News Broadcasting
Star in talks to bring Disney channels to India
NEW DELHI: The Rupert Murdoch-owned News Corp’s jewel in the crown, Star India, is in discussion with Disney to distribute the channels that it proposes to bring to India.
“Yes, we are in discussion (with Disney),” Star India CEO Peter Mukerjea told journalists on the sidelines of the India Economic Summit, jointly organised by the World Economic Forum and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), here yesterday.
Mukerjea, did not spell out the details of the discussions that News Corp/Star has had with Disney and also did not give any timeframe for the conclusion of the negotiations.
However, television industry sources indicated that apart from Star, others who are in the fray to get associated with the Disney channels in India include ESPN Star Sports (ESS) and Sony Entertainment TV. It is pertinent to mention here that ESS is an equal joint venture between Star and ESPN, a Disney group company, and industry sources said it stands a good chance to get the distribution rights for the Disney channels.
Disney’s Singapore office could not be contacted for comments today as an e-mail sent on the Star issue generated an automated reply saying the person concerned was out of office on business till 1 December. The Walt Disney Company, the first US studio to adopt a local approach to production by tailoring content to specific audiences, plans to bring in four to five channels from its stable to India.
Disney, which had an agreement with K K Modi group company, Modi Entertainment Network, to undertake business activities in India, especially those related to television and merchandising, got out of the contract earlier this year, reportedly after paying approximately $ 14 million to the Modis — a figure that none of the parties would confirm or deny.
That Disney is bullish on India can be gauged from that fact that in September it announced Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific) would expand its TV distribution into India spanning Disney branded and non-branded programming across all TV delivery platforms. The company also plans to open a dedicated local sales office in India by end of the year.
“We have already seen major growth in the Asian television marketplace and the reorganisation of our business in India gives us incredible opportunities to build upon our recent successes in the region,” Walt Disney Television International (Asia Pacific) MD Doug Miller had then said in a statement, adding, “India, as one of the largest markets in Asia, and the fastest growing television market, is central to all of our plans. and believe that a local presence is essential.”
In India, Walt Disney Television International provides feature films, live action series and reality shows to Star Movies, AXN and HBO and also contributes 29 hours per week of children’s programmes to Doordarshan, Eenadu, SET India, Star Plus and Star World.
Walt Disney Television International (WDTV-I) is responsible for all of The Walt Disney Company’s free and pay television activities outside the US. These activities include branded and non-branded programme distribution through Buena Vista International Television (BVITV), production and broadcasting, and the development and management of Disney Channels and other media investments.
WDTV-I is renowned for its locally produced entertainment through Disney channels and terrestrial branded programmes. Each Disney channel provides unique quality programming specifically designed for its local audience and entirely dedicated to kids and their families.
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
