Big Win For Mukesh Amabni! Jio HotStar Domain Finally Goes To...
The domain name jiohotstar.com, a prime asset in the merger between Reliance Jio and Disney Hotstar, has finally been transferred to Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd., ending a series of claims of ownership by a Delhi-based developer and Dubai siblings. The transfer marks the culmination of a long-standing dispute and secures the domain for Viacom18, which now represents both Reliance Jio and Disney Hotstar.
The domain has registrant, administrative, and technical contact Manish Painuly of Viacom18 with control established by the entity post the merger. It has completed its deal some months after India's biggest merger and acquisition transaction valued at ₹70,352 crore was closed in November. The merger concerned combining TV and digital assets by Viacom18 with that of Star India, seeking and acquiring all the pertinent regulatory clearances both locally and overseas.
A focus area has been the jiohotstar.com domain. A domain name, much like a plot of real estate, is a form of investment. They represent digital addresses and good names are worth many lakhs. Usually, this amount depends on how popular the name is or relevant it is to what is in vogue today. According to Gaurav Sahay, Practice Head at Fox Mandal & Associates LLP, "Like any investment or trade, it involves buying domain names at a low price and selling them later for a profit.
The domain jiohotstar.com became a hot topic when a Delhi-based app developer claimed to have grabbed it after speculating the merger between Reliance's JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. The developer then contacted Reliance to sell the domain in lieu of funding his further education. Thereafter, the domain was purchased by Jainam and Jivika, a Dubai-based sibling duo. Despite receiving multiple offers to sell, the siblings maintained that the domain was never intended for profit, describing their purchase as part of a “seva (service) journey.
The final resolution over the ownership of the domain ensures Viacom18 can now further exploit its digital presence while strengthening its media and entertainment portfolio post-merger. Meanwhile, a new website, jiostar.com, has appeared, which carries the teaser "coming soon," leaving space for speculation on future developments.
