The possible merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar, due to Disney selling its Indian assets to Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries, is making producers and content creators worried.
Right now, Hotstar has been slowing down its production of new original shows and movies. This means that if the merger goes ahead, there could be even fewer opportunities for creators to pitch their ideas.
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The merged company might focus only on content that attracts a large audience, leaving less room for different or niche programming.
Creators are concerned that the new, combined platform might end up like YouTube.
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Instead of funding new projects, it could just provide a space for creators to upload their work and share revenue from it. This could mean fewer chances for getting new shows made and less support for original ideas.
The merger, which is valued at $8.5 billion, would give the new company control over more than 40% of the streaming market.
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This could lead to a situation where there is very little competition, which might hurt the variety and quality of content available.
With only a few big players like Netflix and Prime Video left to compete with, the content might not be as diverse.
Actor Imran Khan mentioned that a spy series he was developing with Disney+ Hotstar has been sidelined due to the merger.
However, some experts think the merger could have upsides. It might bring more variety in content and reach a bigger audience by combining both companies’ resources.
The merged company will control around 100 TV channels, with 70 from Disney and the rest from Viacom18. Reliance will also gain access to Disney’s extensive English-language libraries, including Marvel and Lucasfilm.
Still, it could also create problems for advertisers and media agencies, as pricing and strategies might change.
Overall, while the merger could make content delivery more streamlined, it raises concerns about fewer opportunities for creators and less competition in the market.
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