QYOU and Tata Sky partner to bring online video content to subscriber homes in India
- The QYOU to be made available to 17M connections as a TATA Sky service to their subscriber base in India
- This is QYOU’s largest deployment of its service in a single territory to date
DUBLIN, June 27, 2017 /CNW/ – QYOU Media (TSXV: QYOU), the world’s leading curator of premium ‘best-of-web’ video for multiscreen distribution, has expanded its partnership with Tata Sky, India’s leading content distribution platform, in the largest single-territory deployment of its linear channel to date. Previously available through Tata Sky’s mobile app, this broader deal will make QYOU’s 24/7 service of online video content available to 17 million Tata Sky connections across television and mobile.
The rapid growth in internet access has seen the number of users in India surge to almost 400 million. Online short-form video available through sites such as YouTube, Daily Motion and Facebook is hugely popular, with the average length of a viewed video in India being less than twenty minutes. To cater to the tastes of digital native millennial and generation Z audiences who are engaging with short-form video on a daily basis, Tata Sky will feature The QYOU’s 24/7 service which curates unique digital-first content. This content will be featured through the screens and services its younger customers in India love to use, especially mobile and TV.
As part of the agreement, QYOU and Tata Sky will also start to feature content from local creators in India and some of the most popular online videos from the region in order to create highly localized shows that appeal to Indian audiences. The service will be available on Ch 200 (HD) & Ch 201 (SD) on Tata Sky and keeping in mind the ‘on the go’ nature of the content, it will also be available on the Tata Sky app on Live TV and VOD.
Tata Sky Chief Content Officer, Arun Unni commented: “Catering to audiences’ changing preferences and tastes has always been the core focus for Tata Sky. This will be the first time that subscribers can view short format content 24×7 on their TV sets on the Tata Sky Mobile App. With the burgeoning popularity of online video in India and the incredible depth of unique content in QYOU’s archives, it makes complete sense for us to provide this service to our subscriber base.”
Curt Marvis, CEO and Co-founder of QYOU Media adds: “India is renowned for being a region filled with tech-savvy young people, who navigate the worlds of internet video and traditional television with complete ease. Having a curated mix of the best digital-first video content at their fingertips – whether they’re watching on a mobile device or via the TV screen – means that they can enjoy the best of both worlds and never miss a thing. We are proud that our partnership with Tata Sky is evolving and enabling us to make the largest deployment of our channel in a single market to date.”
About QYOU Media
QYOU Media Inc. is a fast-growing global media company that curates and packages premium ‘best-of-the-web’ video for multiscreen distribution. Founded and created by industry veterans from Lionsgate, MTV, and NewsCorp, QYOU’s millennial-focused products including linear television networks, genre-based series, mobile apps, and video-on-demand formats reach millions of customers on six continents. Distribution partners include Sinclair Broadcast Group, Vodafone, 21st Century Fox, Liberty Global, Telenor and TATA Sky.
About Tata Sky
Tata Sky Limited (‘Tata Sky’) is a joint venture between the Tata Sons and 21st Century Fox. Incorporated in 2001 and launched services in 2006, Tata Sky is India’s leading content distribution platform providing Pay TV and OTT services. With the objective of connecting to the best content in the world on any budget, any screen, anytime and anywhere, Tata Sky was the first to launch multiple products and services that redefined the subscribers viewing experience in the country.
Tata Sky has been a pioneer in the HD Set top box segment having significant market share in the category. It has been continuously adding new channels and platform services across various genres and languages to beef up its content offering to cater to all segments of the audience. Tata Sky currently has its footprints spread across 1.5 lakh towns with over 17 million connections in India. For more information on Tata Sky, visit www.tatasky.com
For further information: Holly Searle, Platform Communications – for QYOU Media, +44 (0) 207 486 4900, holly@platformcomms.com; Jeff Walker, Investor Relations – for The QYOU, + 1 403 221 0915, jeff@howardgroupinc.com