IndiaCast, Disney UTV to form India aggregation and distribution JV!

IndiaCast (TV18 & Viacom 18's multi-platform, global distribution company) and UGBL (a Disney UTV group company which is a diversified, multi-brand entertainment company) today announced a strategic joint venture for their aggregation and wholesale distribution business for TV channels.

The 74 (IndiaCast) : 26 (Disney UTV) joint venture will become operational post the necessary regulatory approvals and will provide 35 channels from the TV18, Viacom18,  Disney UTV & A+E Networks | TV18 to Cable, DTH and HITS platforms in India. Anuj Gandhi will be the Chief Executive Officer of the new Entity.

Talking about the joint venture, Anuj Gandhi said, “This partnership will build a strong distribution company that will offer a broader and more diversified range to platforms giving us a foothold across genres - including in general entertainment, general and business news, movies, youth and kids genres. We have had a great first year for IndiaCast and this JV will give our domestic distribution business scale and wider reach.”

“There are some clear and unique synergies in this partnership. The new bouquet is a more comprehensive offering from the viewer’s perspective that gives the combined entity an edge in the marketplace”, said MK Anand, Managing Director – Media Networks, Disney UTV.

IndiaCast will move its domestic distribution business into this new venture, while continuing to manage its other content monetization businesses which include the international distribution, adsales& content sales business as well as the new media distribution for TV 18, Viacom 18, A+E Networks | TV18 and Eenadu channels.

Disney UTV will also move its domestic distribution activities for its bouquet of all 9 channels to the new entity.