BBC, Tata Sky join forces for VOD in India
Rebecca Hawkes
| 05 August 2015
BBC Worldwide is to make its video-on-demand (VOD) debut in India following a deal with direct-to-home (DTH) satellite TV provider Tata Sky.
The BBC's commercial arm will offer a branded selection of subscription VOD content across eight Indian cities on the Tata Sky platform, and online via connected TVs, PCs, smartphones and mobiles.
Content will include the dramas Luther, starring Golden Globe winner Idris Elba; Honourable Woman starring Maggie Gyllenhaal; and Burton and Taylor, starring Dominic West and Helena Bonham Carter. Comedies such as vintage Yes Prime Minister and current Citizen Khan will also be in the branded block.
"In a study commissioned by BBC Worldwide earlier this year, we found that quality of content, British humour, and a love of original British dramas were the top reasons why people, including Indians, enjoy British television programmes," said Myleeta Aga, SVP and GM, BBC Worldwide in India.
"We are very excited to be working with Tata Sky to bring these award winning and high quality programmes, many never before seen in India, to Tata Sky's subscribers, where they can access them anytime, anywhere."
Paolo Agostinelli, chief content officer, Tata Sky, added: "We are very pleased to be partnering with BBC Worldwide to launch BBC On-demand. Viewing habits and customer needs in the industry are evolving as fast as ever ... we must be able to offer top branded content and the best viewing experience, including increasingly popular time-shifted and device-shifted binge viewing content."