Star India to expand Hotstar globally this year

Star India has confirmed that it will be expanding the reach of its video streaming service, Hotstar worldwide later this year.

Talking at the annual Ficci Frames media and entertainment event in Mumbai, Star India CEO Uday Shankar said, ���Even for a mass sport like cricket, in the larger cities, Hotstar�۪s watch time is now starting to reach 50 per cent of television. This infant service is already becoming a product of habit in India and now this year, we have set our sight on creating the first global Media and Entertainment product born out of India, when we take Hotstar to the rest of the world in a few months.”

���The numerous and affluent south Asian diaspora which for the longest time has been frustrated by the lack of access to its favourite content will be able to watch cricket, movies and drama through Hotstar. While I am indeed happy for Hotstar to be the pioneer, we are very aware that this is a trend that will get replicated again and again, very quickly,�۝ he added.

The free service is funded by an advertising fueled model. It is expected, all shows and events currently only available in the India region, will be made available globally in the next few months. The Star TV Network has digital rights for many movie titles, live sport and events.

Rival broadcasters, Colors recently announced the launch of Voot, while ZEEL has Ditto TV and OZEE and Sony Pictures Networks’ the Sony LIV service.