Latest news with #JOJO
Mint
02-06-2025
- Business
- Mint
Hungama Digital Media announces new slate of shows, bets on gaming to lure consumers
Hungama Digital Media Entertainment Pvt Ltd, which owns the Hungama OTT app, may have been lying low for a while but is now coming out with a slate of 24 shows for 2025, more than double its previous best of 10 originals annually. These will be targeted at middle-India consumers, a senior executive said, referring to viewers in metros who hail from tier-two and tier-three towns. The company's library includes over 5,000 films in English, Hindi and other Indian languages, besides a catalogue of more than 1,500 short films. It is also betting on games inspired by popular movies and songs to create an ecosystem where gaming and entertainment come together. The 2025 slate introduces fresh originals such as Mona Ki Monohar Kahaniyaan, Judwa Jaal, Rose Garden, Chakravyuh, Badass Begum, Blind Game, Balance Show, Hungama Hone Do, Shaadi Ki Uss Raat, Takshika, Girl Scams, Room Service, Bollywood Murder, Hasratein Season 3, and Ratri Ke Yatri Season 3, spanning genres such as thrillers, dramas, romances, and experimental formats. With the growth of connected TVs, Hungama is launching an app that can be downloaded on smart TVs. Also Read | JOJO, Chull among new OTT platforms serving culturally rooted content to niche, regional audiences 'This is going to be our biggest year in terms of originals released annually," Neeraj Roy, founder and managing director, Hungama Digital Media, said in an interview. 'Also, we were licensing a lot of shows earlier. But we are now gearing up for originals. These are IPs which we own and stories which our team has worked upon with different production companies." Adding that the same number of shows will be released next year, Roy said paid subscriptions are the path to a sustainable business. The Hungama app is priced at ₹499 per year. Right costing 'The desire is to now start getting consumers to opt for longer-term plans as well. We believe that this pricing is something that resonates, at least with our core audience," Roy said, referring to its target viewers. Disagreeing that the OTT space in India is cluttered, Roy said most media companies started creating content for the OTT business, where the revenue model was in the early stages of development, with each web show costing 10 to 15 times the cost of a television show a few years ago. 'The economic model did not catch up. But we believe in doing things and costing in the right way," he emphasised. Also Read | ZEE5 sees traction from tier-two, three markets as regional content soars A recent show that required the team to travel was completed with virtual production, he said. The other thing the company is excited about is what's happening within the gaming ecosystem, Roy said. 'We shall put out a bunch of games which are at the intersection of entertainment and gaming. We're in the process of building communities, as far as those are concerned at this point in time," Roy said, referring to plans to launch movie and music-based games. To be sure, the challenges for Hindi-focused platforms like Hungama are many. As global streaming giants tighten their grip on India's OTT market, experts said smaller platforms are struggling to stay afloat. With rising production costs, shrinking marketing budgets, and the dominance of Netflix, Prime Video, and JioHotstar, many fringe players with lower budgets and scale may fade from the spotlight. While regional platforms carve out their own niches, those stuck in the middle find themselves with dwindling content and fewer options to compete. Also Read | Why aggregation could be a game changer for niche OTTs 'The entire monetisation game on digital has been a challenge. These are fringe platforms that are now struggling because the business is all about scale and user experience and global media giants are becoming larger in terms of variety of content," Karan Taurani, senior vice-president at Elara Capital Ltd, said in a recent interview. "Advertising dollars are moving to e-commerce and there isn't much left for video anyway. Plus, despite attractive pricing, none of them has managed paid subscriptions."
Mint
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Traders Brace for Japan 40-Year Bond Sale After Yields Swoon
人氣手搖新品優惠一次看，九層塔也能變手搖？一沐日今夏推出獵奇新飲品「高讚塔奶蓋烏龍綠」，將九層塔搭配香濃奶蓋與烏龍綠，以創新方式演繹經典台灣味，鶴茶樓則首度與日本動畫《JOJO的奇妙冒險》聯名，一口氣推出4款角色杯身、11款獨家周邊，春陽茶事則喝得到季節新品「春蘋蜜紅」，還可以免費加配料「脆玉晶球」增添口感。 看更多＞星巴克買一送一連喝３天迎接端午節！聯名PEANUTS史努比限定周邊回歸 請繼續往下閱讀... 一沐日 發源自台中的人氣手搖飲「一沐日」，2020年進軍北上，目前全台超過60間門市，今年夏天推出全新限定飲品，以台灣常見的辛香配料「九層塔」入茶，搭配香濃特調奶蓋與清新芳香的烏龍綠茶，推出「高讚塔奶蓋烏龍綠」與「輕香烏龍綠」，充滿另類台味，將於6月2日全台上市。 「高讚塔奶蓋烏龍綠」售價70元，以最強綠葉九層塔入茶，推出奶蓋沾鹽酥雞新吃法。（圖／品牌提供） 「高讚塔奶蓋烏龍綠」以台灣人最熟悉的九層塔入茶，加上特調奶蓋與甘舒香甜的清新烏龍綠茶，一口手搖一口鹽酥雞，清香入㗋。同步推出的「輕香烏龍綠」以烏龍茶為基地，經過輕發酵無焙火的烏龍茶，甘舒香甜，甘醇渾厚的滋味帶有微炭燒味，是夏天消暑解渴最適合的飲品。 「輕香烏龍綠」售價40元，經過輕發酵無焙火的烏龍茶，甘舒香甜。（圖／品牌提供） 鶴茶樓 鶴茶樓成為全台第一家與日本人氣動畫《JOJO的奇妙冒險》聯名的手搖飲，4款角色杯身、11款獨家周邊將在6月4日開賣，再創熱門話題！此次聯名以《JOJO 的奇妙冒險》第四部作品「不滅鑽石 」為主題，集結6大經典角色，包含東方仗助、虹村億泰、岸邊露伴、廣瀨康一、吉良吉影、空條承太郎，整體視覺以深黯紫色襯出神秘氛圍，打造專屬JOJO世界的奇幻色彩。 4款角色聯名杯將有7款角色輪番登場，正反面都藏有不同驚喜。（圖／品牌提供） 除此之外，更有多達11款夢幻獨家周邊商品，不但有實用的珪藻土杯墊、氣囊手機支架、收納式飲料提袋，當中「加厚野餐墊」集結滿版的5大經典人氣角色，陪伴粉絲chill整個午後，「撲克牌」則是收錄本季全數角色，張張精彩。凡至鶴茶樓凡消費任一飲品，即可加購1款周邊，此外，至鶴茶樓消費，並拍攝、分享至IG或FB的限動，同步標註＠hechaloutea + @museacg，即贈送JOJO粉必收的A3角色海報1張。 11款夢幻獨家周邊商品，售價148元至428元。（圖／品牌提供） 鶴茶樓消費打卡就能獲得A3角色海報1張。（圖／品牌提供） 春陽茶事 今年夏季推出季節限定「春蘋蜜紅」，選用當季盛產蘋果果粒為基底，搭配斯里蘭卡紅茶，湯色深紅透亮，濃郁茶香交織果味香甜，令人餘味無窮，將於5月28日全台上市。春陽茶事更加碼新品優惠，凡購買「春蘋蜜紅」即可免費加入Q彈配料「脆玉晶球」，入口先品嘗到蘋果粒的清爽甘甜，搭配高纖低熱量的晶球增添口感，滿足咀嚼控。 「春蘋蜜紅」中杯售價55元、大杯售價65元，期間限定免費加脆玉晶球。（圖／品牌提供） ※以上訊息如有異動，請以最新公告為準。 ※【自由時報 玩咖PLAYing頻道】版權所有，未經授權，不得轉載！ 不用抽 不用搶 現在用APP看新聞 保證天天中獎 點我下載APP 按我看活動辦法
Mint
27-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
JOJO, Chull among new OTT platforms serving culturally rooted content to niche, regional audiences
Despite the abundance of streaming and short-video platforms in India – both foreign and domestic – media and entertainment companies continue with new launches focused on regional and user-generated content. Along with new OTT players JOJO, a Gujarati platform, and Chull, which will focus on Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Bangla content, Dish TV has unveiled FLIQS, a digital content segment within its WATCHO app for professional creators. While critics point to the challenges of monetisation for such targeted offerings, others said the appetite for regional languages and niches remains underserved by bigger companies. 'It (a new launch) only makes sense if the platform is solving something real. This is not about launching another OTT. The content space is cluttered, but it's also underserved, especially when it comes to language-first, culturally rooted ecosystems. That's the gap JOJO was built to fill," said Dhruvin Shah, founder and CEO of JOJO. Also Read | ZEE5 sees traction from tier-two, three markets as regional content soars Shah added that the platform isn't trying to outspend or out-scale—it entered to serve a very specific audience that wasn't being heard properly. 'You can't win by doing what the global platforms are doing. You stand out by doing what they can't. In a landscape where scale often comes at the cost of specificity, we committed to going deeper, not broader," Shah said. He acknowledged that discovery for such niche platforms is still a challenge, but rather than rely on algorithms to do the heavy lifting, the company has built its own momentum via word-of-mouth, diaspora engagement, and cultural moments. Experts pointed out that the Indian content economy may appear saturated on the surface, but it's only now beginning to unlock its true potential—particularly beyond the metros. Sukhpreet Singh, chief revenue officer of Dish TV, said the next phase of growth in digital entertainment will be driven by deep regionalisation, hyper-niche storytelling, and a decentralised creator economy. Cultural relevance 'New platforms make business sense precisely because they cater to these unmet and underserved demands. As an industry, we've moved from mass content to micro-communities. Audiences today don't just want choice—they want cultural relevance, linguistic intimacy, and content that reflects their own lives," Singh said. While global OTT companies focus on scale, the new entrants have the advantage of agility, local insight, and community-led programming, he added. Also Read | Streaming platforms at crossroads on regional content There is a huge population in small towns and regional pockets that still does not feel truly seen or heard in mainstream content, agreed Deepak Joshi, CEO of Flickfusion Media Inc, USA, which owns Chull OTT. 'The economics make sense too — content production costs are lower in smaller cities, and mobile-first users are hungry for entertainment they can relate to. So rather than trying to compete with the giants, we are building something different—something deeply rooted in local culture," Joshi added. Challenges ahead Without doubt, there are challenges for new launches. Munish Vaid, vice-president of Primus Partners, a management consultancy firm, said in the initial days, monetisation was tough. Subscription revenue takes time to build because users want to first see consistent value. Advertising, too, is tricky at the start because brands want scale and data. So, platforms often have to run on low margins or even without revenue for the first few quarters. 'Discovery of the content is the biggest challenge. With so much content available, users don't even get to know that a new platform exists," Vaid added. Also Read | Overseas markets emerge as big opportunity for local streaming platforms as diaspora seeks more regional content Further, continuous inflow of content is critical as a key challenge is retaining consumers and keeping them entertained on a regular basis. 'Hence, a model of low-cost content creation and exclusive, rooted stories that are relatable to the target audience is very important," said Nitin Burman, group chief revenue officer of Balaji Telefilms Ltd. The company has just launched Kutingg, a new vertical video content segment created exclusively for on-the-go viewers.
The Irish Sun
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
CBB fans spot ‘proof' JoJo Siwa and Chris Hughes spent night together as they post very intimate pics from reunion
JOJO Siwa and Chris Hughes fans convinced they spent the night together after spotting her jewellery in his bedroom. They are convinced JoJo and Chris have gone official after seeing her necklace in a snap he posted from bed. Advertisement 4 Chris shared a gallery of photos on Instagram of him and JoJo Credit: Instagram/Chris Hughes 4 One of the pics showed a piece of jewellery at the end of the bed 4 She commented saying her heart was full Credit: Instagram/Chris Hughes The former Love Island star, 32, shared a cosy photo dump on Instagram and eagle-eyed followers noticed the very telling clue. A chain that looks exactly like JoJo's was seen resting on the bedside table, sparking a frenzy in the comments. One fan wrote: 'JoJo's necklace on the side alongside happy face.' It comes just days after Chris flew to Mexico to celebrate JoJo's 22nd birthday, where he was pictured meeting her family. Advertisement READ MORE ON JOJO Now fans reckon the string of lovey-dovey snaps is a 'hard launch' of their relationship. The Celebrity Big Brother stars have continued to keep tongues wagging over the status of their VERY close friendship ever since leaving the house. JoJo also added fuel to the fire as she appeared to "confirm" she is in a relationship live onstage. During her set, the Dance Moms star gave a shout out to the Love Island hunk. Advertisement Most read in Reality It came when she was singing the famous song Bette Davis Eyes. In a VERY telling moment, JoJo could be seen looking to the side of the stage where Watch the moment JoJo Siwa 'confirms' Chris Hughes relationship live on stage with sweet shout out to CBB star Instead of singing, "she's got Betty Davis eyes", the YouTube star sang; "Chris Hughes' eyes". The crowd could be then be heard cheering their approval. Advertisement The smitten star posted the clip on Instagram, and her fans went wild. One said: "Oh Lordy!!!! This is EVERYTHING we've been waiting for!!" While another added: "Sung so sweetly for Chris!" This fan was thrilled: "Yes! They are soooo together!" Advertisement Chris and pop star JoJo grew incredibly close during their 19-day stint in the Celebrity Big Brother house last month. She then jetted back to the States as she had to return to work. Now, after three weeks apart, Chris and JoJo are Advertisement His latest photo dump comes just hours after we told how 4 Chris's followers have branded his latest snaps their 'hard launch' Credit: Instagram/Chris Hughes
