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Walt Disney is reportedly exploring its options for its business unit in India. The American entertainment firm is trying to figure out if it would sell or just look for a partner for its Indian digital and TV business.
According to Reuters, an insider with direct knowledge of the matter shared this news on Wednesday, July 12. Despite this, the source clarified the talks are still in a very early stage, and so far, Walt Disney has not yet approached any buyer or potential partner for a strategic joint venture; thus, it is also not clear how the plan will develop or turn out from here.
"Talks have begun internally on what makes sense to do," the source shared. The person added that company executives are involved in the discussions that are taking place at the company’s HQ in the United States.
Then again, when contacted for some comments about the news, Disney did not respond to Reuters’ request. The Wall Street Journal was the first to publish a story about the possible sale of the company’s business in India.
The news outlet reported that the mass media firm had already reached out to at least one bank as it looked for ways to boost the growth of its Indian business while sharing some of the costs. It was noted that the talks of the sale or strategic joint venture come at a time when Disney is facing growing pressure as a result of Reliance Industries' entry into the streaming business via its JioCinema platform.
Meanwhile, Walt Disney's business in India is composed of the Disney+ Hotstar streaming service and Star India, which was rebranded as Disney Star in 2022 after the company acquired it from the 21st Century Fox in 2019.
CNBC TV18 reported that Disney+ Hotstar may lose between eight to 10 million subscribers in its third quarter fiscal year. The streaming platform is apparently struggling in India after losing its digital streaming rights to the country’s Indian Premier League. This is part of the reason for the reported talks of sale or JV.
