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Netflix goes to South India and beyond for long-sought India growth

In southern India, devoted fans worship film and TV stars like gods, erecting huge statues of actors which are bathed in milk as part of prayer rituals for a movie’s success.
This is the market Netflix Inc, a streaming laggard in India, is now eager to tap. It has a range of Indian films across various regions to showcase but for TV series — key to keeping viewers loyal to its platform – it only has a few hit shows in Hindi and no TV shows at all in regional languages.

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The UD company has greenlighted at least six TV shows in southern Indian languages this year, aggressively chasing deals
in Tollywood as the Telugu film and TV industry is known, as well as in the Tamil film and TV industry, six people with knowledge of the company’s plans told Reuters.
As prolific as Hindi-language Bollywood and known for flashy, action-packed content, the South Indian film industry is doing extremely well of late, dominating India’s box office revenue so far this year.
Netflix has “had meetings with pretty much every producer and filmmaker here. You will see the results of those meetings by next year,” one of the people, a Tollywood producer, said.

All sources spoke on condition of anonymity, fearing loss of work opportunities.
Netflix has long positioned India, with its population of 1.4 billion, as a key market. In 2018, two years after it launched in the country, CEO Reed Hastings predicted its next 100 million subscribers would come from India. But so far it has just 5-6 million, according to analysts’ estimates.
By Hastings’s own admission, Netflix has been frustrated by its lack of success in India relative to its other markets. This new push south also comes at a time when the search for growth has taken on new urgency.
The streaming giant stunned investors last month when it reported a quarterly net loss of subscribers globally for the first time in more than a decade, and predicted deeper losses ahead. Its stock has lost almost half its value since then.

Smaller than rivals

In India, Netflix outperforms rivals in terms of revenue share of the subscription video-on-demand market, commanding 39 percent share in 2021 compared to nearest rival Disney Plus Hotstar’s 23 percent, according to Media Partners Asia.
But analysts say its subscriber base is too small for comfort. Next to Netflix’s 5-6 million, Disney Plus Hotstar, which owns cricket streaming rights, has about 50 million. Local rival Zee5 has an estimated 20 million and analysts also gauge Amazon Prime and SonyLIV’s subscriber figures to be well above Netflix’s numbers.
India’s market potential “can’t be understated,” says Julia Alexander, director of strategy at US-based Parrot Analytics.
“If Netflix doesn’t try to capitalize on it by creating stronger relationships with local creatives, local studios/production companies, and carving out a real place for itself in India, someone else will,” she said.
Asked by Reuters about criticism of its performance in India and its push into regional languages, Netflix said in a statement it was confident of what it called a “long-term winning strategy in India”.
“India continues to represent a tremendous opportunity for Netflix to invest and grow, both in terms of membership and the variety of content we offer to our members,” it said.
A large part of Netflix’s woes has been its much higher pricing in an extremely cost-conscious market. It slashed fees late last year, making it more competitive but remains much pricier than rivals.
It charges 649 rupees, roughly $8, per month for its highest quality streaming resolution plan that allows use on up to four devices. A similar plan from Disney costs 299 rupees. Netflix’s mobile-only plan for one device is 149 rupees for one month, while Disney charges the same amount for three months.
Netflix’s brand as a premium service may make it reluctant to cut prices further but that means its best, if not only, path to significant subscriber growth is expanding its slate of TV shows, analysts say.
According to two Indian producer sources, however, Netflix tends to take much longer than rivals to commission shows and is less adept in providing feedback to content developers.
Netflix did not address this criticism in its response to Reuters.
Even with new southern Indian shows added to its pipeline, Netflix still lags rivals. For example, Amazon last month announced 22 new original TV shows, eight of them in Tamil or Telugu.
“Netflix is behind compared to Amazon, Hotstar and SonyLIV because it is still in the commissioning stage, whereas the others already have shows out or on the verge of release,” according to a producer who said he was in talks with Netflix.

Read more: Netflix India releases three episodes of ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ amid legal tussle

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EU Organic Journey Hosts Exclusive B2B Dinner in Dubai, Unveiling European Organic Excellence

The European program “EU Organic Journey”nhosted a distinguished B2B dinner on the evening of the 14th of December 2023 at 19:00, set against the elegant backdrop of MYOCUM Dubai Restaurant (2D St, Al Wasl, Dubai, United Arab Emirates).
Bringing together key players from the Horeca sector, importers, distributors, wholesalers, grocery chains, organic shops, and esteemed food bloggers, the event showcased an array of delectable European organic products, including virgin olive oil, olives, and organic dairy products.
Attendees were treated to a unique opportunity to engage with representatives from the contributing organizations, fostering connections while savoring the exquisite European offerings. The ambiance of MYOCUM Dubai Restaurant provided the perfect setting for meaningful discussions on potential business opportunities. Throughout the evening, participants delved into the heart of the European program  “EU Organic Journey”gaining valuable insights into its initiatives, organic production methods,
and the superior quality of the promoted products. Representatives from the participating organizations were on hand to provide in-depth information, facilitating discussions on potential collaborations and partnerships within the organic industry.
The B2B dinner not only celebrated the richness of European organic products but also served as a platform for networking and knowledge-sharing. Attendees left the event with a deeper understanding of the “EU Organic Journey,” equipped with the information needed to explore new business avenues and enhance their involvement in the organic sector. The EU Financed campaign EU Organic Journey aims to promote and increase the awareness regarding the European organic products from Greece, Romania, and Bulgaria to consumers in UAE, Saudi Arabia and USA with the participation of the organizations Agrodiatrofiki Sympraxi Perifereias Stereas Elladas (ASPSE) from Greece, Bio Carpathia Cooperative from
Romania and National Organic Association (NAO)from Bulgaria.

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Classification: Public New Murabba appointed AtkinsRéalis to masterplan the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The New Murabba Development Company (NMDC), a fully-owned subsidiary of the Public Investment Fund (PIF), Saudi Arabia,
has appointed AtkinsRéalis (TSX: ATRL), a fully integrated professional services and project management company with offices around the world, to support the design of the New Murabba masterplan, the world’s largest modern downtown in Riyadh, and the Mukaab, an immersive destination that will revolutionize the way in which people experience hospitality, retail and
leisure. A signing ceremony, attended by Sabah Barakat, Acting CEO, New Murabba Development Company, and Campbell Gray, CEO of AtkinsRéalis, Middle East and Africa, was held to mark this milestone and celebrate the ongoing support to deliver Riyadh’s new iconic destination. Sabah Barakat, Acting CEO, New Murabba Development Company, commented: “We are proud
to recognize the important role that AtkinsRéalis has played so far in the translation of the incredible vision of this project into the design of the masterplan and the iconic Mukaab building. We’re also pleased to recognize the ongoing involvement of AtkinsRéalis in this project through a series of recent contract awards relating to the further detailing and definition
of the overall New Murabba masterplan and infrastructure design, as well as the concept design of the iconic Mukaab building.”
“The New Murabba project aligns with Saudi Arabia’s national vision aimed at developing the infrastructure, enabling the private sector, and creating job opportunities for local talent,“ added Campbell Gray, CEO of AtkinsRéalis, Middle East and Africa. “We are proud to work with NMDC on this ambitious project and bring our global engineering excellence and design
expertise, underpinned by cutting-edge technologies and sustainable solutions, to deliver a long-  lasting legacy for the Kingdom and its future generations.” After successfully winning the international architectural and master planning competition for Riyadh’s new icon, AtkinsRéalis will provide its world class advisory, architecture, masterplanning and engineering services to deliver this groundbreaking project, a cornerstone to the visionary reinvention of the Kingdom’s capital city. Contributing to the city’s future development in line with the Saudi Vision 2030, the New Murabba masterplan is inspired by Riyadh’s original balance with nature, and its design is focused on a data-driven approach to sustainability, user convenience, reduction in the need for transport, walkability and people- centric design of its public realm. “Synonymous with designing iconic landmarks in the Middle East, AtkinsRéalis has established a stellar reputation for delivering people-centric destinations combining the region’s cultural identity with modern urban standards,“ said Matthew Tribe, Managing Director, Planning, Design, and Engineering at AtkinsRéalis, Middle East and Africa. “This project win is a testament to our innovative architectural design approach set to redefine downtowns of the future living experience not only in Riyadh but also globally.”

AtkinsRéalis’s competition-winning scheme is inspired by Najdi Architecture, with a focus on creating a futuristic landmark with deep contextual roots that blends Riyadh’s cultural heritage with its future ambitions. The Mukaab, which means cube in Arabic, will be the world’s largest immersive destination providing innovative experiences driven by digital and virtual technology.
The Mukaab’s exterior envelop shrouds an internal skyscraper, which will be one of the largest built structures in the world’s history, standing 400m high, 400m wide, and 400m long. The design of the Mukaab will also include first-of-its-kind hospitality, F&B and retail facilities.

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ASPIRE’s A2RL Debuts Autonomous Racing Car in Abu Dhabi

-Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League to hold its first event in April 2024

– A2RL introduces an enhanced version of the 300 km/h Japanese Super Formula SF23 racing car

– Autonomous technology testing commences ahead of inaugural race in April 2024

ASPIRE’s grand challenge, the Abu Dhabi Autonomous Racing League – A2RL, has for the first time revealed its autonomous, highly modified Super Formula SF23 development car. The first glimpse
unfolded at ASPIRE’s offices in Abu Dhabi, near the world-famous Yas Marina Circuit, where the premier event of the season – the Formula 1 (F1) Abu Dhabi Grand Prix 2023 – is currently underway. The same venue will play host to the inaugural A2RL racing event scheduled for next April. Globally acclaimed journalists, representing the world’s most reputable automotive and
racing publications, were also present during the car’s spectacular reveal – further solidifying
the cars status as a trailblazer in the motorsports industry. In April 2024, ten teams spanning North America, Europe, the UAE, and Asia will battle it out to claim a stake in the US$2.25 million purse. The series aims to accelerate autonomous driving development and innovation, pushing the
technology forward for the eventual benefit of road car safety. The new series makes the best use of the forward-thinking and blisteringly quick Super Formula SF23 racing car, developed by motorsport powerhouse Dalarra. All cars will come equipped with an array of sensors and control units as well as a basic level of autonomous performance. The autonomous car unveiled today was fresh off the track, having completed a successful week of testing. Attendees were shown how A2RL’s extensive testing programme has begun to refine the base SF23 platform. This includes validating an array of sensors, controlmodules, and autonomous control software. Once finalized, this base platform will be madeavailable to the ten teams participating in the inaugural A2RL race at Yas Marina Circuit onApril 28, 2024.

His Excellency Faisal Al Bannai, Secretary General of the Advanced Technology
Research Council, ASPIREs parent entity, said, “This is an exciting opportunity to use
extreme sports as the basis for delivering technical advances. A2RL represents an
investment that will contribute to building an autonomous mobility ecosystem in Abu Dhabi,
showcasing safe deployment and encouraging OEM investments for widespread adoption,
ultimately enhancing road safety.”
Stephane Timpano, CEO at ASPIRE, commented: “We are thrilled to debut the A2RL
autonomous racing car to global media. It was an exciting opportunity to discuss our latest
developments and testing while also highlighting the motivation and competitors behind the
competition. A2RL will be the largest autonomous racing league in the world, shifting focus
from drivers to the engineers, scientists, and programmers behind brilliant autonomous
racing systems.”

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