The website jiohotstar.com, a domain of now merged entities Reliance Jio and Disney Hotstar, is officially owned by Viacom18 Media, putting an end to ownership claims by a Delhi man and Dubai-based siblings, as confirmed in report by ET Online.
WHOIS data further verifies that the domain is registered under Viacom18, a Mukesh Ambani-owned company, on September 20, 2023. The registration is valid until September 20, 2026, with the latest update recorded on December 2, 2024.
The registrant, administrative, and technical contact for jiohotstar.com is listed as Manish Painuly, representing Viacom18 Media.
On November 14, Reliance Industries, Viacom 18 Media and The Walt Disney Company confirmed the effectiveness of the Rs 70,352-crore merger, integrating the media and JioCinema businesses of Viacom18 into Star India. This involved the merger of Viacom18's TV and digital businesses with Star India, securing all required regulatory approvals both in India and internationally.
The domain name JioHotstar.com became a point of discussion during the Viacom18 and Disney+ Hotstar merger. A Delhi-based app developer initially claimed the domain, offering it to Reliance Industries in exchange for funding his education. Later, Dubai-based siblings Jainam and Jivika acquired the domain from the developer, offering it to Reliance for free, stating they wanted to support the merger and not profit from it. Despite receiving significant offers to sell, they emphasised their intention of service.
A new website, Jiostar.com, also surfaced with a "coming soon" teaser.
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