iWorld
Coming on 27 May: WarnerMedia’s streaming platform HBO Max
MUMBAI: WarnerMedia's new streaming platform HBO Max will go live next week on 27 May, seven months after the project was first announced. The company has already entered into distribution deals with many partners, which include leading gaming, smart-TV platforms, and cable operators, reported Deadline website.
While using its own library of fan favourites, showing hit shows like Friends, Doctor Who, The Big Bang Theory, etc., the streaming platform will feature six originals from day one. They include Love Life, a scripted comedy with Anna Kendrick.
The company is already in discussions with Roku for HBO Max on various aspects, reports Variety. They are: the kind of subscription fee cut Roku will take, WarnerMedia’s reported insistence that HBO Max be made available as an app, and how Roku markets HBO Max on the platform.
A Roku statement said that it is “focused on entering into win-win distribution agreements with all new OTT services as part of their launch strategies. While we don’t typically comment on specific deal terms or negotiations, the fact is that in this instance while we believe that HBO Max would benefit greatly from distribution on Roku at launch, we do not currently have an agreement in place.”
“The launch of HBO Max is an important milestone for our company, and we’re excited that these valued partners will be on board for the launch. Through our expansive distribution pipeline, millions of customers will have immediate access to a best-in-class streaming experience come May 27,” said WarnerMedia Distribution president Rich Warren.
In the months to come, it will add more new originals and classics. Viewers can take a monthly subscription for $11.99, which is a discounted offer.
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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.
