iWorld
Zee beefs up OTT strategy; launches original digital content
MUMBAI: At a time when multiple companies are putting their might behind pumping up their over-the-top (OTT) offerings like Hotstar, ErosNow, Sony Liv and HOOQ amongst others, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is not one to sit back. Putting the money where their mouth is, Zee is upping the ante in by launching original digital content for its OTT and digital platforms.
In order to offer content anywhere and at any time, Zeel has got its entire digital ecosystem – Zee Digital Convergence (ZDC) – and its content studio – Essel Vision Productions – to design and introduce an instrumental musical show -#LifeIsMusic.
Starting 15 June, the seven-week series will be available on its OTT platform DittoTV and digital platform www.lifeismusic.in.
Original content (both long and short) has emerged as a new form of storytelling in the digital space as millennials continue to alter their entertainment consumption habits. Banking on this very same learning, Zeel has now got into producing original content for its digital platform. #LifeIsMusic celebrates world music and highlights the true value of musicians who are experts in the instrumental genre.
The multi-platform instrumental reality series will be available for audiences all over the globe and will showcase the value of instrumental music in a holistic manner – across a variety of popular and melodious music genres.
#LifeIsMusic will feature regular upload of unplugged original music compositions every Monday and Friday for a duration of seven weeks. The show has three renowned maestros on its panel – Louiz Banks (the Godfather of Indian Jazz and Grammy Award nominee), Taufiq Qureshi (ace percussionist) and Purbayan Chaterjee (one of the leading young Sitar players of India) mentoring budding professional musicians. Each maestro will form a band of four musicians each of whom specialize in different instruments – like percussions, rhythm guitars, bass guitar, sitar, sarod, flute etc.
The show will be promoted across all the major websites including zeetv.com, zeenews.com, india.com, dnaindia.com, bollywoodlife.com, dittotv.com amongst others.
Over the past few months, the video on demand (VoD) industry has been witnessing major activity as these platforms have become an extra content delivery arm for major entertainment business houses. While earlier the VoD platforms were used as a source for archival content, the new players are bending the rules. In order to gain eyeballs, the players are not only making original content, but also premiering movies and songs.
Zee Digital Convergence CEO Debashish Ghosh said, “#LifeIsMusic is a clutter-breaking original concept with a goal to inspire passion, unleash creativity and realize dreams in a digital era of free downloads. We are confident that the series will soon become a favourite destination for all music lovers – especially when you want to experience quality music never heard before. This exclusive series aims to engage, educate and entertain the youth about the variety and possibilities that exist with instrumental music. It will reach out to around 50 million viewers, making it a truly global multi-screen phenomenon! The platform also seeks to encourage aspiring musicians to showcase their talent to global audiences – and demonstrate their skill and creativity transparently to global music talent scouts.”
Essel Vision business head Akash Chawla added, “Zee has always set new benchmarks with innovative content across platforms and as its content studio, With today’s evolving online world, producing #LifeIsMusic series is in sync with our aim to design content that empowers talent to achieve their creative visions across all mediums.”
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
