Delhi Developer Acquires JioHotstar Domain Ahead of Disney-Jio Merger, Offers to Sell to Reliance

The potential merger of JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar could transform the streaming landscape in India, experts say.

While there has been no official announcement yet, some reports indicate that a unified platform called JioHotstar may be created. However, this plan could run into complications because the domain name JioHotstar has already been purchased by a tech developer from Delhi.

The JioHotstar Domain Name

Currently, the JioHotstar domain redirects to a simple webpage featuring the banner "JioHotstar: Best of Entertainment, Streaming Soon."

The page lacks logos or any branding, but it does include a message from the domain's purchaser, addressed to "Dear Executive of Reliance Industries."

In the message, the developer states, "I am an app developer based in Delhi, working on my startup. Earlier this year, I saw news indicating that Disney+ Hotstar was losing daily active users after losing the IPL streaming rights, and there were discussions about Disney selling or merging Hotstar with an Indian competitor. I speculated that since Sony and Zee were pursuing their own merger, Viacom 18 (owned by Reliance) would be the only major player capable of acquiring Disney+ Hotstar. This situation reminded me of when Jio acquired the music streaming service Saavn, rebranding it as JioSaavn and changing the domain from Saavn.com to JioSaavn.com. I thought, 'If they acquire Hotstar, they might rename it to JioHotstar.com.'

The Developer's Request

The developer made it clear that he is willing to sell the domain if Reliance can support his dream of studying at Cambridge University.

"When I discovered the domain was available, I was thrilled, as this could help fund my dream of studying at Cambridge," they explained. They noted that a project of theirs was selected for the Cambridge University Accelerate program a few years ago, but financial constraints have made pursuing their studies there difficult.

"Cambridge offers a full degree in entrepreneurship, which I have always wanted to pursue but could never afford. When I saw the domain was available, I felt it could be a turning point for me. My intention in acquiring this domain was straightforward: if this merger happens, I might finally achieve my dream of studying at Cambridge."

The developer has urged both Viacom and Reliance Industries to contact them with an official letter authorizing the purchase of the domain name. "

For a multi-billion dollar company like Reliance, this would be a minor expense, but for me, selling this domain would be truly life-changing," the message concludes.