SonyLIV Enters Africa, Caribbean Region To Widen User Base

SUMMARY

The expansion is aimed at connecting with the Indian diaspora in these nations, as well as with new audiences and communities globally, Sony Pictures said

In addition to Indian content, SonyLIV users in these regions will also be offered local content

The development comes at a time when the players in the Indian OTT market, including JioCinema and Netflix, are involved in a fierce battle to grab a big share

Sony Pictures Networks India’s OTT platform SonyLIV has expanded its services to South Africa, Mauritius, Jamaica, Guyana, and Trinidad and Tobago in a bid to widen its user base.

The expansion is aimed at connecting with the Indian diaspora in these nations, as well as with new audiences and communities globally, Sony Pictures said in a statement.

The users in these countries will be able to access certain shows such as Scam 2003: The Telgi Story, Rocket Boys, Maharani, and Gullak. Besides, they will also get access to several hours of TV shows and select sporting events.

The OTT platform will also offer regional content including Gargi, 2018, Por Thozhil, Saudi Vellakka, among others.

Commenting on the development, SonyLIV’s head of growth and monetisation Manish Aggarwal said that these countries are home to a significant population of the Indian diaspora and have a high digital adoption rate.

“There is an increasing appetite for digital entertainment that is both culturally rich and has a wide appeal. Leveraging this, SonyLIV aims to offer an inclusive and seamless viewing experience to the users,” he added.

Users in these countries will be able to access SonyLIV on Android Mobile/Tab, Android TV, iPad, and Apple TV.

The development comes at a time when the players in the Indian OTT market are involved in a fierce battle to grab a big share. The crowded Indian OTT market has the presence of Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Reliance-backed JioCinema, Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5, ALT Balaji, among others.

The likes of JioCinema are Disney+ Hotstar are now streaming popular and premium cricket matches for free to widen their user base.

Last week, regional OTT platform hoichoi also said it plans to enter the Middle Eastern market to expand its user base through partnerships with telecom operators and offline marketing.

Amid intensifying competition, Netflix announced a multi-year creative partnership deal with movie production giant Yash Raj Films (YRF) to create both films and series.

Also, as a result of the ongoing OTT war, Walt Disney Co reportedly held talks with Reliance for sale of its streaming and television business in India.

According to a Statista study, the revenue of the Indian OTT market is expected to reach $5.25 Bn by 2027.