iWorld
Movie Studio Inc acquires BINGE Networks
MUMBAI: The Movie Studio Inc., a vertically integrated motion picture production company, has executed a memorandum of understanding to acquire BINGE Networks, LLC. Both parties are conducting due diligence and in the near future seek to complete their transaction and enter into a Letter of Intent (LOI).
BINGE Networks is an award-winning streaming media platform, recipient of the Most Innovative Media Content Monetizing & Streaming Platform CV-Magazine-USA 2019 and New York 2019 Award Programing. The BINGE App is built into over 100 smart TV networks, providing the ability to globally and instantly syndicate and monetise content through key strategic partnerships throughout the streaming media industry. The company offers five core revenue streams: streaming packages, subscription video on demand (SVOD), advertiser video on demand (AVOD), transactional video on demand (TVOD) and platform syndication.
BINGE Networks’ operations and assets are synergistic to The Movie Studio’s growth-by-acquisition business model, in which the company aims to secure a leading market position based on ad streaming measurements and big data analytic trends vying for uptick viewership.
With the fast-growing OTT industry projecting revenues of US $78.2 billion by 2023, BINGE Networks has the potential to help The Movie Studio achieve its goal, leveraging the company’s ability to provide streamers a competitive edge by offering a single hub that enables multiple ways for content creators to earn revenues and establish relationships with many different networks.
BINGE Networks distributes entertainment content for AVOD digital delivery on over 100 OTT platforms. Major revenue distribution partners are Roku TV, Tiki Live, Video Elephant, Glewd TV, Daily Motion, Endavo, Apple TV, Google Play Store, Amazon Fire and Android App Store, among others.
The company’s streaming media platforms are Roku, Apple and Amazon apps, which are combined with strategic partners to bring BINGE TV content to over 100 smart TV networks. Its content library contains approximately 15,000 videos and 300 indie films and powers 46 apps on Roku and 77 on Amazon Fire. New ones are added almost daily on Amazon Fire and 125 live channels that comprise the video library.
Using a defined marketing strategy, The Movie Studio intends to vertically integrate the assets and infrastructure of BINGE Networks with the Company’s current OTT and app for dissemination of The Movie Studio content and cross-pollination of the advertisers and strategic partners.
The Movie Studio is establishing its own OTT VOD platform to integrate its own, as well as aggregated, feature film projects, television programming
and other media intellectual properties.
Ongoing streaming wars are allowing small competitors like The Movie Studio to capitalize on creatively designed digital business models. The company actively implements a “growth-by-acquisition” strategy that calls for significant purchases, resolution upgrades and remonetizing initiatives.
iWorld
MS Dhoni invests in Kuku, joins Kuku TV as brand ambassador
Cricket icon backs AI storytelling platform, fronts Kuku TV campaign
MUMBAI: MS Dhoni has invested in Kuku and joined its short-form drama app Kuku TV as brand ambassador, signalling a high-profile bet on India’s fast-growing AI-led content space.
Kuku, a mobile-first storytelling platform, operates across formats with apps such as Kuku TV for micro-dramas, Kuku FM for audio content and Guru for learning-led entertainment. Founded in 2018, the company has scaled rapidly, crossing 350 million installs and building a catalogue of over 20,000 titles across multiple Indian languages.
Dhoni said his decision to invest and partner with the platform was driven by its distinct approach to storytelling and its strong growth trajectory. MS Dhoni said, “I chose to invest in Kuku, and also come on board as the ambassador for Kuku TV, because the platform really stood out to me. It has built a differentiated entertainment experience for audiences across India, spanning multiple languages and formats. The growth has been impressive, and I connect strongly with the founders, who come from small towns like mine and have built something of this scale. I believe in their vision of building an AI-driven storytelling platform from Bharat, for Bharat, and for the world.”
Founded by Lal Chand Bisu, Vinod Kumar Meena and Vikas Goyal, the platform positions itself at the intersection of technology and storytelling, using AI to create and distribute bite-sized content tailored to mobile audiences.
Sharing his perspective, Kuku co-founder and CEO Lal Chand Bisu said, “MS Dhoni is known for backing bold decisions that others might hesitate to take. At Kuku, we are also taking bold bets. That spirit of unconventional thinking resonates deeply with us.”
Adding to this, Kuku co-founder and COO Vinod Kumar Meena said, “Our beloved Thala is one of the rare personalities with truly nationwide appeal. As we build Kuku for all of India, that connection makes him a natural fit for us.”
Further, Kuku co-founder and CTO Vikas Goyal said, “MSD has a unique understanding of people. As we build for both creators and consumers, that perspective will be incredibly valuable, especially as we continue strengthening our AI-driven storytelling stack.”
Backing the momentum, Panthera Peak Capital managing director Nikhil Bhandarkar said, “Kuku’s vision, execution, and clarity of thought are exceptional, qualities that closely mirror MS Dhoni’s approach. We are excited to partner with the team as they build Kuku into a global entertainment platform.”
To mark the association, Kuku TV has rolled out the campaign Dhoni Watches Kuku TV, anchored by a brand film that plays on Dhoni’s instinctive decision-making. Built around short, engaging stories delivered in minutes, the campaign highlights the platform’s promise of quick, compelling entertainment.
With Dhoni stepping in as both investor and face of the brand, Kuku appears to be doubling down on its ambition to take AI-driven storytelling from India to a global audience, one short story at a time.
