What did India ask Alexa in ’25? From K-pop to Bollywood trivia 
Minister assures mandated rules in place for kids’ age-related OTT content 
Govt. not considering rules for use of AI in filmmaking: Murugan 
DTH revenue slide to ease to 3–4% this fiscal year: Report 
Shakeel Ahmed speaks out on Congress exit in candid Live Times interview 
Meta launches ‘Your Business Deserves Better’ campaign to empower MSMEs 
Sapna Choudhary named brand ambassador of JD Noida Ninjas for UPKL S2 
Zee 24 Taas launches ‘Mahanagarpalikacha Ranasangram’ for civic polls 
Top leaders headline Times Network India Economic Conclave 2025 
The Walt Disney Co. has said that it would on December 8 introduce the much-anticipated ad-supported subscription offering for Disney+ in the US, ‘delivering more choice to consumers than ever before’.
A CNBC report indicated that despite all scepticism about streaming services globally, earlier in the week Disney+ total subscriptions rose to 152.1 million during the third quarter of its fiscal year, higher than the 147 million analysts had forecast.
The Disney statement that announced the ad-supported service for Disney+ in the US later in the year, however, didn’t outline when such a model would be rolled in other parts of the globe. In India, the Disney+Hotstar streaming service is the leader of the pack amongst OTT platforms with other global players like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and even SonyLIV, still having a fair ground to catch up in terms of subscribers.
With the ad-supported service launch, a new and comprehensive slate of subscription plans will be made available across Disney+, Hulu, ESPN+, and the Disney Bundle, giving viewers ultimate flexibility in choosing an option that suits their needs, the statement pointed out.
“With our new ad-supported Disney+ offering and an expanded lineup of plans across our entire streaming portfolio, we will be providing greater consumer choice at a variety of price points to cater to the diverse needs of our viewers and appeal to an even broader audience,” said Kareem Daniel, Chairman, Disney Media & Entertainment Distribution.
“Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN+ feature unparalleled content and viewing experiences and offer the best value in streaming today, with over 100,000 movie titles, TV episodes, original shows, sports, and live events collectively,” Daniel added.
Though, according to CNBC, during the third quarter Disney+, Hulu and ESPN+ combined to lose $1.1 billion, reflecting the higher cost of content on the services, while ARPU for Disney+ also decreased by five percent, overall, Disney posted better-than-expected earnings on both the top and bottom line, bolstered by increased spending at its domestic theme parks.
