New Delhi: After nearly five years at Viacom18 Pvt Ltd, Gourav Rakshit, chief operating officer of Viacom18 Digital, has quit the company. His departure follows the merger of Voot, a video streaming app owned by Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd, with JioCinema, necessitating a transition for Voot users to the latter platform. Viacom18’s original content, including popular shows like Big Bossis now premiering on JioCinema.
“Gourav has played a key role in shaping Viacom18’s digital agenda over the last five years. He has now decided to move on to other occupations outside the organization. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors,” a Viacom18 spokesperson said.
Since May 2019, Rakshit has played a pivotal role as COO of Viacom Digital. His previous experience includes leadership positions at Shaadi.com as president and CEO, along with roles at Infosys Consulting as a management consultant, Planetasia as a business leader, and Nestle as a marketing manager.
JioCinema, to enhance its service offering, has introduced a premium subscription priced at ₹999 annually, which exclusively features premium English content. However, programming in local languages remains freely available. In September 2022, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) approved the merger of Jio Cinema with Viacom18, which also secured the digital broadcasting rights for the IPL for a huge. ₹23,757 crores.
JioCinema, owned by Reliance Industries, has adopted a tailored approach to its online original strategy by focusing on medium-sized online shows, with an estimated annual budget of around. ₹1,000 crore, excluding sports. This budget is roughly half the size of major competitors such as Netflix, as the platform’s current online originals strategy is driven by volume primarily to sustain audience interest post-IPL.
While industry experts said that some titles such as Taali and Asura 2 has gained traction and secured prime spots on viewership, it is evident that JioCinema is targeting mass viewing space in the streaming market in India. Environmental consultancy Ormax, said Asura 2 ranked fourth in the most watched Indian internet show in the first half of 2023, accumulated an impressive audience of 19.3 million. In comparison, Shahid Kapoor’s Bloody Daddy was the most watched Indian film, with 16.6 million viewers.
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Published: 02 Feb 2024, 14:27 IST