6 content & distribution partnerships that helped OTT players generate subscription

With the growing importance of the Indian OTT space, both global and loyal players leveraged content and distribution partnerships to increase their subscriber base by offering differentiated content across multiple platforms, thereby increasing their foothold.

These Content Partnership and distribution tie ups witnessed some of the best pieces of content in 2017, making the Indian OTT industry bigger and better.

Below are a few Content Partnerships that defined 2018.

1. BIGFlix (Reliance Entertainment)

Partnering with Atrium TV to exclusively stream the latter's drama service on its video-on-demand platform, including Atrium's upcoming projects, such as Quasimodo from Frank Doelger, the producer of the Game of Thrones .

2. Amazone Prime Video India

Won the streaming rights for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's film Padmaavat for INR200 million - INR 250 million.

Signed a content deal with actor Salman Khan's home production Salman Khan Ventures for his upcoming films even before their television premiere.

Partnered with Turner India to play cartoon Network's kids shows on its platform.

Also Read: 7 steps that the Indian OTT industry climbed in 2017

3. Netflix

Partnered with Green Gold Animation to launch its first kid's original animated series in India called Mighty Little Bheem, debuting in 2018.

Partnered with Ronnie Screwvala's production company RSVP for its first original movie from India Love per Square Foot.

Partnered with Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chilles Entertainment for a new multilingual Netflix Original series , based on the book Bard Of Blood .

Acquired the rights to stream S.S Rajamouli's war epic Baahubali : The Beginning and the Baahubali 2: The Conclusion for INR255 million.

Announced two Netflix original series from India- Selection Day , a story of cricket and corruption by author Aravind Adiga , and again, a supernatural, female-led detective series written by Marisha Mukerjee. This would be Netflix's third Indian original after the announcement of Sacred Games in June 2017.

4. Yupp TV

Partnered with Fox Star Studios to offer popular movies.

5. Veqta

Veqta, India's only OTT platforms dedicated to sports is partnering with Manchester Ciy Football Club. The alliance will enable the club to engage with Manchester City and sports fans , while Veqta will be able to offer a global content experience.

6. Spuul

Spuul entered into a content sharing agreement with Dharma Productions.

As OTT platforms battle is out in the competitive OTT market  but content production house has a big opportunity to create digital content . But there is some challenges which will not allow a subscriber to view a video.

The article is collated from FICCI-EY report titled ‘Re-imagining India's M&E sector’