iWorld
SonyLiv starts streaming KBC with 7 sponsors
MUMBAI: “To chaliye, hum aur aap milkar khelte hain Kaun Banega Crorepati.” With these legendary words, the biggest star of Bollywood’s galaxy, Amitabh Bachchan, announced Indian television’s grandest show in his baritone.
Seventeen years hence and in its ninth season, the quiz game show crosses the threshold of TV and entered a fresh territory in digital, but with the same flamboyance. Riding on SonyLiv, the new season of KBC will be the first to be streamed online, and it has already become the property to acquire the highest number of sponsors.
Sony Pictures Networks India EVP and head – digital business Uday Sodhi said, “Kaun Banega Crorepati has revolutionised the viewership for the game show. This year, we decided to further augment its massive fan base by involving the digital audience. The programme has seen high traction from advertisers. With KBC’s launch on SonyLiv, there has been a rapid increase in the digital viewership and further strengthening of SonyLiv’s position among its users.”
The show will be available on SonyLiv on a linear feed on subscription + VoD mode to allow viewers to test their IQ anytime, anywhere!
KBC has been able to rope in seven of the biggest brands in India as its sponsors, a record for any content category. The popularity of the show can be gauged from the fact that Indian telecom’s most talked about brand, Jio, has come on board as the show’s presenting sponsor on SonyLiv and also has a unique proposition this season.
Viewers of KBC can match their knowledge with the contestants on the hot seat with Jio KBC Play Along. This can be done by downloading the Jio Chat app on their phones.
The show is co-powered by India’s largest online automobile marketplace Droom and the go-to brand for Ayurvedic products, Patanjali and driven by Datsun. Gujarat Tourism functions as its associate sponsor. EaseMyTrip has grabbed the role of KBC’s travel partner while caring for its health is Fortune Vivo Diabetes Care Oil.
SonyLiv has been at the forefront of introducing the exclusive and highly anticipated content from all over the world on its platform. KBC’s inclusion within SonyLiv’s repertoire further cements its position as the ultimate destination for the finest content.
With a few alterations in the lifelines, the timer, and a digital transfer of the winning amount, the new season of KBC has been a superbly entertaining ride so far, and it promises to be even more so, on digital!
iWorld
T20 World Cup ’26: India–England semi-final sets global streaming record of 619 million views on JioHotstar
India–England semi-final records 65.2 million peak streams
MUMBAI: The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 set a new milestone in global sports streaming, as the India–England semi-final drew record digital audiences on JioHotstar.
The match on 5 March registered 65.2 million peak concurrent viewers, the highest ever recorded for a live event on any streaming platform worldwide. The semi-final also generated 619 million views, making it the most streamed T20 international match in history.
The landmark audience numbers were driven largely by viewers in India, setting a record achieved within a single market, rather than through aggregated viewership across multiple countries.
The high-scoring encounter between India national cricket team and England cricket team produced 499 runs across both innings, fuelling widespread fan engagement across platforms.
According to the International Cricket Council, the digital record surpassed the previous global benchmark of 65 million concurrent viewers, set in November 2024 by another international streaming platform.
Across television and digital platforms combined, the semi-final reached more than 320 million viewers, while total watch time exceeded 23 billion minutes, making it the most watched T20 international match ever.
“This World Cup demonstrates the immense passion of cricket fans and the progress made in bringing the game closer to audiences worldwide,” said ICC chairman Jay Shah.
“This moment reflects the scale of cricket fandom in India and the technological capability required to serve hundreds of millions of viewers simultaneously.”
JioStar vice-chairman Uday Shankar, said the audience surge underscored the future of large-scale digital entertainment.
“One in every three Indians tuned in to watch the second semi-final. Delivering such an experience at scale requires the very best of technology,” he said.
The 619 million views during the match also eclipsed the 533 million views recorded during the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024.
With the final yet to be played, the 2026 tournament has already set multiple benchmarks in audience reach and digital engagement.
India will face the New Zealand national cricket team in the final on 8 March at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The match will be broadcast on the Star Sports Network and streamed on JioHotstar.
