In a strategic move to curb subscriber migration from linear TV to free digital streaming, JioStar is reportedly considering pulling its entertainment content from YouTube starting May 1, sources familiar with the development told ET.

While a final decision has yet to be made, the plan aligns with the company’s broader efforts to reinforce its pay-TV and subscription-based streaming ecosystem.

This potential move marks JioStar’s second major content strategy shift following the Disney Star and Viacom18 merger. Earlier, the company placed premium content behind a paywall on JioHotstar, ending a two-year period of offering free sports and entertainment content—an approach that had significantly impacted both pay-TV operators and SVOD (subscription video-on-demand) platforms.

JioStar’s decision also reflects growing pressure from pay-TV distribution platforms like Tata Play, Airtel Digital TV, and GTPL Hathway, which have been urging broadcasters—including JioStar, Zee Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Networks India—to withdraw their content from ad-supported video-on-demand (AVOD) platforms such as YouTube.