English Entertainment
Disney’s OTT plan not contingent on Fox deal: Bob Iger
MUMBAI: The Walt Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger has said that the company’s plan to launch a direct-to-consumer entertainment streaming service does not hinge on completing its deal to acquire key 21st Century Fox TV and film assets.
Speaking to Wall Street analysts about the company’s fiscal second quarter earnings, Iger said that the pending $52.4 billion buyout would enhance Disney’s offering. But the streaming service was envisioned prior to the Fox deal coming together and will be rooted in content carrying Disney’s gold-plated imprints: Disney, Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars.
The fate of Disney’s deal to buy 21st Century Fox has grown murkier in the past week as Comcast is taking steps to mount an all-cash counterbid that could put pressure on Disney to sweeten the terms of its all-stock takeover of 20th Century Fox, FX Networks, National Geographic Global Networks, and Fox’s regional sports networks.
“It’s not dependent at all on the assets we’re buying from Fox,” Iger said. He emphasized that Disney is committed to making the bulk of its film and TV library available exclusively on its proprietary streaming service in order to make sure it is a must-have for families. That marks a significant investment from Disney in the decision to forgo third-party licensing coin.
Iger said content from the Nat Geo channels would be a natural fit with the Disney-branded streaming service. Fox’s regional sports cablers will also be boon to the ESPN Plus sports streaming service that launched last month. But he reiterated that both services were conceived before the Fox assets were in the picture.
Disney’s family-focused streaming service will launch by the end of 2019. The timing is dictated in part by the end of Disney’s theatrical output deal with Netflix, in order to ensure that recent Disney titles will have their pay-TV window on Disney’s service. Disney also needs time to develop original content for the service. Iger said more details on the original content plan will be revealed “in the coming months.”
Iger did not address the potential for a showdown with Comcast over the 21st Century Fox assets, nor did he address Comcast’s bid to buy out the Sky satellite platform. Disney is set to acquire Fox’s 39 per cent stake in Sky, or more if Fox’s acquisition of the remainder of Sky is completed before the Disney-Fox acquisition is final. Comcast’s $31 billion bid for all of Sky has thrown a wrench in Fox’s plans for Sky. Fox sought to buy up the remainder of Sky for about $15 billion but the deal, first struck in December 2016, has been under heavy fire from U.K. lawmakers and bogged down in a regulatory review.
English Entertainment
ZEE5 UK partners Narrative Entertainment to add UK channels
Six FAST channels added as platform sharpens hybrid play in Britain
LONDON: ZEE5 UK struck a first-of-its-kind deal with Narrative Entertainment, bringing mainstream UK television channels onto an Indian streaming platform as it pushes to deepen its footprint in a crowded, mature market.
The partnership adds six of Narrative’s FAST channels to the service, including Great! Movies, Great! Romance, Great! Mystery and kids brands POP, Tiny Pop and POP UP, widening ZEE5 UK’s appeal across genres and age groups.
The move reflects a clear shift in strategy. ZEE5 UK is betting on a hybrid model that blends on-demand content with curated, always-on channels to drive discovery and increase time spent on the platform.
“This partnership represents a meaningful evolution in how we serve audiences in mature markets like the UK, where viewers are defined by habits, convenience and choice rather than geography or language alone,” said Parul Goel, territory head, Europe, Zee Entertainment. “By bringing trusted mainstream UK channels together with our premium originals, movies and kids’ content, we are building a more consumer-centric platform that simplifies viewing while increasing depth and relevance.”
Fateha Begum, commercial director, Narrative Entertainment, said the tie-up would fuel growth for both sides. “Our portfolio of quality programming, with such wide and enduring appeal, is a perfect complement to ZEE5 UK. This is a strong partnership that will support growth for both parties, and we share Zee Entertainment’s vision of an increasingly partnership-led future for the industry.”
ZEE5’s global library spans over 4,000 films and more than 500 originals, with over 130 new titles added annually. The addition of Narrative’s channels strengthens its kids offering and introduces genre-led linear experiences alongside its on-demand catalogue.
The deal also gives Narrative access to ZEE5 UK’s fast-growing user base, extending reach without diluting brand identity, while reinforcing ZEE5 UK’s network of more than 40 live channels.
As streaming wars intensify, ZEE5 UK is widening its playbook, blending content, convenience and partnerships in a bid to win screen time in one of the world’s toughest markets.
