iWorld
ZEEL shifts Zindagi to VoD
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) has announced its decision to move its premium Hindi entertainment channel Zindagi from the television broadcast platform to its video-on-demand platform OZEE from 1 July 2017.
This move has been announced with the objective to expand digital engagement with the audience who thrive on time-shifted viewing. With this, Zee is focussed on owning the full extent of the consumer’s premium and personal video experience.
Zindagi will be exclusive on OZEE and showcase the best content in different genres from across the world with narratives which highlight the universality of emotions. The shows that will be available exclusively on OZEE and will include the popular shows Snowdrop, Descendants of the Sun, A Love Story and Total Dreamer. The original productions of Zindagi will also be available on OZEE.
ZEE’s premium and FTA GEC channels business cluster head Aparna Bhosle said, “Zindagi is a thought leader in premium entertainment and the shift to digital is yet another example of innovation from ZEE. Today, content for our audiences is not just on television but also includes gaming, short form video clips and user generated content, amongst other forms. There are rapid technological advances that are changing viewing habits and content for our audiences can no longer be managed by a remote control. There is an existing consumer demand for viewing premium world content on the digital platforms and we want to reach out to these viewers. We want to stay connected and be relevant to them by providing them with more personalised and specific experiences as they are a discerning audience that prefers choice and control. Making it available exclusively on OZEE will enable us to deliver more distinctive and quality content to audiences on the move.”
Zindagi, which had launched with the promise of bringing the best stories from across the world to Indian television screens, charmed viewers right from inception.
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
