A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming

The Indian television industry is transforming via an increasing number of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. This shift from broadcast to OTT has given rise to research assessing the impact on the television ecosystem. With the case of Star Network, this study examines how the emergence of live sports s...

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Main Authors: Mahima Singh, Akshaya Kumar
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Paderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research Group 2023-02-01
Series:tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1395
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author Mahima Singh
Akshaya Kumar
author_facet Mahima Singh
Akshaya Kumar
author_sort Mahima Singh
collection DOAJ
description The Indian television industry is transforming via an increasing number of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. This shift from broadcast to OTT has given rise to research assessing the impact on the television ecosystem. With the case of Star Network, this study examines how the emergence of live sports streaming has affected the power dynamics in the sports broadcasting ecosphere. This study employs the Critical Political Economy framework to address the following question: How do television-based media conglomerates – and by extension television itself – negotiate the challenge of Internet-based digital media in India? Keeping the focus on sports live-streaming services, we study the transition from Star television network to Disney+ Hotstar, its corresponding OTT platform. We however argue that the Political Economy of Communication holds its ground despite the apparently disruptive promise of web-based platforms. Despite the Internet posing new challenges in terms of distribution networks, media conglomerates find a way to convert their dominance of the television industry into the OTT space.
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spelling doaj.art-3acf84fb98a34b2799a002dfa6d1c9bd2023-09-03T12:31:16ZengPaderborn University: Media Systems and Media Organisation Research GrouptripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique1726-670X2023-02-01211183210.31269/triplec.v21i1.13951395A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports StreamingMahima Singh0Akshaya Kumar1Indian Institute of Technology IndoreIndian Institute of Technology IndoreThe Indian television industry is transforming via an increasing number of Over-the-Top (OTT) platforms. This shift from broadcast to OTT has given rise to research assessing the impact on the television ecosystem. With the case of Star Network, this study examines how the emergence of live sports streaming has affected the power dynamics in the sports broadcasting ecosphere. This study employs the Critical Political Economy framework to address the following question: How do television-based media conglomerates – and by extension television itself – negotiate the challenge of Internet-based digital media in India? Keeping the focus on sports live-streaming services, we study the transition from Star television network to Disney+ Hotstar, its corresponding OTT platform. We however argue that the Political Economy of Communication holds its ground despite the apparently disruptive promise of web-based platforms. Despite the Internet posing new challenges in terms of distribution networks, media conglomerates find a way to convert their dominance of the television industry into the OTT space.https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1395starhotstarott platformscritical political economylive sports streamingtelevisionindian capitalism
spellingShingle Mahima Singh
Akshaya Kumar
A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
tripleC: Communication, Capitalism & Critique
star
hotstar
ott platforms
critical political economy
live sports streaming
television
indian capitalism
title A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
title_full A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
title_fullStr A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
title_full_unstemmed A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
title_short A Critical Political Economy Perspective on Indian Television: STAR, Hotstar, and Live Sports Streaming
title_sort critical political economy perspective on indian television star hotstar and live sports streaming
topic star
hotstar
ott platforms
critical political economy
live sports streaming
television
indian capitalism
url https://www.triple-c.at/index.php/tripleC/article/view/1395
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AT akshayakumar acriticalpoliticaleconomyperspectiveonindiantelevisionstarhotstarandlivesportsstreaming
AT mahimasingh criticalpoliticaleconomyperspectiveonindiantelevisionstarhotstarandlivesportsstreaming
AT akshayakumar criticalpoliticaleconomyperspectiveonindiantelevisionstarhotstarandlivesportsstreaming