JioStar removing YouTube content to boost pay-TV subscriptions

JioStar plans to remove its entertainment content from YouTube starting May 1. This decision aims to prevent subscribers from leaving pay-TV for free digital streaming services. The company, formed from the merger of Disney's Star India and Reliance's Viacom18, previously offered premium content for free. Now, it intends to place content behind a paywall on JioHotstar. Pay-TV platforms have urged broadcasters to stop providing content on ad-supported platforms like YouTube, which they believe is contributing to declining subscriptions. The pay-TV market is currently facing challenges, with subscriptions dropping to 84 million homes.