Planet Earth II

Sony BBC Earth, the long-awaited natural history channel for India, will finally go live on March 6, some 18 months after the BBC and Sony Picture Networks India and BBC Worldwide announced that they were creating a joint venture to bring the project to fruition.

The channel will be operated by the JV, MSM Worldwide Factual Media and will be based on BBC Worldwide’s catalogue of programming.

The channel will bring flagship BBC natural history programmes to 500 million Sony Pictures Networks homes across India, with programmes organised in a set of defined slots.

From 20:00-21:00, the channel will air Why, How & What on Earth, featuring “fun and insightful” science programmes. This will be followed by Wild, Wild Earth for the next hour, showcasing nature and wildlife shows. Earth Explorers at 22:00 will focus on adventure and human interest stories.

Weekends will showcase Earth Specials, featuring what BBC Worldwide described as “distinctive stories”.

Shows on the channel at launch will include The Hunt, Where The Wild Men Are with Ben Fogle, Trust Me I’m A Doctor, Snow Chick and Planet Earth II.

The channel will be available in both SD and HD in English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

NP Singh, CEO, Sony Pictures Networks India, said: “Sony Pictures Networks is known to create compelling and differentiated brands across all genres that it operates in. Nurtured as a JV partnership, Sony BBC Earth, combines the strengths of both partners; including fascinating content, estimable brand equity and superior sales and distribution prowess. This gives Sony BBC Earth a distinct positioning and watchability. I am confident that this channel will be a major player in its category.”

Paul Dempsey, president global markets, BBC Worldwide, said: “This joint venture is a pioneering model for us in global markets. By working with a respected local partner of the calibre of Sony Pictures Networks, we look forward to bringing BBC Earth’s world class content to a new audience who we know has a huge appetite for premium factual programming.”

Nashville

Amazon India has secured a raft of exclusive TV and movie content after inking a programming deal with Lionsgate.

The streaming service will features from get the independent US studio including La La Land and series including Nashville for its Prime SVOD service.

Other titles that will come to Prime as part of the deal include the Twilight saga, Deepwater Horizon and The Divergent Series: Allegiant and upcoming 2017 releases Power Rangers and The Shack.

The agreement gives Amazon exclusive rights locally and the content covered in the deal will not be on pay TV in India.

Other TV shows covered include The Royals and Graves as well as classic series such as Mad Men and Anger Management.

Morris Street Advisors represents Lionsgate in India and negotiated and closed the deal with Amazon. 

“It is awesome that Lionsgate has partnered with Amazon Prime Video to bring its original, daring and highly acclaimed content to Indian customers.” said Nitesh Kripalani, director and country Head, Amazon Prime Video India.

“Their prestigious and prolific library of motion picture and television titles is sure to produce sizable viewership for us.”

Lionsgate president of worldwide television & digital distribution Jim Packer added: “We’re very pleased to partner with Amazon as they continue to transform the face of entertainment in India and bring our premium film and television content to their viewers.”

Amazon India has been stocking up with local programming for its streaming offering. The Lionsgate content marks a move to bulk up its line-up of US blockbusters and series.

Videocon d2h COO Himanshu Patel with Reed Hastings

Indian DTH pay TV operator Videocon d2h has struck a deal with Netflix to provide access to the streaming video service direct from its internet-connected set-top boxes.

Videocon d2h is providing access to the service via a dedicated button on its HD Smart Connect set-top remote controls.

The operator’s set-tops can be connected to the internet via WiFi or Ethernet, with a minimum internet speed requirement of 2Mbps.

Videocon d2h offers over 600 channels via its DTH service, in addition to a range of connected TV services including access to English-language content and games. Other services include d2h Hollywood HD, d2h Music, d2h Spice, and d2h Cinema in both standard definition and HD.

Reed Hastings, co-founder and CEO, Netflix, said, “While there are millions of consumers all over the world using Netflix, enjoying the ability to watch anywhere, anytime and the incredible variety of programming we offer, we are really only at the beginning of our journey here in India. This partnership with Videocon d2h is important for us in the way we reach to the diversity of the Indian market and will make it much easier for Indian consumers to watch Netflix.

Anil Khera, CEO of Videocon d2h, said, “With Netflix on board, Videocon d2h is enhancing its position as the customer’s first choice of entertainment. Integrating premium entertainment services like Netflix into our services offered via HD Smart Connect set-top box will make us even more attractive for our consumers. We will continue to deliver exceptional entertainment and give consumer the power to view content and enhance our leadership in homes with Wifi/broadband.”

Netflix has been competing head on with Amazon in India since the latter launched its service globally at the end of last year. Netflix recently secured exclusive SVOD rights to movies from India’s Red Chillies Entertainment, while Amazon Prime Video revelaed a raft of original Indian series.

Vodafone India is to merge with local mobile player Idea to create the largest telecom player in the subcontinent.

Under the terms of the deal, Vodafone to combine its subsidiary Vodafone India, excluding its 42% stake in Indus Towers, with publicly listed Idea, Vodafone claimed that the combined entity will accelerate the pan-India expansion of wireless broadband services using 4G/4G+/5G technologies, support the introduction of digital content and IoT services and expand financial inclusion through mobile money services in the country.

The agreement values Vodafone India at INR828 billion (€11.8 billion) or 6.4 times EBITDA, and Idea, excluding its stake in Indus Towers, at INR722 billion, or 6.3 times EBITDA.

Vodafone will own 45.1% of the combined entity after transferring a stake of 4.9% to the Aditya Birla Group for about INR39 billion post-merger. The Aditya Birla Group will then own 26.0% and has the right to acquire more shares from Vodafone under an agreed mechanism with a view to equalising the shareholdings over time.

Vodafone India will be deconsolidated by Vodafone on announcement and reported as a joint venture postclosing, reducing Vodafone Group net debt by approximately INR552 billion.

Prior to completion of the transaction, Vodafone and Idea intend to sell their standalone tower assets and Idea’s 11.15% stake in Indus Towers to reduce leverage in the combined company.

The pair said that capex synergies from the merger are estimated at approximately INR670 billion.

The deal is expected to close next year.

Aditya Birla Group chairman, Kumar Mangalam Birla, said: “Throughout its history, the Aditya Birla Group has been synonymous with the task of nation building and driving inclusive growth in the country. This landmark combination will enable the Aditya Birla Group to create a high quality digital infrastructure that will transition the Indian population towards a digital lifestyle and make the Government’s Digital India vision a reality. For Idea shareholders and lenders who have supported us thus far, this transaction is highly accretive, and Idea and Vodafone will together create a very valuable  company given our complementary strengths.”

Vodafone Group CEO Vittorio Colao said:  “The combination of Vodafone India and Idea will create a new champion  of Digital India founded with a long-term commitment and vision to bring world-class 4G networks to villages, towns and cities across India. The combined company will have the scale required to ensure sustainable consumer choice in a competitive market and to expand new technologies – such as mobile money services – that have the potential to transform daily life for every Indian. We look forward to working with the Aditya Birla Group to create value for all stakeholders.”

Vodafone’s Indian business was, along with its UK operation, a major drag on its 2016 full-year results, thanks to intense price competition in the Indian market.

YouTube has launched a beta version its offline service, YouTube Go, in India after months of “testing and refinement”.

YouTube said that the service is available for Android devices and is designed to be offline-first to improve the experience of watching videos on a slower network.

YouTube Go also offers video recommendations based on user-preferences; controls to manage data usage; and the ability to share videos with friends.

“To get us to this point, we’ve worked hard on refining the features that you’ve inspired us to build, gaining new insights along the way,” said YouTube product manager, Jay Akkad.

“Some things we’ve learned in the run-up to this beta release include making the home screen fresher and more relevant for users, so they can find amazing videos easily.

“We’ve also worked hard behind the scenes to make sharing videos with nearby friends an even more seamless experience, and ensuring that the app works well across a wide range of phones and connectivity.”

YouTube first announced its “offline first” mobile app for the Indian market in September. The new beta version of the service is available to download from the Google Play Store.

Roy Price and Kabir Khan

Bollywood director Kabir Khan is to direct The Forgotten Army (working title), a war epic drama for Amazon Prime Video India.

Amazon Studios content chief Roy Price flew into India to announce the show with Khan, who is behind blockbuster Bollywood films such as Ek Tha Tiger and Kabul Express.

The Forgotten Army marks the first time Khan has worked on an OTT original series, with production set to begin by the end of the year.

Billed as “an Indian Band of Brothers of sorts” – a reference to the influential HBO miniseries of the early 2000s – the series is based on charismatic military leader Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army (INA).

It follow several stories that are based on true events, including the contribution of women to the INA, an army that fought for Indian independence.

Amazon has been investing heavily in Indian programming since launching in the territory at the turn of the year, going head-to-head with Netflix and local players such as Hooq.

Along with various acquisitions deals, Amazon has ordered an original series from Sony-owned Left Bank Pictures based on Michael Faber novel The Book of Strange New Things.

Actor Anil Kapoor (Slumdog Millionaire), director Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) and writer Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies) are all attached to the project.

Netflix, meanwhile, is making an Indian drama based on Vikram Chandra’s crime novels.

“These are super exciting times for any content creator in India and I am elated to make my debut in the digital space with Amazon Prime Video’s India original,” said Forgotten Army director and producer Khan.

“We had made a commitment to our Indian customers to deliver high-quality, binge-worthy shows that they’ll love to watch, and our association with Kabir Khan greatly reinforces our commitment towards this promise,” said Amazon’s Price.

Despite being weighed down by the write-down of its Indian business and problems in the UK, Vodafone has posted solid year-end numbers, boosted by the success of its convergent offerings, and has raised its guidance for underlying profit growth.

Vodafone had 9.8 million TV customers at the end its financial year, rising to 13.8 million if its Dutch JV with Liberty Global, VodafoneZiggo, is included.

Vodafone now has 14.7 million fixed broadband customers, or 17.9 million including VodafoneZiggo, with 1.5 million new broadband customers added in the year. Of these, 7.7 million take a high-speed service over fibre or cable.

In Germany, Vodafone added 433,000 net customers over the year, including 123,000 in the quarter to March, of which 320,000 were cable customers. The company said that its GigaKombi convergence offering had been taken up by 357,000 customers. Vodafon’s German TV base – which accounts for the bulk of its overall TV base – numbered 7.7 million at the end of the last quarter.

In Spain, Vodafone’s TV base reached 1.3 million, up 246,000 year-on-year including 30,000 additions in the final quarter.

Convergence was again the main story for Spain, with the company’s Vodafone One fixed, mobile and TV combination reaching 2.4 million customers at the end of the financial year.

The UK was Vodafone’s poorest performing market in Europe, with revenues lagging behind a modest operational recovery following the badly executed introduction of a new billing system in 2015. The UK unit’s small fixed-line operation added 33,000 broadband customers in the quarter to March, taking the total to 216,000. Vodafone has reportedly put plans to introduce a TV service to the UK on ice indefinitely.

Overall, Vodafone suffered a €6.1 billion loss for the financial year, with the shock writing down of the value of its Indian unit last year and customer service problems in the UK weighing it down.

The company has since mounted something of a recovery, and posted full-year revenues of €47.6 billion, down 4.4%, and adjusted EBITDA of €14.1 billion, flat year-on-year but up 7% on an organic basis.

Best-of-the-web short-form content channel The QYou has extended its reach in India through a partnership with Tata Sky.

Previously available through Tata Sky’s mobile app, this extended deal will make QYou’s 24/7 service of online video content available to 17 million Tata Sky connections across TV and mobile.

As part of the agreement, QYou and Tata Sky will also start to feature content from local creators in India and some of the most popular online videos from the region in order to create highly localized shows that appeal to Indian audiences, according to the pair.

The service will be available on the Tata Sky TV platform in HD and SD, and on the Tata Sky app on live TV and VOD.

Tata Sky chief content officer, Arun Unni said: “Catering to audiences’ changing preferences and tastes has always been the core focus for Tata Sky. This will be the first time that subscribers can view short format content 24×7 on their TV sets on the Tata Sky Mobile App. With the burgeoning popularity of online video in India and the incredible depth of unique content in QYOU’s archives, it makes complete sense for us to provide this service to our subscriber base.”

Curt Marvis, CEO and co-founder of QYou Media said: “India is renowned for being a region filled with tech-savvy young people, who navigate the worlds of internet video and traditional television with complete ease. Having a curated mix of the best digital-first video content at their fingertips – whether they’re watching on a mobile device or via the TV screen – means that they can enjoy the best of both worlds and never miss a thing. We are proud that our partnership with Tata Sky is evolving and enabling us to make the largest deployment of our channel in a single market to date.’’

Inside Edge

Amazon’s first original Indian drama, Inside Edge, has quickly become the most watched title on its local service, and other in-house productions are driving viewing elsewhere.

Cricket-themed drama series Inside Edge, which runs to ten parts, debuted on Amazon Prime Video India on July 10.

According to the e-commerce giant, “nearly 50%”of its local customer base watched the show within its first week on the SVOD service.

Online iewer feedback has been extremely positive on the platform and movie directory IMDB. However, like Netflix and other subscription VOD services, Amazon does not release viewing details, meaning it is difficult to ascertain how many have seen it.

Amazon claims that only British unscripted series The Grand Tour has attracted a higher percentage of unique streamers in its home market than Inside Edge.

Amazon’s head of global content, Roy Price, claimed that the show’s popularity in its home territory was similar to other local originals.

Our top show in Japan – Hitoshi Matsumoto Presents Documental, Germany – You Are Wanted, and in the US – The Man in the High Castle, are all originals and we’re excited to add Inside Edge to this roster of high-quality content.”

Inside Edge follows the story of the fictional Mumbai Mavericks, a cricket team from the Powerplay League. Amazon bills it as weaving “complex stories”, “challenges and triumphs” and “sub-plots into a vortex of manipulation, love, ambition, voyeurism, deceit, greed, lust and betrayal”.

Top Bollywood talent such as Vivek Anand Oberoi, Richa Chadha and Sanjay Suri appear in the show, which is from Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani’s Excel Entertainment and Amazon Studios.

Amazon has made India a key market, buying reams of exclusive local content and in November 2016 ordering a pilot from UK-based drama India that stars Slumdog Millionaire’s Anil Kapoor.

Game of Thrones

Indian police have arrested four individuals allegedly involved in the leak of episode four of the current season of HBO’s Game of Thrones.

Episode four of the series appeared online three days before its scheduled airing, bearing a Star India watermark. Three of the arrested individuals were current employees of Prime Focus Technologies (PFT), the technology unit of post-production outfit Prime Focus Studios, while the fourth was a former employee.

PFT issued a statement saying it had investigated the leak and provided evidence to the Mumbai police’s cybercrime unit, resulting in the arrests.

PFT has been a partner of Star India since 2011. The company said that the leak was “not a system hack” but “an illegal breach of obligations by the concerned persons despite of PFT’s continual internal emphasis on protocols of content security and ethical practices”.

“We deeply regret and condemn this incident – and affirm our strong resolve to continue the fight against content related crimes in an effort to make the M&E industry’s content more secure. PFT has always been and remains committed to the highest standards in content security and integrity in managing its clients’ content,” the company said.

This comes as HBO reportedly accidentally released episode six of the latest series of the premium programmer’s flagship show in Spain ahead of schedule.

The episode, which was due to be released to subscribers next Monday, was briefly made available ahead of time in Spain – and possibly in the Nordic markets – for about an hour before being taken down – long enough for it to be copied and shared on social media networks, according to various press reports.

However, according to Spanish newspaper El País, pointing the finger of blame at the Nordics, where it said the show was also made available early, nobody in Spain was able to record and redistribute the show in HD and in English before it was taken down.

The HBO Nordic site reportedly went down on Sunday just after an episode of Game of Thrones was released before being reinstated later. The press reports did not however state that the wrong episode had been aired.

The latest developments follow the separate major cyber-attack on HBO at the start of August, in which hackers stole information about a forthcoming episode of Game of Thrones and other content.