ArdorComm Media Group

Market Conditions

Hotstar Breaks Records with 59 Million Concurrent Viewers for World Cup Final, Surpassing Previous Milestone

Disney’s Hotstar achieves a groundbreaking milestone with 59 million concurrent viewers during a highly anticipated World Cup final cricket match in India. This surpasses the previous record of 53 million viewers set just a week earlier. With no significant cricket events in the near future, Hotstar is poised to maintain this record for at least six months. The platform now holds a substantial lead in concurrent viewership over its competitor, JioCinema, which peaked at 32 million earlier this year. This achievement occurs against the backdrop of Disney facing challenges in the Indian market, including a decline in digital subscribers. Disney CEO Bob Iger expressed a commitment to the Indian market but acknowledged the need to evaluate options. Preliminary talks with potential partners, including Reliance and private equity firms, have taken place. However, the dynamics of Star India have evolved, with market conditions prompting a shift in focus to core businesses. Hotstar’s subscriber base has experienced a decline of more than 23 million in the past year, according to Disney. The platform faces competition, notably from Viacom18’s JioCinema, led by Mukesh Ambani, who has attracted top executives from Star India and invested $3 billion to stream the IPL cricket tournament for five years. Despite these challenges, Disney had high expectations for the ICC Cricket World Cup, projecting over 50 million concurrent viewers and aiming to reach 82% of India’s total annual video users during the 50-day series.

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Wipro Grants 41,667 RSUs to Employees via ESOP, Empowering Workforce Ownership

Wipro, in a recent official exchange filing, disclosed its issuance of 41,667 restricted stock units (RSUs) to its employees as part of its Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP). These RSUs will be distributed to eligible employees according to a predetermined vesting schedule approved by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Board. Over a specified period outlined in the schedule, employees will gradually gain ownership rights to these RSUs. This move not only serves as an incentive for employees but also aligns their interests with the company’s growth and success. The allocation of these RSUs became effective on September 5, 2023. An important feature of this ESOP is that employees have the flexibility to exercise these RSUs during a predefined exercise period. The committee has also given its approval for this exercise period, as mentioned in the official company filing. This allows employees to convert their RSUs into company shares at their discretion, taking advantage of favourable market conditions. On September 6, 2023, Wipro’s stock was trading at Rs 429 per share, reflecting a slight decrease of 0.66 percent. While the company has assured its employees of an impending pay raise, the official announcement of the same has been postponed until the third quarter, which spans from October to December, as opposed to the previous financial year’s announcement in September. Despite an 11.9 percent increase in profits reported in the first quarter, the company plans to continue hiring in specific areas, despite an 8,812 decrease in its overall headcount.

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