SPNI plans regional-language push across four markets as SonyLIV growth accelerates

Sony Pictures Networks India will expand Marathi, Bangla, Tamil and Telugu programming this year, using regional content, sports and flagship entertainment IP to strengthen linear TV and SonyLIV. FY26 revenue rose over 9% to ₹7,064 crore.

— Source publishedSun, 2 Aug, 2026, 23:00 IST·First seen Sun, 2 Aug, 2026, 23:10 IST·Source Business Standard · Companies

What happened

Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) · SPNI plans a regional-language expansion across Marathi, Bangla, Tamil and Telugu while using sports and flagship

Key facts

  • ₹7,064 crore revenue
  • Revenue up over 9% from FY25
  • 29 channels
  • Linear TV reach declined from 900 million to just over 600 million over five years
  • SPNI head took charge in August 2024
  • Regional launches planned in Marathi, Bangla, Tamil and Telugu within the calendar year

Why this matters

SPNI’s push highlights the strategic value of regional content libraries, sports rights and local production partnerships for companies seeking scale in India’s fragmented media market.

What to watch

  • SonyLIV paid-subscriber growth, monthly active users, watch time and churn by language market.
  • Regional content release cadence, top-10 chart presence and completion rates for new originals.
  • Advertising yield and fill-rate trends across regional linear channels and digital inventory.
  • Content-cost growth relative to revenue growth and any change in EBITDA or operating-margin guidance.
  • Telecom/broadband bundling deals, distribution expansion and pricing changes.
  • Competitor regional-content investments, sports-rights wins and promotional pricing from JioHotstar, Zee5, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube.
  • Commission region-specific originals and adaptations in Marathi, Bangla, Tamil and Telugu, with formats designed for both broadcast and streaming windows.
  • Use sports, reality franchises and flagship Hindi entertainment IP to funnel viewers into regional SonyLIV catalogs.
  • Pursue telecom, broadband, smart-TV and pay-TV bundle partnerships to lower SonyLIV acquisition costs outside Hindi-speaking markets.
  • Expand regional ad-sales packages combining linear TV, connected TV and SonyLIV inventory.
  • Increase localized marketing, creator partnerships and language-specific user-interface and recommendation features.