iWorld
WWE Network on track to hit a million subs by end 2014
MUMBAI: World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on 6 April showcased the first pay-per-view (PPV) on its WWE Network with WrestleMania XXX.
It was on 24 February this year that WWE commenced its first-ever 24/7 streaming network and ever since then it has generated immense traction and buzz among its fans.
The company recently announced in a release that WWE Network has 667,287 subscribers (as of 7 April) and is well on its way to reaching its goal of a million subscribers by the end of 2014 just 42 days after launching in US. It claims to be the fastest-growing digital subscription service.
This announcement comes on the heels of a historic WrestleMania XXX, which aired live on WWE Network as well as on pay-per-view through satellite and cable providers from a sold-out Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
The Network was first rolled out in the US and will soon travel to Canada, UK, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Nordics in late 2014 or early 2015.
WWE Network is the first 24/7 streaming network that provides access to live and scheduled programming, including all 12 live pay-per-view events, as well as the most comprehensive video-on-demand library. Available for a price of $9.99 a month – with a six month commitment – fans can subscribe to WWE Network at WWE.com.
WWE Network is available on connected devices including Apple TV, Roku streaming devices, Sony PlayStation 3, Sony PlayStation 4 and Xbox 360. WWE Network is also available through the WWE App on iOS devices, including Apple iPad and iPhone, Amazon’s Kindle Fire devices and Android devices, as well as on desktops and laptops via WWE.com.
iWorld
Tips Music CEO Hari Nair to step down
Girish Taurani and Sushant Dalmia to jointly steer the company as the hunt for a new chief begins
MUMBAI: A leadership shuffle is under way at Tips Music. Hari Nair, the company’s chief executive, will step down on April 30 as the music label begins the search for a successor.
The company said Girish Taurani, executive director, and Sushant Dalmia, chief financial officer, will jointly oversee operations during the transition while the board identifies a permanent replacement.
Nair joined Tips Music in 2023 and set about reshaping the veteran music label into a more digital, data-led enterprise. During his tenure, the company secured licensing and partnership deals with global platforms including Sony Music Publishing and TikTok, while renewing agreements with Warner Music Group.
Drawing on earlier experience in technology and entertainment, including a stint at ByteDance, Nair pushed the organisation towards a performance-driven culture. He built a brand partnerships division and introduced proprietary software systems aimed at strengthening digital distribution and data capabilities.
Kumar Taurani, chairman and managing director, credited Nair with embedding a data-led culture within the company and driving revenue growth in line with shareholder commitments.
In his resignation note, Nair said that after helping transition the label into a modern, digitally focused and process-driven organisation, the time had come to pursue his next leadership challenge.
The leadership change comes as the broader Tips Films group shows signs of financial stabilisation. In the third quarter of FY26 the company reported a net loss of Rs 2.86 crore, narrowing sharply from Rs 14.2 crore in the previous quarter. For the nine months ended December, losses stood at Rs 12.37 crore.
Yet revenue told a more volatile story. Income from operations slid to Rs 4 crore in Q3 FY26 from Rs 56 crore in the preceding quarter, taking total operating income to Rs 4.56 crore.
For a company built on a catalogue of more than 34,000 tracks and decades of Bollywood hits, the next chief will inherit both a digital engine and a volatile music market. The playlist may be familiar, but the next act at Tips Music is only just beginning.
