iWorld
ZEEL takes ZEE5 Global; goes LIVE in 190+ countries around the World
Mumbai, 3rd October 2018: Bringing the largest library of multilingual content to the South Asian diaspora and beyond across the world, Amit Goenka, CEO – ZEE International and Z5 Global, today announced that ZEEL’s digital entertainment platform ZEE5 has gone LIVE in 190+ countries globally. ZEE5 has been launched across platforms and will offer viewers around the globe a completely integrated entertainment offering, with both On-Demand and Live TV across devices.
ZEE5 offers the largest width and depth of multi-genre content including news and entertainment across English, Tamil, Hindi, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Marathi, Bengali, Oriya, Bhojpuri, Gujarati and Punjabi. ZEE5 comes packed with 1,00,000 hours of On Demand content, including Movies and TV Shows, Music, and Health and Lifestyle videos along with a slew of originals, across 12 languages. It also has an extensive Live TV offering with 60+ popular Live TV channels.
ZEE5 offers various unique features like content and display language personalization across 12 and 11 languages respectively, voice search, download to watch offline option, HD Quality video, adaptive bit rate streaming etc.
Outlining the global strategy, Amit Goenka, CEO – ZEE International and Z5 Global said, “As a global content company ZEE has always been at the forefront of bringing the best of Indian entertainment content to audiences around the world. With the launch of ZEE5 across 190+ markets, we have moved into the next phase of our growth story. Launching ZEE5 globally rather than in a staggered manner has been a conscious move in order to capitalise on the tremendous love and following the brand has amassed over the years overseas. This new chapter further strengthens us as a Media & Entertainment behemoth and reiterates our claim to the India story, bringing to our audiences around the globe an unrivalled content offering, using robust technology.”
Speaking on the soft launch, Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer- ZEE5 Global said, “With over 1,00,000 hours of content across genres and languages, ZEE5 is the singular platform that Indians and South Asians have been waiting for. With the launch of ZEE5 globally, we intend to own the India peg completely and be the unequivocal go to destination for Indian content for South Asians and beyond, wherever they may be.”
Availability: The ZEE5 App can be downloaded from Google Play Store and very shortly from the iOS App Store. Also available at www.ZEE5.com. Other platform in the pipeline includes Amazon fire tv stick, Apple TV, connected TV apps etc.
Pricing: Freemium pricing model with both free and paid premium content to cater to a mix of audiences across markets. Viewers who subscribe to the ZEE5 subscription pack will get access to the entire library of content at a special introductory offer price ranging from USD 2.00 per month to USD 10.00 per month, depending on the region.
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.
