Voot to launch 18 originals in the coming months

The OTT platform will make a debut in the United Kingdom in November 2018.

Voot, the over the top platform from the stable of Viacom18 has announced the launch of 18 originals in the coming months. During a press conference, the platform showcased the first bundle of its upcoming Voot originals - 18 multi-lingual premium web series cutting across genres.

Viacom18 Motion Pictures, the network's movie studio, will now be producing web-series for Voot under the banner of Tipping Point Films. Furthermore, diving deeper into the regional markets of India, the regional broadcast entertainment cluster of Viacom18 will be producing multi-lingual Voot originals specifically for the discerning digital audience. The platform will also be adding news to its increasingly varied content offering, starting with a partnership with India's foremost news media organisation - Network18.

Screenshots of Voot's upcoming shows
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Voot is ramping up its content and product play as it sets its sights on taking the platform internationally, beginning with the United Kingdom in November 2018.

Sudhanshu Vats, managing director, Viacom18, says in a press release, "Voot is integral to our strategy as we gear up for a future-ready Viacom18 that is screen, platform and pipe agnostic. We are building a digital-first brand to harness Viacom18's strengths across its brands, creative franchises and businesses in multiple Indian languages. Furthermore, the inherent synergies with Reliance Jio, both as a platform for showcasing content and as a carrier of our service, have only dialled up the business roadmap for Voot."

L-R: Sudhanshu Vats, Monika Shergill, Ajit Andhare and Ravish Kumar
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Partnering with the best in class creators, producers and talent, the 18 Voot originals will provide an immersive content experience with storytelling across multiple genres like Psychology, Mystery, Sports Biopics, Comedy, Drama, Thriller, Politics, History, Crime and Suspense amongst others.

Monika Shergill, head - content, Viacom18 Digital Ventures, says in a press release, "The digital medium brings us close to the consumer on a very personal level. Owing to the last mile measurability that the medium provides, our entire content strategy is based on a deep-data backed analysis of the needs and desires of our consumers and their consumption preferences and patterns. Thus, our play across a diverse bouquet of genres and languages."

She adds, "At an execution level, we have been extremely lucky to be partnering with a galaxy of very talented and committed actors, writers and directors to bring forth our second bundle of Voot originals, starting with 18 multi-genre and multi-lingual series."

Voot will continue its journey towards further echelons of growth through its foray into new growth areas, as defined below:

News on Voot: Expanding its genre spread, Voot will now see the addition of news on its platform with the inclusion of TV18 news. 16 live channels across 13 languages will now bring the latest in current affairs to its viewers, adding to the range and reach of the platform.

Teching it Up: Voot will also strengthen its engagement and user interactivity experience with superior technology adoption and innovation. Adding to the user search experience and facilitating easy discoverability will be the adoption of Google Watch Action, an industry first in APAC for premium OTT players. Voot's future-ready platform will also enhance the content experience with the introduction of Dolby Surround Sound for all Voot originals.

Global Foray: Voot has continuously ensured superior technology adoption and content diversity thereby paving the way for the platforms Global foray. Catering to the vast Indian diaspora and the international community that seeks immersive Indian stories, Voot is all set to debut internationally in November. With an Indian origin population of around 1.825 Mn, the UK market presents a significant reach opportunity for Voot to leverage.