iWorld
Zee5 partners with smart TV OS Whale TV
MUMBAI: Zee5 has got onto another independent smart TV OS, Whale TV. With this, the streamer will be available on all Whale TV smart TVs, including major brands such as Philips, TCL, and Sharp, across more than 150 countries including India, the Middle East and North Africa, Asia-Pacific, and the US.
Zee5 offers south Asian content including original shows, franchise hits, and diverse content across 18 languages. Operating in over 190 countries, the platform boasts a catalogue that spans blockbuster movies, acclaimed TV shows, and lifestyle programming. By partnering with Whale TV, Zee5 is making its content accessible to millions of viewers worldwide.
On Whale TV models, consumers will now have an easy-to-use smart TV experience with advanced AI powered recommendations, making it easier than ever to discover and enjoy Zee5’s wide range of premium titles including Oscar winner RRR, Sam Bahadur, Gyaarah Gyaarah, Hanu-Man (Telugu) and more.
Said Zee5 chief business officer Manish Kalra: “Smart TVs are an increasingly dominant way for people to consume content. This strategic alliance with Whale TV further strengthens our global reach, enabling entirely new audiences to discover our curated catalogue of premium South Asian content at scale. We are confident that this partnership will accelerate our efforts to bring viewers across the globe seamless access to the best of south Asian content.”
“With Whale TV we aim to deliver a smart and simple TV experience to consumers, where they can watch their favorite entertainment whether that’s streamed, broadcasted or playing on a connected device. With our global reach it is important that we offer a diverse content selection and we are delighted to add Zee5 Global to our platform,” added Whale TV VP content distribution Lucas Huang.
MUMBAI: If cricket were a binge-worthy series, this one just dropped its most explosive pilot yet. The opening weekend of the 2026 edition of the Indian Premier League has come out swinging, smashing records across both television and digital platforms and reaffirming the tournament’s unmatched pull in India’s sporting and media landscape.
Backed by two high-octane matches featuring 200-plus run chases, the tournament delivered a combined reach of over 515 million viewers across linear TV and digital platforms via JioStar’s broadcast ecosystem, including Star Sports and JioHotstar. More tellingly, engagement surged alongside reach, with total watch-time hitting 32.6 billion minutes, a sharp 26 per cent jump over the opening weekend of the previous season.
The numbers reveal a deeper shift in how India watches cricket. Connected TV (CTV) consumption rose by 30 per cent, while peak concurrency on digital platforms jumped 61 per cent, signalling a growing appetite for shared, big-screen streaming experiences. On traditional television, the momentum held strong, with TV ratings (TVR) climbing 24 per cent compared to earlier seasons’ opening matches.
A key driver of this spike has been the evolution of the viewing experience itself. This season introduced differentiated feeds, most notably a Hindi CTV broadcast featuring cricketing voices such as Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan. Blending expert analysis with a watch-along format, the feed has added a conversational, almost second-screen feel without requiring viewers to leave their screens.
According to JioStar CEO for Sports Ishan Chatterjee, at the opening weekend underscores not just scale but also the depth of engagement that live cricket continues to command. He noted that the combination of large-screen viewing and digital interactivity is creating a more immersive and personalised experience, while also delivering tangible outcomes for brand partners.
From the league’s perspective, the early numbers point to a tournament that continues to reinvent itself. Arun Singh Dhumal, Chairman of the IPL, said the strong start reflects how high-quality cricket paired with enhanced viewing formats is resonating with audiences nationwide, while Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devajit Saikia highlighted the “quality of engagement” as a key takeaway, not just the scale.
Commercially too, the opening weekend signals robust advertiser confidence. The broadcast is led by co-presenting sponsors including Google (Search AI Mode), Campa Energy, and Havells & Lloyd, alongside co-powered partners such as Birla Opus, Hero Motocorp and Amazon. A long tail of associate sponsors from OpenAI and Asian Paints to Flipkart and Amul further reflects the league’s unmatched ability to aggregate advertiser interest at scale.
Taken together, the opening weekend numbers are less a spike and more a statement. With 515 million viewers, 32.6 billion minutes of watch-time, and double-digit growth across formats, IPL 2026 has not just started strong, it has set the tone for a season that looks poised to push the boundaries of both sport and spectacle.
