iWorld
Hotstar aiming 100 million viewers mark
Mumbai: With more than 80 million viewers for the Vivo Indian Premier League 2016 to date, Hotstar, India’s largest premium streaming platform, is on course to cross the 100 million mark in this year’s edition. The tournament’s reach on Hotstar has doubled in comparison to last year at the same stage and the total watch time is up 275 per cent from 2014, with 95 per cent of all consumption coming from the top 10 cities.
Hotstar CEO Ajit Mohan says, “We are delighted at the growth we have seen on the IPL viewership on Hotstar over the last two tournaments. Hotstar has become the primary screen for IPL for the urban affluent and the young cricket fans. With more than double the reach of last year, we are well set to exceed the 100 million targets. we had set for ourselves for this year.”
Ever since its launch, Hotstar has become the preferred destination and a habit amongst the millennial in large cities where users have access to broadband data; in fact, when cricket is on, it has become the primary screen for the urban young.
Hotstar has invested heavily in creating a world-class streaming experience. Users on Hotstar have access to live scores and match data integrated into the experience. The persistent efforts to reinvent consistently and stay fresh to maintain engagement levels among the 18 to 24 year has been the driving force behind the ever-rising popularity of the platform.
Hotstar made the Vivo IPL 2016 an even more enjoyable experience for its viewers, with a complete content package including pre and post show programming with the best anchors and commentators in the country. Two wrap around shows – Cricket Live and One Tip One Hand, along with The Boundary Riders (a Video Blog) have been popular programming additions, along with Hotstar’s presence at the IPL Fan Park.
Cricket Live
Cricket Live is a one-hour exclusive show hosted by Jatin Sapru featuring the expert panel of David Hussey, Bret Lee, Mohd. Kaif, Aakash Chopra, Deep Das Gupta and Shoaib Akthar. The show is a detailed analysis on the games played in the Vivo IPL 2016 and focused purely on the cricket part of the game and not entertainment. It also brings alive all the inside scoops for all the franchises, covering their strategy, behind-the-scenes action and what’s happening in the camp, including player secrets and more.
One Tip One Hand
One Tip One Hand hosted by Cyrus Sahukar and Varun Thakur, is a weekly analysis of the Vivo IPL 2016 games, and features on Hotstar every Saturday. The show analyses the game with a bit of banter and humour along with a star-studded line-up of experts.
The Boundary Riders
Three Vloggers scour the length and breadth of the nation in search of stories that introduce fans to the unseen world around the Vivo IPL 2016 calendar and match cities. This video log (Vlog) serves as a platform for the Vloggers to share their stories. As a collective of stories, this blog demonstrates how the Vivo IPL 2016 touches and affects the lives of millions of Indians every year in a positive and uplifting way. The Vloggers also engage the players in fun activities together with pop quiz where the cricketer questions the Vlogger, and sometimes also lets the Vlogger experience a batting or bowling with the player and much more.
iWorld
JioStar revenue hits Rs 9,784 crore as cricket fuels 22 per cent growth
A surge in digital viewership and sports dominance fuels a blockbuster quarter for the media giant
MUMBAI: JioStar is batting on a flat pitch. The media titan’s fourth-quarter results for the financial year 2026 reveal a business scaling new heights, propelled by an unprecedented appetite for premium sports and digital-first storytelling.
Gross revenue for the quarter soared by 22.15 per cent to Rs 9,784 crore, up from Rs 8,010 crore in the third quarter. Operationally, the momentum was equally strong; revenue from operations climbed 21 per cent to Rs 8,372 crore. These figures underscore the firm’s successful integration following the Reliance and Disney merger, creating a dominant force in the Indian market.
The annual performance has been nothing short of a spectacle. Full-year gross revenue reached a massive Rs 36,248 crore, while annual profit after tax hit Rs 3,210 crore. This rapid expansion reflects JioStar’s ability to capture and monetise the massive growth in India’s media consumption.
Cricket proved to be the ultimate growth engine. The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 and TATA IPL 2026 delivered “record-breaking viewership” across both television and digital screens. The World Cup final alone drew a global peak concurrency of 72.5 million on JioHotstar, cementing its status as the nation’s premier streaming destination. On television, JioStar maintained a commanding 34.2 per cent viewership share, reaching a staggering 810 million viewers nationwide.
The digital numbers were just as impressive. JioHotstar averaged 500 million monthly active users, driven by consistent subscriber growth and innovative AI-led content discovery tools. These advancements are ensuring that JioStar remains at the cutting edge of the global “Race for Attention.”
With a firm grip on the country’s most valuable sporting rights and a rapidly growing digital footprint, JioStar is perfectly positioned for the future. It has built the ultimate content powerhouse—one that is ready to dominate the Indian living room for years to come.
