Jio-Hotstar merger: What does it mean for users?

JioStar, the recently formed joint venture with the merger of Viacom18 and Star India, has announced the launch of JioHotstar, bringing together JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar – two leading OTT platforms for premium sports, and entertainment.

With close to 3 lakh hours of entertainment, live sports coverage, and more than 50 crore users, JioHotstar is expected to redefine entertainment, the company said.

New subscription plan

The company said in a statement that viewers will be able to watch all their favourite shows, movies and live sports without the need for a subscription.

For those looking for an uninterrupted experience, JioHotstar will provide subscription plans tailored to diverse audience needs, starting at ₹149/quarter.

The existing JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar subscribers will be able to transition and set up their JioHotstar subscriptions seamlessly.

For the remaining JioCinema duration, the users will get JioHotstar premium and post that their Hotstar plan will continue. If someone has a Hotstar mobile plan, then post the expiry of the JioCinema duration, the user will be back on mobile plan entitlements

What do subscribers get?

JioHotstar will give the viewers an access to Hollywood movies and series produced by Warner Bros., NBCUniversal Peacock, Discovery HBO and Paramount.

It will also stream premier tournaments such as. ICC events, IPL, and WPL, while also spotlighting grassroots cricket with the Indian Street Premier League and events from BCCI, ICC, and state associations, other sporting events including the Premier League and Wimbledon, and domestic leagues such as Pro Kabaddi and ISL.

JioHotstar will offer an advanced streaming experience, featuring ultra-HD 4k streaming, AI-powered insights, real-time stats overlays, multi-angle viewing.

The company has stated that the platform will showcase AI-driven recommendations and subscribers can stream contents over 19 languages.

The platform also introduces ‘Sparks’, a new show that will give a platform to India’s digital creators to engage with their audience in innovative formats.