Reliance-Disney Merger To Give Amazon Prime, Netflix A Run For Their Money

reliance-disney merger to give amazon prime, netflix a run for their money

Reliance-Disney merger: Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries and Walt Disney on Wednesday notified the bourses of the merger of their Indian TV and streaming media assets. The new entity formed through this deal is an entertainment juggernaut presently vaued at Rs Rs 70,352 crore or $8.5 billion.

The merged entity, to be led by Chairperson Nita Ambani, will have a staggering 120 TV channels and two streaming platforms under its umbrella, Reuters reported.

Take a look at who the new company’s top rivals in India are expected to be.

Netflix

Global streaming giant Netflix currently has a subscriber base of around 10 million in India at present. The company sees India as a key market, with Co-CEO Ted Sarandos having previously said that he sees Netflix’s Indian subscriber base rising to 100 million over time.

Amazon Prime

According to Reuters, Amazon Prime Video has an estimated 20 million users in India. Channels, the company’s Indian aggregation service, offers subscriptions to other global and local video streaming services.

Sony Pictures Networks India

Sony Pictures Networks India has been operating in the country for nearly three decades. A subsidiary of the Japan-based Sony Group, the Indian arm operates 26 channels ranging from general entertainment to specific ones for sports and movies.

The company has claimed that its content reaches as many as 700 million viewers in India. The company also runs a video streaming platform, Sony LIV.

Zee Entertainment

Zee, one of the oldest media companies in India, has a domestic broadcast portfolio comprising 48 TV channels and one streaming platform, Zee5. It has businesses spanning Zee’s businesses include television broadcasting, video streaming, and movie production.

Japan’s Sony Group cancelled a $10 billion merger with Zee in January, citing unresolved “closing conditions” and leadership disputes. The merger’s success could have led to the creation of the country’s largest entertainment company– even bigger than the one Reliance and Disney have formed.