Reliance-Disney to Cut Over 1,100 Jobs in Joint Media Behemoth JioStar

Just a few weeks after the launch of JioHotstar, the joint venture between Reliance's Viacom18 and Walt Disney's Star India, is reducing redundancies. Viacom18 and Star India's joint entity, JioStar, is in the process of cutting over 1,100 jobs to reduce overlapping roles and optimise resources, reported Mint.

The layoffs started last month and are expected to continue until June. The cuts will primarily affect corporate roles, including entry-level employees, senior managers, senior directors, and assistant vice presidents.

However, multiple sources cited by the newspaper indicated that employees working with the media giant’s sports division will remain unaffected, as it handles the broadcast of several high-profile tournaments like the Champions Trophy, Women's Premier League (WPL), and Indian Premier League (IPL). It has been widely reported that the Reliance-Disney JV is aiming to achieve up to Rs 5,000 crore in ad sales during IPL 2025.

However, those working with regional entertainment networks, such as Colors Kannada and Colors Bangla, are facing sharp workforce cuts.

"Inevitable Redundancies, Generous Severance"

JioStar was formed as a joint venture between Reliance-led Viacom18 and Star India in November 2024, creating an $8.5 billion media giant. The JV is controlled by Reliance through its 46.82% stake in Viacom18, a 16.34% stake directly held by Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries, and a 36.84% stake owned by Walt Disney.

The company launched its joint OTT platform, JioHotstar, in mid-February, bringing together 300,000 hours of content and a user base of 500 million. Aside from the much sought-after IPL broadcasting rights, the new platform now holds the rights to the English Premier League, Pro Kabaddi, Indian Super League, Wimbledon, and many others. It will also offer content from Disney, NBCUniversal Peacock, Warner Bros. Discovery HBO, and Paramount. 

The Mint report noted that JioStar is undergoing restructuring to reduce duplication and become "leaner and more efficient."

The report also claimed that affected employees will receive a generous severance package, including 6-12 months' salary, depending on their tenure. The payout structure includes one month's full salary for each year served, plus a notice period. Some employees may be offered roles within Jio or Reliance.