iWorld
ZEE5 Global partners with EUROSTAR Group in Middle East to roll out offline subscriptions
Dubai, UAE, 19 August 2019: In yet another key announcement for the Middle East region, Global digital entertainment platform ZEE5, today announced its partnership with UAE based digital retail giant, the EUROSTAR Group This strategic partnership will enable people across the GCC countries to access ZEE5’s huge library of 100,000 hours of entertainment content through subscription packs available at any of Eurostar and its partner outlets across GCC.
Customers in UAE and other GCC markets can now buy any ZEE5 subscription pack by simply walking into their nearest EUROSTAR retail outlet and choosing between ZEE5’s daily, weekly, monthly and annual subscription packs, at 1.49 AED, 5.99 AED, 18.99 AED and 149.99 AED respectively without needing a credit card. Select outlets will also provide a full product demo for interested customers.
A subscription to ZEE5 will provide EUROSTAR customers in the GCC access to 100,000 hours of content in 17 languages, including Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Bangla and Marathi. ZEE5’s content catalogue spans across 2000+ movies including Bollywood Blockbusters and World Digital Premieres like Simmba (Ranveer Singh), Kedarnath (Sushant Singh Rajput, Sarah Ali Khan), Veere Di Wedding (Kareena Kapoor Khan), TV shows like Sembaruthi, Chembaruthi and Kum Kum Bhagya, Originals like Kaafir (starring Dia Mirza) and The Final Call (starring Arjun Rampal) and much more. The bouquet also packs in 60+ Live TV channels including ZEE TV, ZEE Keralam, ZEE Tamil, ZEE Marathi, top news channels, and others.
Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global said, “With the largest range of Indian content including 2000+ movies and exclusive TV shows across genres, ZEE5 is fast becoming the go-to destination for Indian content for multiple audience segments in the GCC who want compelling stories in the language of their comfort. Reaching these audiences through every touchpoint, to enable them to discover and experience ZEE5 Is critical and enabling offline subscriptions via retail is a key initiative. We’re very happy to announce our partnership with Eurostar, one of the leading digital retail Groups across the GCC to make ZEE5 available through their outlets.”
Shaan Jethwani, Executive Director of Eurostar said "We are thrilled and privileged to join hands with ZEE5. The current paradigm shift on consumers TV watching, coupled with Eurostar's legacy on Pay TV distribution along with ZEE5’s unmatchable content prepositions are poised for sure success and it's going to create a new experience for audiences in their living room.”
Customers can access ZEE5’s huge content bouquet on five different devices at any given time across mobile phones, tablets, laptops, desktops, smart TVs, etc.
iWorld
Frodoh, Chaupal introduce non-intrusive first-screen ads for OTT platforms
New ad-tech layer unlocks revenue without interrupting OTT viewing
MUMBAI: Frodoh has partnered with regional OTT platform Chaupal to roll out what it calls an industry-first “first-screen” monetisation framework, aimed at helping subscription-led streaming services generate additional revenue without interrupting content viewing.
The new model focuses on connected TV home screens, introducing ad formats that sit within the discovery layer rather than the content itself. In simple terms, viewers may notice subtle brand placements while browsing, but once they hit play, the experience remains ad-free.
The technology is designed to tap into high-attention areas such as session depth, viewing intent and discovery behaviour, turning previously unused interface space into monetisable real estate. For OTT platforms, this opens up a fresh revenue stream without diluting the premium experience that subscribers expect.
Chaupal chief executive officer Sandeep Bansal said the move balances growth with user trust. “By partnering with Frodoh, we are introducing a sophisticated ‘first-screen’ monetisation layer that integrates seamlessly into our UI, ensuring discovery remains native and non-intrusive while keeping content consumption ad-free.”
From Frodoh’s side, the pitch is clear: expand the ad pie without cluttering the screen. Frodoh founder and chief executive officer Russhabh R Thakkar said the framework creates a new category of advertising by unlocking high-visibility home screen inventory that was previously untapped.
Industry watchers see this as part of a broader shift in OTT monetisation strategies, especially as subscription platforms look to diversify revenue without risking churn. With connected TV usage rising steadily, the home screen is quickly becoming the next battleground for attention.
If the model scales, this partnership could signal a subtle but significant shift in how OTT platforms monetise, proving that sometimes, the most valuable ad space is the one you see before the show even begins.
