iWorld
Jagjit Singh Kohli returns with connected TV app Free TV
MUMBAI: Indian cable TV pioneer Jagjit Singh Kohli is back. This time he is doing the tango with the world of streaming and connected TV apps. The entrepreneur has used the celebration of Guru Nanak’s birthday on 15 November to announce the launch of Tango Plus Services and its “transformative Free TV app for the connected TV universe.”
The new app, currently available through select ISP partners, will be made available on Google Play Store, Apple App Store, Samsung Tizen, and LG Web OS within the next few weeks.
The free TV app is set to revolutionise the way consumers access and interact with television content, offering a seamless, subscription-free, and diverse entertainment experience for millions globally, says a release from the company. The app will be made available on mobile app stores by end November.
Tango TV’s Free TV, the press release states, has a thousand plus free-to-air live channels, replicating the traditional cable/DTH interface but with added convenience and flexibility. From news to sports, lifestyle to infotainment, users can access a wide array of live TV content with an intuitive channel guide and easy navigation. It offers 20,000 plus free movies in multiple languages, Free TV, says it will cater to every movie buffs’ taste.
Users can pause, rewind, or fast-forward content, ensuring they enjoy the best in entertainment at their own pace. All movies will be made available in 4K resolution, offering a cinematic experience without the premium cost. It will offer a global range of specially curated series and music, offering diverse genres and stories from international creators. To top that, Tango TV has integrated educational resources that are both fun and informative. Students from nursery to Class XII can access study materials, learning videos, tutorials, and more—bridging the gap between entertainment and education.
Says Tango TV managing director JS Kohli: “We are incredibly excited to introduce Tango TV to the global market. Our mission has always been to deliver innovative, accessible, and high-quality digital solutions, and with the launch of Tango TV, we are setting a new benchmark in the entertainment industry. This app is a game-changer, offering consumers a free, seamless, and enriching viewing experience that aligns perfectly with today’s digital-first lifestyle. We believe Tango TV will not only revolutionise how users access content, but also create new opportunities for businesses to engage with their audiences in meaningful ways. As we continue to innovate and expand, we look forward to shaping the future of entertainment alongside our partners and users.”
Kohli adds that for businesses and partners, Free TV offers built in free access to premium entertainment which can be seamlessly integrated and delivered to customers at no extra cost. A unique revenue-sharing model has been built in to the service.
“By offering premium content or exclusive features, businesses can tap into new income streams without sacrificing the core value of free entertainment. The revenue-sharing model is designed to benefit partners, giving them the opportunity to monetise Tango TV’s access to a vast content library while keeping the service free for users. This opens up opportunities for brands, telecom providers, smart TV manufacturers, ISPs, cable operators, and other stakeholders to tap into a new, scalable revenue source,” he reveals.
He is also quite gung-ho about the premium Tango TV Plus app which he says will offer exclusive ad-free content in terms of TV shows, movies and series, not accessible on the free version, along with additional features such as personalised recommendations, cloud storage, and more.
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.
