Yahoo! India launches Yahoo! Video

Yahoo! India has launched ‘Yahoo! Video’ (video.yahoo.in). The platform is a video destination that offers original content across genres such as news, entertainment, lifestyle and movies. Yahoo! Video is available free for all internet users in India and has currently partnered with 35 leading content producers including NDTV, Star TV, Shemaroo, Headlines Today, PVR Pictures and Ultra.

Commenting about the launch, Arun Tadanki, managing director, Yahoo! India said, “Online video consumption is growing at a rapid pace, however, what the Indian market lacked was a safe and piracy free destination delivering high quality and strictly original content. Yahoo! Video is a bold step and redefines the online video category through licensed, original and diverse content promising an unparalleled experience to Indian users.”

Yahoo! Video offers content acquired from original sources, spanning short and full-length movies, video capsules across news, entertainment, lifestyle, sports, providing access to an archive of thousands of videos. Important to note, Yahoo! India recently launched “Movieplex” - a destination where users enjoy licensed full-length movies for free.

On their partnership with Yahoo!, Suparna Singh, deputy chief executive officer and managing editor, NDTV Convergence said, "We are very excited about this partnership with a leading Internet brand like Yahoo!.  NDTV doesn’t believe in walled gardens in the rapidly-expanding digital space. Early diagnosis has shown that Yahoo! does not cannibalize our business – it provides an additional audience and a new video platform that we believe users will enjoy. Yahoo! has shown respect and understanding for real news, and we look forward to increasing our reach together.”

Star India is another partner for Yahoo! Video. Speaking about their association with Yahoo!, Lalit Bhagia, vice president – digital, Star India said, “Yahoo! is the  biggest web portal in the country with more than 38 mn unique users. What I like about Yahoo!’s video strategy is the whole concept of “content in context” , which is the real differentiator.  With Yahoo! Mail, editorial, chat , News & now video it completes the picture for the consumer.  As a broadcaster, it potentially becomes a place to build affinity to our shows and characters as well as sample new content. We plan to start with short form content and work on possible new show launches through the partnership.”

Jai Maroo, director, Shemaroo Entertainment added, “Our association with Yahoo! India is a harbinger of the exciting possibilities and potential in the digital entertainment space. We are working together to not only serve diverse audiences but to also provide a legal video content alternative. The association started with Shemaroo being one of the launch partners for Yahoo!’s Movieplex and we pushed the innovation quotient higher with our recent tie-up for the exclusive online premiere of “Super K” on the Movieplex platform on Yahoo! Movies.”