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Sunday, November 16, 2025 9:46 PM

media and entertainment

Zee cements dominance in Hindi movie broadcasting with 28.7% market share in Q2FY26

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) has achieved a three-year high in the Hindi movie broadcasting space, capturing a 28.7% market share in Q2FY26. The surge was powered by Zee Cinema, which reclaimed its position as the No. 1 Hindi movie channel in the 15+ HSM Urban category. The success was driven by blockbuster premieres such as Jaat, Game Changer, and Pushpa: The Rule Part 2—the latter emerging as the highest-rated movie premiere of FY26 to date. Zee’s Free-to-Air channels, Anmol Cinema and Zee Action, also led the charts in Q2FY26, each reaching over 116 million viewers across all genres in the 15+ HSM Urban market. Beyond Hindi, Zee sustained its leadership in regional movie clusters. In Maharashtra, Zee Talkies, Zee Yuva, and Zee Chitramandir together commanded nearly 50% market share, supported by the hit premiere of Phullwanti. In southern and eastern markets, Zee Thirai (Tamil), Zee Cinemalu (Telugu), and Zee Biskope (Bhojpuri) ranked among the top three regional movie channels. A company spokesperson attributed the strong performance to Zee’s robust content strategy, which blends fresh premieres, evergreen classics, and data-driven programming. With 22 movie channels across six languages, Zee’s movie network reached over 550 million viewers in September 2025 alone. The movie genre continues to attract major advertisers, given its massive scale and consistent ratings. Zee’s extensive movie library features timeless hits like Hum Aapke Hain Koun, Karan Arjun, and Bobby — with Hum Aapke Hain Koun alone garnering over 250 million viewers in the past five years. Source: Economic Times

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GST on Premium TVs Cut to 18%: A Game-Changer for Media, Entertainment, and OTT

At its 56th meeting, the GST Council delivered a festive-season boost to consumers and the electronics industry. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced that starting September 22, all televisions above 32 inches will now attract 18% GST, down from 28%. This tax relief significantly reduces the cost of premium LED, Smart, and 4K TVs, making them more accessible to middle-class households and potentially reshaping the way Indians consume content across TV and OTT platforms. Bigger TVs, Lower Prices Previously, larger televisions were categorized as luxury items, putting them out of reach for many. With the revised GST slab, prices will drop noticeably. For example, a 40-inch smart TV priced at ₹22,000 earlier attracted ₹6,160 in tax, pushing the final price to ₹28,160. Under the new rate, the tax is just ₹3,960, bringing the final price down to ₹25,960 — a saving of ₹2,200. Boost for Consumer Electronics and Manufacturing The tax cut not only makes large-screen TVs more affordable but also encourages upgrades from smaller sets. Industry experts say this will spur sales during the festive season, particularly Diwali, while helping manufacturers by reducing supply-chain distortions and improving profitability through input tax credits. Increased demand is expected to stimulate fresh investments in production capacity. Connected TVs to Drive OTT Adoption As larger smart TVs become mainstream, they are set to accelerate the growth of Connected TV (CTV) viewership. With built-in streaming capabilities, households will have easier access to platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ Hotstar, and others. The shift toward bigger screens is expected to drive subscription growth and normalize high-quality OTT viewing as part of everyday entertainment. Advertising Opportunities on the Rise The ripple effect will also benefit advertisers. With more viewers consuming content on CTVs, brands gain opportunities for targeted, interactive ad campaigns. This creates a strong incentive for the advertising ecosystem, further boosting the revenue potential of streaming platforms. A Win-Win for Consumers and the Media Sector Overall, the GST cut on premium TVs is poised to be a triple win—consumers enjoy affordable upgrades, manufacturers see higher demand and investment opportunities, and the media & OTT sector benefits from increased viewership, subscriptions, and advertising growth. Source: TOI  

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India to Host First Global Media & Entertainment Summit in November

India is set to host the inaugural World Audio Visual and Entertainment Summit (WAVES) in Goa from November 20-24, alongside the International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, WAVES aims to position India as a global hub for the media and entertainment industry. Described as a visionary initiative by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, WAVES will focus on intellectual property rights (IPR), fostering collaboration, and driving innovation in the sector. “IP rights hold immense value in the media and entertainment sector. We are committed to strengthening the ecosystem for protecting these rights,” Vaishnaw said at the event’s curtain raiser. The summit will explore providing low-cost funding for the industry, drawing inspiration from the venture capital model. Vaishnaw emphasized that this initiative reflects the government’s broader strategy to support growth and innovation in the sector. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant highlighted the rapid evolution of the industry, noting that in 2023 alone, India produced 3,000 hours of content for OTT platforms. He added that WAVES would serve as a platform for industry leaders to network, collaborate, and explore investment opportunities. With a market value of $27.5 billion, India’s media and entertainment sector is poised for substantial growth. WAVES is designed to evoke transformative ideas, facilitate knowledge sharing, and position India as a business-friendly and attractive investment destination. I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju stated that WAVES seeks to elevate India as a global leader in the sector, fostering international partnerships and showcasing the country’s potential as a creative and economic powerhouse in media and entertainment. Source: Business Standard Photo Credit: Business Standard

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Anurag Thakur estimates that the media and entertainment sector will generate Rs 7.5 billion annually by 2030

The media and entertainment ecosystem is a rising sector that, according to Union Minister Anurag Singh Thakur, will produce Rs 4 lakh crore annually by 2025 and Rs 7.5 lakh crore by 2030. The rapidly growing digital infrastructure in the nation and the ongoing developments in the AVGC (animation, visual effects, gaming, and comics) sector, according to the Minister for Information and Broadcasting, have the potential to turn India into the preferred post-preferred post-production hub of the media and entertainment industry. At the National Conference on the “Changing Landscape of Media and Entertainment 2022,” which was held in Pune and organised by the Symbiosis Skill and Professional University, he gave the keynote speech. “The media and entertainment ecosystem is a sunrise sector, which is expected to generate Rs 4 lakh crore annually by 2025 and reach USD 100 billion or Rs 7.5 lakh crore industry by 2030. The government has designated audio-visual services as one of the 12 Champion Service Sectors and announced key policy measures aimed at nurturing sustained growth,” he stated. “Many job roles have emerged in the field – video editing, color grading, visual effects (VFX), sound design, rotoscoping, 3-D modeling, etc. Each job role in this sector requires a specific set of skills and competencies. It is imperative for the industry and academia to come together and design programs relevant to the needs of this sector,” Thakur added. According to the minister, the government is also looking at new collaborations with the private sector to make sure Indian students are up to date with the latest technological developments. According to Thakur, who said that “Digital India” had significantly improved the Indian content sector, “With quality content, easy access and an eager audience, India is ready to narrate its own success story and become a content creation hub.” According to him, India was selected as the first-ever Country of Honor at the Cannes Film Festival, and the Indian delegation walked the red carpet with a pan-Indian feel rather than what they refer to as Bollywood.  “I don’t like Bollywood, Tollywood terms, it should be Indian film industry. There the diversity was visible,” he added. Even during the pandemic, according to Thakur, India added as many as 50 unicorn start-ups, “which speaks volumes about India’s entrepreneurial spirit,” he stated in reference to the developing start-up eco-system in India. Thakur expressed his desire to see an increasing number of start-ups come from the talent pool created by prestigious film institutes like FTII and SRFTI. Source: PTI

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