Not limited to premium subscription model, TV still works: Uday Shankar

Speaking to Bloomberg News after the announcement of the merger, Uday Shankar, vice chair of JioStar – the entity created after Disney India merged with Reliance spoke about his vision for a streaming movement that reaches the masses across the country rather than catering solely to its top echelons.

“When the big streaming companies look at this market, they have still targeted the top 100 million people, whereas India is way bigger than its top 100 million,” he remarked.

When asked if he was not considering premium subscription models, Shankar was clear: “I'm not looking to limit ourselves to premium subscription models.” He emphasised that the key to reaching all corners of the Indian market lies in recognising its diversity. “We need to stop looking at India as one monolithic, homogeneous entity because there are many Indias within India,” he said.

Lazy monetisation

As the conversation shifted to monetisation models, Shankar said, “Media companies in India and globally have been very lazy in innovating monetisation models,” pointing specifically to the traditional reliance on “selling subscriptions and advertising through video ads.”

He advocated leveraging technology to create new, innovative models. While he did not delve into the specifics of the models JioStar is developing, he expressed confidence in their viability. “There are enough people willing to take their message to consumers and pay for it, provided you're innovative,” he added.

TV alive and kicking

The discussion naturally turned to television, as JioStar operates over 100 TV channels, according to a press release. Refuting claims that streaming is eclipsing television, Shankar was confident of its enduring relevance. “I'm not one of those who believe that television is already dead in India,” he asserted, attributing such perceptions to a misleading narrative.

“I think television still has strong legs and a fair distance to run, and we'll continue to provide it with the nutrition it needs to thrive,” he stressed.

Regarding future business models, Shankar was tight-lipped but hinted at creating a service that serves as an alternative to television. “As and when people want to look at screens beyond fixed television sets, we will always be there. The connected TV revolution in India is growing every day,” he concluded.