OTT, SVOD, AVOD & FAST Streaming Platform News

Aditya Dhar’s film "Dhurandhar 2: The Revenge" is set to begin streaming on JioHotstar on June 5, 2026, following a theatrical run that grossed Rs 1,798 crore. The streaming release will include an exclusive extended "Raw & Undekha" cut, aiming to drive SVOD engagement.

Rights holders like the Bundesliga and Saudi Pro League are increasingly partnering with influencers to distribute sports content, especially in international markets to reach younger audiences. Ampere data suggests influencer-led commentary and watchalongs drive higher engagement than standard feeds. This strategy allows rights holders to experiment with new distribution channels with low risk.

Fifa has secured a last-minute media rights deal with Zee Entertainment for the 2026 and 2030 men's World Cups, as well as the 2027 Women's World Cup and other Fifa events until 2034, for over US$40 million. Zee will distribute the content via its linear Unite8 Sports channels and the Zee 5 streaming platform in India. This deal follows a withdrawal of a US$15 million bid by JioStar and ensures the World Cup will be broadcast in the Indian market.

JioHotstar has announced June 26, 2026, as the premiere date for its Tamil original crime thriller series "Lingam." The series, previously part of a late-2025 slate announcement, is expected to also be released in Telugu and other languages. Directed by Lakshmi Saravanakumar and presented by Prasanth Pandiyaraj, it features Kathir, Divya Bharathi, Poornima Ravi, and Sathya.

A VAB analysis indicates that 61% of FAST viewers are "cord cutters" or "cord nevers" seeking free live TV experiences. S&P Global Market Intelligence/Kagan estimates that FAST advertising revenue will reach $5 billion by 2028, driven partly by increasing consumption among younger audiences. The article examines the growth trajectory of FAST channels and their appeal to those avoiding subscription costs.

NBC canceled "The Hunting Party" after two seasons due to middling linear performance, despite strong streaming viewership on Netflix and Peacock. Universal Television plans to shop the series to other outlets, with Netflix identified as a potential destination given its current licensing of the show.

Fandango has partnered with Telemundo to screen live Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in 160 U.S. theaters, including over 80 AMC locations. This initiative will bring the tournament to theatrical venues across major markets from June 11 through July 19, 2026.

Universal Pictures and Blumhouse are set to release the psychological thriller "Obsession" on Peacock, followed by a second window on Netflix. This streaming distribution plan follows the film's global theatrical gross of $150 million, including an Indian theatrical release on May 29, 2026.

All Women's Sports Network (AWSN) has announced the live broadcast schedule for the inaugural season of the Professional Softball League (PSL), commencing June 12. The games will be distributed via AWSN, which is available on Pluto TV, Amazon Prime Video, DIRECTV, and Firestick. The season includes five established PSL teams along with exhibition games for three new teams.

Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform has surpassed 10 million registered users and 14 million downloads since its launch in November 2024. The platform offers over 24,000 titles and 140 live channels across 130 countries, providing entertainment, education, and public service content. This milestone highlights the rapid growth of India's state-backed digital media ecosystem and Prasar Bharati's digital-first strategy.

Dharma Productions' romantic drama "Chand Mera Dil" is set to stream on Jio Hotstar after its May 2026 theatrical release. The streaming partner was confirmed by the theatrical opening credits, indicating an ongoing content pipeline between Bollywood studios and premium SVOD platforms in India. While no official date is confirmed, the film is expected to hit the platform between July 3rd and 17th, 2026.

Zee5, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video are scheduled to release several South Indian films on their respective platforms during the first week of June 2026. These include multi-language titles such as 'KD: The Devil' and 'Patriot', expanding the regional content available on major streaming services. The article also lists major theatrical releases for the same period.

ZEE5 will begin streaming the multi-lingual action thriller "KD: The Devil" on June 5, 2026, across all language cuts, following its theatrical release. The film, which underperformed at the global box office with ₹24.19 crore against a high production budget, will look to its OTT performance to salvage its financial overhead.

Director Abhishek Nama has secured pre-release OTT distribution rights for the film "Nagabhandham" with Amazon Prime Video. Additionally, MAA TV acquired the Telugu satellite rights while ZEE TV secured satellite rights for Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Kannada languages. This non-theatrical deal is notable given the selective market conditions.

Global online video subscriptions reached 2.24 billion in 2025, an increase of 17.6% year-on-year, driving $176 billion in revenue and surpassing pay-TV for the first time. This growth was largely attributed to the introduction of lower-cost, ad-supported tiers, although Omdia forecasts slower growth for 2026 as platforms shift focus from subscriber acquisition to revenue maximization through price increases.

Lionsgate will release the Michael Jackson biopic Michael for rental on BookMyShow Stream in India on June 9, following its theatrical release in April 2026. The film is also expected to be simultaneously available as a transactional VOD release on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV in the region. This digital premiere follows the film's global box office revenue exceeding $850 million, making it the second-highest-grossing Hollywood movie in India this year.

MultiChoice is offering former Showmax subscribers in Kenya a discounted DStv Stream Compact subscription at KES 550 ($4.25) monthly for one year. This initiative aims to migrate streaming users to the DStv ecosystem following Showmax's shutdown in April and to retain these customers. Eligible users will transition to the discounted plan after receiving free access through May, with the price reverting to KES 4,200 ($32.50) after 12 months.

Sanja Božić Ljubičić, CEO and founder of NEM Dubrovnik, highlights significant opportunities within the Central and Eastern European (CEE) media market, driven by resilient pay-TV and a growing streaming sector. NEM Dubrovnik 2026 will focus on industry transformation, hybrid content distribution models, and the increasing role of local content and profitability. Key themes include evolving broadcaster-streamer partnerships, consolidation, AI in content discovery, and flexible monetization strategies.

Polish operator Play, a subsidiary of Iliad, launched the Summer Polsat JimJam Collection promotion for its pay-TV subscribers to mark International Children's Day. This promotion makes the collection available to customers subscribed to several of Play's base and premium TV packages.

O2 Slovakia has added the Spektrum Home channel to its O2 TV service, making it available in HD quality and Czech language. Initially accessible to all subscribers, the channel will subsequently be integrated into the Pochodova package starting July 1.

A WPP Media study reveals the Polish paid streaming market is stabilizing, with average SVOD subscriptions plateauing at 2.2 per user, while torrent usage has increased from 9% to 13% of internet users. This market maturity is driving platforms to increase operator partnerships, which now account for 39% of subscriptions, and explore ad-supported models, with 40% of Netflix customers expressing interest in such tiers.

DirecTV's NFL RedZone, developed by Eric Shanks, originated from observing live soccer broadcasts in Italy in 2001. Shanks, then at DirecTV, negotiated rights for NFL live look-ins within the Sunday Ticket contract, leading to RedZone's 2005 launch. The NFL later replicated the concept, and DirecTV's version ceased after YouTube acquired Sunday Ticket in 2023.

The article discusses how post-pandemic consumer behavior in India has shifted theatrical attendance for small and mid-sized Bollywood films, with audiences often preferring later OTT premieres. This trend has led to underperformance at the box office for films that find massive viewership on platforms like Netflix, exposing a tension between theatrical release and streaming availability for certain movie types.

Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform has surpassed 10 million registered users and 14 million downloads within two years of its launch in November 2024. The platform hosts over 24,000 titles and 140 live TV channels, and aims to reach 20 million registered users by March 2027 through content partnership expansion and broader distribution.

Cable TV cord-cutters are increasingly transitioning to streaming platforms. This shift is primarily driven by content selection rather than cost savings, indicating a change in consumer priorities for streaming services.

Sony LIV will premiere the fifth season of the family drama series "Gullak" on June 5, 2026. The new season introduces Anant Joshi to the lead cast and will be available exclusively on the Sony LIV OTT platform. The series continues its focus on local-language family narratives for the Indian OTT market.

DIRECTV subscribers in areas affected by a carriage dispute with E. W. Scripps Company can continue to stream Stanley Cup Final games via the ESPN app. This ensures access for authenticated DIRECTV users even where local ABC affiliates are blacked out, circumventing the ongoing retransmission fee negotiations between the providers. The dispute primarily involves Scripps seeking higher compensation from DIRECTV for its local network-affiliated stations.

Omdia reports that global online video subscriptions reached 2.24 billion in 2025, an increase of 17.6% year-over-year, and online video revenue surpassed pay TV for the first time. The report forecasts a slowdown in growth to 5.6% in 2026 as the market matures, with a shift towards maximizing revenue from existing customers through price increases and ad-supported tiers.

Major streaming platforms including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and JioHotstar are launching 15 new titles across Hindi, English, Malayalam, and Korean languages this week. These releases include licensed international documentaries and original regional productions aimed at global and Indian SVOD audiences.

Amazon Prime Video will begin streaming the Tamil drama "Carmeni Selvam," starring Samuthirakani and Gautham Vasudev Menon, on June 3, 2026. This digital premiere follows the film's theatrical release on April 3, 2026, making it available on a global SVOD platform. The movie explores themes of family bonds and financial struggles.

South Korean streaming service TVing reported a data leak involving member IDs, names, dates of birth, and phone numbers due to unauthorized external access. The company has blocked the access route, reported the incident to the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA), and is investigating the extent of the damage. TVing has advised users to change their passwords for TVing and other services using the same account information.

Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform has surpassed 10 million registered users and over 14 million downloads less than two years after its November 2024 launch. The platform provides free access to 24,000 content titles and 140 live TV channels in multiple Indian languages to audiences in over 130 countries. WAVES OTT aims to reach 20 million registered users by March 2027 through continued content expansion and partnerships.

Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform hosted the premiere of its feature film, "Della Bella Badlegi Kahaani," at Akashvani Bhawan in New Delhi. WAVES OTT aims to be India’s public service streaming platform, offering diverse content including original films, documentaries, radio shows, regional cinema, DD archives, live TV, and online shopping.

Netflix has reportedly acquired the post-theatrical streaming rights for the upcoming Telugu sports drama "Peddi," starring Ram Charan and Janhvi Kapoor. This acquisition positions Netflix as the streaming home for the film after its theatrical release, scheduled for June 4, 2026.

Amazon MGM Studios and Critical Role Productions are set to release the 12-episode fourth season of "The Legend of Vox Machina" on Prime Video. The season will premiere with three episodes on June 5, 2026, for Indian viewers, followed by weekly installments, continuing Amazon's investment in adult animation derived from tabletop gaming IP.

Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform has implemented new content proposal guidelines requiring creators to submit mandatory marketing and audience engagement plans. This strategy aims to shift audience acquisition responsibility to content creators as a cost-efficient growth model, prioritizing creators who can drive discovery and consumption. The framework also emphasizes short-form, mobile-first, and user-generated content, focusing on audience retention and repeat consumption.

DW and Indonesia's Vidio launched "The Scene," a 10-part video-on-demand series focusing on youth culture across 11 Southeast Asian countries. This series marks DW's first regional OTT lifestyle format and is streaming on Vidio in Indonesian, with additional social-first content released digitally.

Henry Cavill's film 'In The Grey' premiered on Prime Video on June 2, three weeks after its theatrical release. This rapid shift to streaming highlights the accelerated monetization strategies of studios for films following their initial box office runs.

NBC's freshman comedy series, "The Fall and Rise of Reggie Dinkins," has been renewed for a second season. The show, which stars Erika Alexander and Tracy Morgan, is currently available for streaming on Peacock.

Legacy Hollywood studios are increasingly recruiting YouTube creators to develop content, recognizing their established audiences and unique development processes built on direct distribution and public feedback. The article highlights that these creators hold significant negotiating power as studios seek to mitigate box-office risk, but warns against creators misinterpreting studio interest as genuine validation. It suggests that studios may try to co-opt creators into traditional systems rather than adapting to their audience-first independent filmmaking approach.

Netflix UK's unscripted head, Syeda Irtizaali, is reportedly seeking ambitious partnerships with independent production companies to scale unscripted content. This strategy focuses on collaborating with specialized indies for content creation.

A Reviews.org survey of 1,000 Americans indicates that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be viewed through a hybrid model, with 80.8% of fans planning to follow social media clips and 58.8% planning to use FOX One or Peacock Premium. The survey also found that 48% of fans intend to subscribe to a streaming service specifically for the World Cup, with 22% planning to cancel after the event. Traditional TV still accounts for 72.7% of planned viewership, alongside over-the-air antennas at 35.3%.

DIRECTV has lost 52 local broadcast stations, including ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC affiliates, due to ongoing carriage disputes. Concurrently, YouTube TV is removing NFL Network from its non-sports packages, restructuring its offering to subscribers. These changes impact the availability of traditional linear and sports content on vMVPD and satellite platforms.

Tubi and SiriusXM have partnered in a non-exclusive distribution and monetization deal to bring SiriusXM's video podcast slate to Tubi's platform. This collaboration will make video podcasts available to Tubi's 100 million monthly active users, with content including popular shows like "Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend" and "What Now? with Trevor Noah." The agreement also includes a shared advertising sales revenue model between Tubi and SiriusXM Media for the distributed content.

Amazon MGM Studios has canceled its new "Stargate" series, which had received a formal series order in November 2025, before filming commenced. The decision was based on internal reviews suggesting the project leaned too heavily on existing franchise elements, potentially limiting its broad mainstream appeal for Prime Video.

Inkitt is launching a new microdrama app called Ironblood on July 15, dedicating it to AI-generated action, sci-fi, and superhero vertical video content. This new platform, which converts successful web novels into video series using proprietary Cinematic AI, aims to serve 50 million users across Inkitt's apps, including the existing romance microdrama app CandyJar. Inkitt claims Ironblood will be the first microdrama platform focused entirely on these action-oriented genres, with plans to release 30 new titles per month.

Warner Bros International Television Production (WBITVP) has expanded its content partnership with Little Dot Studios through a multi-year deal. WBITVP will license over 4,000 hours of entertainment and factual programming from its library for distribution on Little Dot's YouTube and Facebook network, which includes managing ad sales, digital copyrights, and audience development.