JioCinema has achieved the status of India's leading digital entertainment platform: Mukesh Ambani

Reliance's JioCinema, the over-the-top (OTT) media streaming platform, which caused a stir earlier this year by offering free live streaming of IPL cricket matches, has now emerged as India's primary digital entertainment hub, according to a statement by Mukesh Ambani, Chairman of RIL, on Monday.

JioCinema delivered industry-leading engagement metrics, registering a strong growth in paid subscribers, said Ambani, adding, it created a global record with a staggering 45 crore viewers tuning in to the platform during IPL.

"JioCinema has now become India's largest digital entertainment destination for blockbuster movies, OTT originals, the biggest reality shows, and exclusive content from leading global studios like HBO and NBCU," said Mukesh Ambani while addressing RIL shareholders. RIL's media and entertainment business created a "huge disruption last year with JioCinema leading the way", he said.

"For the first time, IPL was streamed free on JioCinema. It created a global record with a staggering 45 crore viewers tuning in to the platform," he said. More people watched IPL on digital devices than on linear television, marking a tectonic shift in the way content is consumed in India.

More than 12 crore people watched the IPL final, with a peak concurrency of 3.2 core, making it the most watched digital event globally, Ambani added. "Meanwhile, Jio Dive, our AR/VR device, has revolutionised sports viewing in India. It gives the feel of a stadium-like experience through 360-degree viewing from anywhere, any place," he said.

Akash Ambani, who was appointed to the board of Reliance Industries on Monday, said beyond the numbers, JioCinema is also offering a wide-ranging 'Freemium' video library. It is soon introducing even more features like multi-video picture-in-picture and multi-lingual support for Indian languages.

Over its Network18 business, Mukesh Ambani said it too has made "great progress" in its journey to becoming the top news network in India. "It is going deeper locally and growing wider with international coverage," he said.

While its home-grown digital news platforms -- Moneycontrol and Firstpost -- are setting new benchmarks globally, he added. During the IPL this year, JioCinema captivated cricket fans with a remarkable IPL-viewing experience.

"JioCinema transformed the way we engage with live content, with pathbreaking innovations like True 4K streams, 360-degree streams, multi-camera view, and fan interaction through our 'Hype' feature. The response was incredible, setting multiple records for streaming content.

"Over 3.2 crore concurrent users during the final, with more than 12 crore total viewers and 60 minutes average watch time per viewer per match," said Akash Ambani.