Jio TV features more than 500 channels that the users enjoy without paying any additional cost. In the hindsight, this is possible due to the strategic partnerships between Reliance Jio and the broadcaster that has agreed to provide its respective channel on an OTT (over-the-top) platform. Due to a disagreement on pricing, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited (ZEEL) discontinued all of its channels on JioTV, which explains why you have not been able to catch up on any of the Zee content. A new report now says that this sour situation could improve as both the companies have reached an “amicable situation” that could restore all the channels back up.
According to a DNA Money report, ZEEL officials are in “advanced negotiations” with the Mukesh Ambani-owned company to bring back the channels on latter’s OTT platform. If everything goes as planned, over 37 TV channels and Video-on-Demand (VoD) content worth two lakh hours will re-enter the Jio TV app. “Both parties are in advanced discussions to arrive at an amicable solution and an outcome will be achieved in the next 2-3 days,” DNA report says, citing industry sources. While Jio has confirmed the development, ZEEL is mum but hasn’t refuted it either.
ZEEL has ripped off all the content, including that offered as catch-up TV on Jio TV for seven days, earlier this month. The channels are still inactive and a message saying “This channel is currently unavailable” is appearing on the screen. Some of the popular Zee channels are Zee TV, &TV, Zee Cinema, Zee News, and Zee Cafe among several others. With Jio TV’s ever-growing popularity among the Internet users, ZEEL allegedly mulled advancing a better commercial partnership with Jio, which did not materialise.
Interestingly, ZEEL entered into a partnership with Airtel for its OTT platform to offer all the live TV channels and VoD content for three years. Airtel TV is the rival to Jio TV, except for its low volume of live TV channels. With the new partnership with Airtel, ZEEL hoped to gain an impetus that could remove the roadblock to the availability of its content on OTT platforms. With the renegotiation underway, Jio and ZEEL might consider formulating the deal terms from the scratch.