It appears that an app developer predicted Reliance JioCinema and Disney HotStar merger. The Delhi-based app developer has bought the JioHotstar domain on the internet. In a letter — posted on https://jiohotstar.com — addressed executives of Reliance Industries, the app developer has asked the company to find his higher studies in exchange for him giving up the domain.
“My intention of buying this domain was simple: if this merger happens, I might be able to fulfill my dream of studying at Cambridge,” said the app developer, who has signed off as “a dreamer” in the letter. Times of India Tech checked the URL and it indeed goes to the page which has the app developers letter addressed to Reliance Industries management.
Here’s the letter as it appears on https://jiohotstar.com:
Dear Executive of Reliance Industries,
I am an app developer based in Delhi, currently working on my startup. In early 2023, while scrolling through social media, I came across a news piece stating that Disney+ Hotstar was losing daily active users after losing the IPL streaming license, and Disney is considering selling or merging Hotstar with an Indian competitor.
This led me to hypothesize that, since Sony and Zee were pursuing their own merger, Viacom 18 (owned by Reliance) is the only major player with sufficient resources to acquire Disney+ Hotstar. This reminded me of when Jio acquired the music streaming service Saavn, they rebranded it to JioSaavn, and changed the domain from Saavn.com to JioSaavn.com.
I thought, “If they acquire Hotstar, they might rename it to JioHotstar.com.” I checked for the domain, and it was available. I was excited, as I felt that if this happened, I could fund my goal of studying at Cambridge.
In 2021, I was working on a project that was selected for the Cambridge University Accelerate program. It was a transformational experience for me. I couldn’t crack IIT and always wanted to learn from the best, coming from a Tier-ll college, being selected for this program was an incredibly valuable and practical experience. The startup program taught me many valuable lessons and provided insights into the ins and outs of startups for free, which was amazing. However, it was limited in scope – after all it was just a startup program.
Cambridge also offers a full degree program in entrepreneurship, which l’ve always dreamed of pursuing but could never afford, It’s Cambridge, quite expensive. When I saw this domain become available, I felt things might just fall into place.
My intention of buying this domain was simple: if this merger happens, I might be able to fulfill my dream of studying at Cambridge
Now that the merger has actually happened, and news sources are confirming there will be only one site post-merger (either JioCinema or Hotstar.com), I believe JioHotstar.com would be a very fitting brand name for the merged entity. It maintains the brand equity of both brands and provides a rational transition for the current users of both sites.
To acquire this domain, kindly reach out to mail@jiohotstar.com from your company email address with an official letter attached, stating your authorization to purchase on behalf of Reliance Industries/Viacom18. For a multi-billion dollar company like Reliance, this will be a minor expense, but for me, the sale of this domain would be truly life-changing.
Best Regards,
A dreamer.
Reliance-Disney media company may come in November
The merger between Reliance Industries Limited’s (RIL) Viacom18 and Walt Disney‘s Star India is reportedly set to be officially concluded in early November after securing regulatory approvals in India. It is expected to create India’s biggest and the most powerful media and entertainment conglomerate valued at $8.5 billion. As part of the merger deal, Viacom18 will transfer its assets to Star India, which will be the operating company post the merger.
The merger, announced on February 28, has been completed in a record eight months, securing approvals from the Competition Commission of India (CCI), the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), and the ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB). The CCI granted conditional approval.