iWorld
Flipkart likely to buy stake in Hotstar: Report
MUMBAI: Flipkart is taking a leaf out of Amazon’s book. Like its US rival, Flipkart is looking at buying a stake in India’s leading OTT platform, Star India-owned Hotstar, according to a report in Mint.
The OTT scenario in India is booming with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video betting millions on the Indian market as well as several domestic ones providing content. Amazon’s US strategy is to get people hooked to shopping through its video content. Flipkart is likely adopting the same method and using content to increase its shoppers.
Hotstar was launched in India in 2015 – about a year ahead of streaming giant Netflix and nearly two years ahead of Amazon Prime Video’s debut in the country. The OTT platform remains well ahead of both in terms of its popularity with domestic users.
A Hotstar representative denied any such talks with Flipkart, but said it was open to partnerships that can help grow the internet ecosystem in India and beyond, according to the report.
Flipkart has already tied up with Hotstar to launch a video advertising platform in July. Hotstar is also one of the internet partners for Flipkart Plus, its customer loyalty programme competing with Amazon Prime.
Hotstar has been offering premium content like HBO’s Game of Thrones and live-streaming of popular Indian Premier League (IPL) cricket for an annual subscription of Rs 999 ($13.90).
Walmart acquired about 77 per cent of Flipkart for nearly $16 billion in what was the US retail giant’s largest-ever deal and a move to take on arch-rival Amazon in a key growth market.
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.
