iWorld
OpenTV, Playboy sign deal to develop iTV applications worldwide
MUMBAI: interactive television company Open TV and adult content provider Playboy Enterprises, have signed a multi-year agreement.
The two parties will jointly develop, integrate and launch digital interactive software applications for deployment on Playboy’s worldwide suite of television programming networks. As part the agreement, the companies expect to develop interactive applications capable of running on all software platforms, and will not be limited to any specific set-top box middleware or any proprietary iTV solution.
Under the agreement, OpenTV will also support Playboy in marketing a wide variety of interactive applications and games to network operators worldwide, and general consulting and advisory services.
OpenTV’s senior VP and GM marketing and applications products Tim Evard says, “We are delighted to partner with such a powerful global brand like Playboy to develop innovative interactive television applications. This commitment reinforces the compelling value proposition that we offer in the applications space, and we look forward to building unique, reliable and stable technologies and applications that increase viewership and revenue for both Playboy and their network operator distributors around the world.”
Playboy has stated that it is committed to helping its distribution partners drive maximum value from the programming it offers. Playboy believes that iTV applications will be a powerful tool for its partners and will also provide a more compelling viewingand transactional experience for the consumer.
OpenTV claims to be deployed in approximately 47 million digital set-top-boxes in 96 countries. The company’s software enables a wide array of functionality, including enhanced television, a full-featured IPTV solution interactive shopping, interactive and addressable advertising, games and gaming, personal video recording, and a variety of consumer care and communication applications.
iWorld
Banijay Asia’s The 50 tops OTT charts with 8.1 million JioHotstar views
Reality competition becomes most watched show on JioHotstar in debut week.
MUMBAI: Fifty contestants walked into a palace, but millions of viewers showed up for the drama. Reality competition The 50, produced by Banijay Asia, has emerged as the most watched show on JioHotstar, clocking 8.1 million views in its debut week. The figure, reported by Ormax Media, places the show at the top of the OTT viewership charts and marks a strong opening for the digital reality format.
Adapted from a popular French format, The 50 brings together 50 personalities from television, digital platforms, music and reality shows inside a grand palace setting. Over the course of a 50 day competition, participants form alliances, compete in unpredictable tasks and navigate eliminations as the field steadily narrows.
Guiding the game is a mysterious figure known as The Lion, an unseen game master whose voice introduces twists, challenges and strategic turns throughout the show, adding an extra layer of suspense to the contest.
What distinguishes The 50 from typical reality competitions is its audience driven prize structure. Instead of the winner taking home the final reward, the prize is awarded to one of the winner’s registered followers through the show’s dedicated app. The mechanism effectively turns viewers into participants, allowing fans to have a direct stake in the outcome.
The contestant lineup features a mix of television actors, reality stars and digital creators, including Karan Patel, Urvashi Dholakia, Divya Agarwal, Mr Faisu and Dushyant Kukreja, each bringing their own fan following to the show.
With its blend of celebrity personalities, strategic gameplay and interactive viewer participation, The 50 has quickly carved out a strong foothold in India’s digital entertainment landscape. Its 8.1 million views in the opening week underline the growing appetite for large scale reality formats designed specifically for OTT audiences.
