iWorld
SPI International brings Dizi channel, FilmBox + content to NXTDIGITAL India
Mumbai : SPI International, a CANAL+ company with extensive experience in channel management and curation announced its partnership with NXTDIGITAL India to launch Dizi channel and the FilmBox+ streaming service.
Subscribers now have the unique opportunity to enjoy Turkish drama series with Dizi, in Hindi. Accessible as a linear channel through the VAS Bouquet package and available on-demand via the FilmBox+ platform, viewers can dive into the captivating content anytime, anywhere. Viewers can also watch renowned world cinema classics on-demand via FilmBox Arthouse on the FilmBox+ streaming service.
SPI International, head of distribution Murat Muratoglu, stated, ” We are pleased to collaborate with NXTDIGITAL India to bring their viewers Dizi channel and FilmBox Arthouse content. This alliance marks a substantial stride in providing exceptional entertainment to Indian viewers. We’re set to transform the digital TV experience with a range of content to suit different tastes.”
Subscribers will have access to a wide selection of Dizi channel series and FilmBox arthouse content on-demand via the FilmBox+ platform, which allows viewers to watch their favourite shows and films at their convenience.
India Spark CEO Khalid Khan, in forging the partnership between SPI International and NXTDIGITAL India, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration and said, “We observed the growing preference of Indian viewers for Turkish content over the past few years. Recognising a significant opportunity here, we collaborated with SPI International to dub their content in Hindi. As a viewer, I believe this marks a ground-breaking moment for all of us – it could potentially be the first Turkish channel entirely dubbed in Hindi. Furthermore, FilmBox Arthouse will be a cinephile’s dream. It will offer a collection of timeless classics from legendary directors like Hitchcock, Kurosawa, Fellini, and more.
Undoubtedly, it’s a treasure trove of on-demand entertainment options for our audience. It has been a long time coming, but here it is!” he further added.
NXTDIGITAL chief operating officer N.K. Rouse, said, “It is a great time to get new internationally acclaimed content for the Indian masses when the world is coming closer. This partnership is a great way for us to give more value to our customers and bring them renowned content at their fingertips. The Dizi channel and the FilmBox+ partnership is a step ahead for NXTDIGITAL to provide quality entertainment to our customers on demand and open content avenues of the world for them.”
iWorld
Netflix cuts jobs in product division amid restructuring
Layoffs hit creative studio unit as leadership and strategy shifts unfold.
MUMBAI: The streaming wars may be fought on screen, but the latest plot twist is unfolding behind the scenes. Netflix has reportedly begun laying off several dozen employees from its product division as part of an internal reorganisation, according to a report by Variety. The cuts are believed to have primarily affected the company’s creative studio unit, which works on marketing assets such as in app trailers, promotional visuals and live experience content for the streaming platform.
The company has not disclosed the exact number of employees impacted.
According to the report, the layoffs were not tied to employee performance. Instead, the restructuring eliminated certain roles while other employees were reassigned to different teams within the organisation.
The roles affected are understood to include designers, producers and creative specialists responsible for marketing and brand experience initiatives.
The job cuts come as Netflix adjusts its leadership structure and reshapes its product and creative teams. Last month, Elizabeth Stone was promoted from chief technology officer to chief product and technology officer, giving her oversight of product, engineering and data operations across the company.
Earlier, in December 2025, Netflix also appointed Martin Rose as head of creative for global brand and partnerships, a move seen as part of a broader restructuring of the company’s brand and product functions.
Despite the layoffs, Netflix remains one of the largest employers in the streaming sector. The company is estimated to employ around 16,000 people globally, with roughly 70 percent of its workforce based in the United States and Canada. In 2023, the company reported approximately 13,000 employees, indicating that its headcount had grown significantly before the latest restructuring.
The workforce changes arrive at a time when Netflix is navigating a shifting financial and strategic landscape in the global entertainment industry.
The streaming giant recently secured $2.8 billion in additional cash after receiving a breakup fee from Paramount Skydance following its withdrawal from a deal involving Warner Bros. Discovery.
Speaking to Bloomberg, Netflix co chief executive Ted Sarandos explained that the company had evaluated multiple scenarios during the negotiations but chose not to match the competing offer once it learned that a higher bid had been submitted.
Netflix had capped its offer at $27.75 per share and ultimately stepped back rather than pursue Paramount’s $111 billion acquisition deal, which included a personal guarantee.
Sarandos also cautioned that the financing structure behind the Paramount Skydance transaction could have ripple effects across the entertainment industry.
According to him, the debt heavy deal could trigger significant cost cutting, with David Ellison, chief executive of Paramount Skydance, expected to eliminate about $16 billion in costs and potentially cut thousands of jobs as part of the integration process.
For Netflix, the current restructuring appears to be part of a broader attempt to streamline operations while continuing to invest in product, technology and global content even as the streaming industry enters a new phase of consolidation and financial discipline.
