streaming service audience and about half of the TV viewership, posing significant challenges to competitors like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Apple. The merger will also secure exclusive digital and broadcast rights to major sporting events, including the next four years of the Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket tournament, FIFA World Cup, and Premier League matches. With access to Disney's vast catalog of content and partnerships with other major studios, the merged unit is expected to be the market leader in India's OTT sector.

Related News

Reliance, Disney to merge India media assets to create $8.5 bn powerhouse

VCCircle

VCCircle · 1y ago

Reliance, Disney to merge India media assets to create $8.5 bn powerhouse

India's Reliance Industries and Walt Disney have announced the merger of their India TV and streaming media assets, creating an $8.5 billion entertainment giant. Reliance will inject $1.4 billion into the merged entity, with the company and its affiliates holding a 63% stake and Disney owning the rest. The merger will give Reliance significant bargaining power in negotiating advertising contracts, while providing Disney with a cash cushion. The combined entity will have 120 TV channels, two streaming platforms, and TV and streaming cricket rights for key tournaments.

Reliance, Disney complete India media merger valued at $8.5B | TechCrunch

TechCrunch · 11m ago

Reliance, Disney complete India media merger valued at $8.5B | TechCrunch

Reliance and Disney have completed their merger in India, creating an $8.5 billion entertainment giant. The joint venture will control 85% of India's streaming market and half of its television viewership. Reliance will hold 63.16% of the venture, with Disney retaining the rest. The deal combines Reliance's Viacom18 with Disney Star, bringing together streaming platforms JioCinema and Hotstar, along with more than 100 television channels. The merged group will have annual revenue of $3.1 billion and produce 30,000 hours of television content each year. Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance's CEO, will chair the venture.

Reliance, Disney to merge India media assets to create $8.5 billion powerhouse

Reuters · 1y ago

Reliance, Disney to merge India media assets to create $8.5 billion powerhouse

Reliance Industries and Walt Disney have announced a merger of their India TV and streaming media assets, creating an $8.5 billion entertainment company. Reliance will invest $1.4 billion in the merged entity, giving it a majority stake of over 63%, while Disney will hold about 37%. The merger aims to help Disney revive its struggling India streaming business and ease its financial strain. The combined entity will be led by Nita Ambani, wife of Reliance Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and former top Disney executive Uday Shankar as the vice chair.

Reliance-Disney $8.5 billion merger ahead: RIL wins I&B Ministry’s approval for transfer of channels | Mint

Livemint

Livemint · 1y ago

Reliance-Disney $8.5 billion merger ahead: RIL wins I&B Ministry’s approval for transfer of channels | Mint

Reliance Industries has received approval from India's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for the transfer of channels ahead of its $8.5 billion merger with Disney. The approval is for the transfer of licenses related to non-news and current affairs TV channels, which will be transferred from Viacom 18 Media to Star India. The merger is subject to the conditions set by the Competition Commission of India, which approved the deal in August. Reliance Industries is set to control over 60% of the combined unit, with Disney owning 37%. The merger signals Reliance's dominance in the sector and its entry into digital streaming.

Reliance-Disney Willing To Offload Channels To Get CCI Nod

Inc42 · 1y ago

Reliance-Disney Willing To Offload Channels To Get CCI Nod

Reliance and Walt Disney are planning to sell fewer than 10 channels to address concerns raised by the Competition Commission of India (CCI) regarding their merger. The companies are arguing that no action is needed regarding cricket rights. The merger of Reliance and Walt Disney's Indian media assets will create a new entity with over 100 TV channels and two streaming platforms, Disney+ Hotstar and JioCinema, valued at $8.5 billion.

Nita Ambani To Likely Helm The Board Of Reliance-Disney India Media Entity

Inc42 · 1y ago

Nita Ambani To Likely Helm The Board Of Reliance-Disney India Media Entity

Mukesh Ambani's wife Nita Ambani is expected to be appointed as the chair of the board for the merged media businesses of Reliance and Disney in India. The deal, which has been in the works for months, will give Reliance a 51-54% stake in the combined entity, with Disney holding around 40% and the remaining 9% owned by Bodhi Tree. The deal, worth $3.5 billion, will create the country's largest media empire, encompassing TV broadcasting, streaming platforms, and rights to major sports tournaments. The merger still needs approval from the Competition Commission of India.

RIL to buy out Paramount's 13.01% stake in Viacom18 for $517 million

Livemint

Livemint · 1y ago

RIL to buy out Paramount's 13.01% stake in Viacom18 for $517 million

Reliance Industries, led by Mukesh Ambani, is set to acquire Paramount Global's 13.01% stake in Viacom18 Media for approximately $517 million. Viacom18 owns popular television channels such as Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, and MTV, and is mainly owned by Reliance. The deal will not affect Paramount's content licensing agreement with Viacom18. However, the acquisition is subject to the finalization of Reliance's merger with Disney for their TV and streaming media assets in India.

Reliance, Disney Ink Deal For Star-Viacom18 Merger

Inc42 · 1y ago

Reliance, Disney Ink Deal For Star-Viacom18 Merger

Reliance Industries and the Walt Disney Company have signed an agreement to merge Viacom18 and Star India, creating India's largest media empire. With over 100 TV channels and two streaming platforms, the merged entity will hold significant market shares in TV broadcasting and subscription and advertising video-on-demand segments. Reliance will own a 61% stake in the merged entity, while Disney will hold 33%. The deal is expected to be announced soon and will also involve the buyout of Paramount Global's stake in Viacom18. The merger is subject to review by the Competition Commission of India.

RIL Tata JV: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance mulls buying 29% stake in Tata Play

Livemint

Livemint · 1y ago

RIL Tata JV: Mukesh Ambani's Reliance mulls buying 29% stake in Tata Play

Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries (RIL) is reportedly in talks to acquire a 29.8% stake in Tata Play, the satellite TV and streaming service owned by Walt Disney. This potential deal would expand RIL's presence in the television distribution sector, potentially creating a major media powerhouse in India. RIL is also in merger talks with Disney to create a media behemoth, with Reliance potentially investing $1.5 billion for a 60% stake. RIL's share price recently hit a record high, propelling its market capitalization to nearly ₹20 lakh crore.

Disney and Reliance merge India media businesses to form $8.5B joint venture

TechCrunch · 1y ago

Disney and Reliance merge India media businesses to form $8.5B joint venture

Reliance, Viacom18, and Disney are merging their media businesses in India to form the largest media entity in the South Asian market. Reliance will control 16.34% of the joint venture, Disney will own 36.84%, and Viacom18 will own 46.82%. The merger aims to expand and streamline their presence in the fast-growing Indian market. The joint venture will include JioCinema and Disney+Hotstar, reach over 750 million viewers, and offer access to TV channels, movies, and other productions. The deal is expected to be completed by the end of March 2025, pending regulatory and shareholder approval.

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