Zee Entertainment, which had previously removed its content from Reliance Jio’s OTT platform, might restore its content for JioTV again. Following a spat between the telecom operator and the entertainment company, the material from ZEE which was previously on Reliance Jio’s platform was taken down. However, as per this new report, after the negotiations are complete, Zee Entertainment can bring back the content on JioTV. As per a report by DNA India, the higher-level management of Zee entertainment is in advanced negotiation stages, following which the Zee entertainment content will be made available on JioTV once again. Notably, JioTV is Reliance Jio’s Over the Top (OTT) service for availing video format content, video-on-demand and Live TV to Jio users.
The people aware of the matter said about the issue, “Both parties are in advanced discussions to arrive at an amicable solution, and an outcome will be achieved in the next 2-3 days,” ET reported. To recall, when thing went sour between Zee entertainment and Reliance Jio, 35 Live TV channels and more than 2 lakh hours of video-on-demand content was taken down from JioTV.
Last month in August, ZEE had withdrawn its content thus denting the contract between Jio and ZEE. According to anonymous sources, Reliance Jio had garnered significant success with a large subscriber base, and ZEE Entertainment was on the lookout for a better commercial deal with the telco. However, the negotiations couldn’t be worked out which resulted in Zee entertainment pulling down content from Reliance Jio’s platform. Notably, within a week of ending its partnership with Reliance Jio, the entertainment company partnered with Bharti Airtel for three years. Under this strategic partnership, Airtel and ZEE will work closely to create content for Airtel’s on-demand video platform Airtel TV.
If ZEE and Reliance Jio come together again to avail content on JioTV, it is definitely going to be under new conditions. It is also entirely possible that Zee entertainment and Reliance Jio might renegotiate the commercial aspects of their deal, since last time that was the point of distaste for both the parties.
Arpit spends his day closely following the telecom and tech industry. A music connoisseur and a night owl, he also takes a deep interest in the Indian technology start-up scene and spends rest of his time spilling poetry and stories on paper.
