SonyLIV

{{Infobox website

| name = Sony LIV

| logo = SonyLIV 2020.png

| logo_caption = Sony LIV logo

| logo_size = 150px

| company_type = Streaming

| owner = Sony

| country = Mumbai, India

| parent = Culver Max Entertainment

| url = {{URL|https://www.sonyliv.com}}

| language = * Hindi

| launch_date = {{Start date and age|df=yes|2013|01|22}}

| industry = {{hlist|Entertainment|mass media}}

| collapsible =

| type = OTT platform

| products = {{flatlist|

}}

| services = {{flatlist|

Film production
film distribution
television production

}}

| country_of_origin = India

| area_served = Canada, Europe, Middle East, Indo-Pacific, South Asia, and United States

| commercial = Yes

| registration = Required{{efn|Optional in India, but monthly subscription is required to access additional content.}}

| current_status = Active

| num_users = {{increase}} 33.3 million (paid; May 2023) {{cite web |date=18 May 2023 |title=SonyLIV has 33.3 mn paid subscribers globally, 40,000 hours of content: NP Singh |url=https://www.livemint.com/companies/news/sonyliv-has-33-3-mn-paid-subscribers-globally-40-000-hours-of-content-np-singh-11684394968639.html#:~:text=SonyLIV%2C%20the%20video%20streaming%20platform,at%20the%20Sony%20Corporate%20Strategy}}

}}

Sony LIV is an Indian subscription video-on-demand over-the-top streaming service owned by Culver Max Entertainment. Sony LIV was introduced in 2013{{cite news |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/sony-launches-digital-entertainment-platform-sony-liv-113012200570_1.html |date=2013 |title=Sony Launches Video on Demand |newspaper=Business Standard India |last1=Laghate |first1=Gaurav}} as the first OTT service in India.{{cite web |url=https://en.gravatar.com/Avatar|title=avatar - Gravatar Profile |website=En.gravatar.com |access-date=22 July 2022}} As a streaming service, it provides live sports, original titles, other content titles from its own networks and content titles in India licensed from third-parties such as JioHotstar, Netflix among others. The Sony LIV content library includes films, TV shows and series, and sports.

History

Sony LIV was launched on 23 January 2013.{{cite web |last=Deb |first=Debabrata |date=2018-07-15 |title=The ultimate SonyLIV review: Everything you need to know |url=https://www.finder.com/in/sonyliv |access-date=2020-07-02 |website=finder India |language=en-in}}

= LIV Sports =

LIV Sports was launched on 1 June 2014 by Culver Max Entertainment{{cite web |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/multi-screen-media-launches-liv-sports/article6074608.ece |title=Multiscreen Media Launches Liv Sports |date=2 June 2014 |website=The Hindu Business Line}} (as a new sports streaming service exclusively for sports properties). LIV Sports was the official mobile and internet broadcaster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup starting 12 June 2014. LIV Sports aired both live and video-on-demand match content with statistics and analysis.{{cite news |url=https://www.indiantvinfo.com/2018-fifa-world-cup-india-telecast-rights/ |title=2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Live Online Streaming Available Through Sony LIV Application |website=Indiantvinfo.com |access-date= 2018-02-14 |date= 2018-02-14}}

= Sony LIV first revamp (2018) =

File:Sony LIV2017.jpg

Sony LIV underwent its first revamp and started to stream live television channels. Since then, Sony LIV has added many shows and movies to its portfolio. On 1 November 2018, Sony LIV and Lionsgate entered a multi-year content{{cite news |url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/media/entertainment/sonyliv-lionsgate-india-partner-to-offer-premium-content/articleshow/66465575.cms?from=mdr |title=Sony LIV, Lionsgate India partner to offer premium content |date=1 November 2018 |website=economic times |last1=Laghate |first1=Gaurav}} deal.

= Sony LIV second revamp (2020) =

Sony LIV revamped its content and interface in May 2020 using AWS Cloud.{{cite web |url=https://aws.amazon.com/solutions/case-studies/sonyliv/ |title=Sony LIV Grows Subscriber Base Tenfold and Enhances Streaming Platform Supported by AWS}}

Sony LIV was launched as a streaming service in the United States on Sling TV, streaming all the shows available in India on the app.{{cite web |title=Watch Live Indian TV Channels - Shows and Movies Online {{!}} Sling TV |url=https://www.sling.com/international/pm/sonyliv |access-date=2020-06-04 |website=Sling.com}}{{cite web |last=Palermo |first=Philip |date=2020-05-31 |title=Sling TV Adds Sony Pictures Networks India's SonyLIV VOD Service |url=https://www.cordcuttersnews.com/sling-tv-adds-sony-pictures-networks-indias-sonyliv-vod-service/ |access-date=2020-06-04 |website=Cord Cutters News |language=en-US}}

On 15 January 2021, WWE Network{{cite web |last=Dua |first=Priyanka |date=2021-01-16 |title=SonyLIV Launches WWE Pack At Rs. 299; Offering Five Profiles And Offline Content Download |url=https://www.gizbot.com/home-entertainment/news/sonyliv-launches-wwe-pack-at-rs-299-offering-five-profiles-and-offline-content-download-072124.html|access-date=2021-01-16 |website=Gizbot.com |language=en}} was launched in India through Sony LIV.

Sony LIV was launched in Canada on 14 October 2021.{{cite news |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Naman |title=Indian Streamer SonyLIV Launches in Canada with Family Saga 'Tabbar' (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/streaming/news/sonyliv-canada-launch-tabbar-1235088876/ |access-date=18 February 2023 |work=Variety |date=14 October 2021}} It was launched in Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore on 25 February 2021. On 12 June 2021, as part of Europe Phase-1, Sony LIV was launched in France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK (9 April 2021). On 1 October 2021, as part of Europe Phase-2, Sony LIV was launched in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Portugal, and Sweden.{{cite news |last1=Ramachandran |first1=Naman |title=Indian Streamer SonyLIV Sets Global Expansion Plans With 40-Strong Slate (EXCLUSIVE) |url=https://variety.com/2021/streaming/news/sonyliv-india-global-expansion-scam-1992-huma-qureshi-1235000217/ |access-date=14 April 2023 |work=Variety |date=18 June 2021}}

Content

= Current broadcasting rights =

2022 Asian Games (2023){{Cite web | title=Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 in 2023: Preview, schedule and how to watch live | url=https://olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-hangzhou-preview-schedule--how-to-watch-live | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230929024420/https://olympics.com/en/news/asian-games-hangzhou-preview-schedule--how-to-watch-live | access-date=2024-12-24 | archive-date=2023-09-29}}
US Open (2022–24){{cite web |url=https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2022-08-25/sony_pictures_networks_india_to_air_us_open_in_india_through_2024.html |title=Sony Pictures Networks India to air US Open in India through 2024}}

= Overview =

Sony LIV's core library consists of 18+ years of content from Culver Max Entertainment's channels including Sony TV, Sony SAB, Sony Aath and Sony Marathi; and more than 700+ movies, which means a total of 40,000+ hours of television show coverage in Hindi and English.

= History =

Varieties of anime originals from Animax were available on Sony LIV to stream. After shutting down a linear TV channel on 18 April 2017, Animax{{cite web |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/television/tv-channels/kids/sony-to-shift-animax-channel-to-sonyliv-170413 |title=Sony to shift Animax channel to SonyLiv |date=2017-04-13 |website=Indian Television Dot Com |language=en |access-date=2019-12-05}} was made available exclusively as a digital streaming channel in India from 7 July 2017 to 7 May 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-17/animax-asia-channel-removed-from-sony-liv-streaming-app/.159617 |title=Animax Asia Channel Removed from 'Sony LIV' Streaming App |date=17 May 2020 |website=Animenewsnetwork.com}}

Sony LIV also streamed cricket matches played by Pakistan.{{cite news |date=2021-01-31|title=Cricket Archives PSL 2021 Live Streaming & TV Channels, Pakistan Super League 2021 |url=http://www.cricketzine.com/psl-2021-live-streaming-tv-channels-pakistan-super-league-2021/ |website=Cricketzine.com |language=en}}

Beginning with the 2022 US Open, Sony Pictures Networks India will have the exclusive live television and digital rights to the US Open in India through 2024. {{asof|August 2023|post=,}} US Open would livestream on Sony LIV.

= Sony LIV Originals =

Sony LIV has streamed a number of original streaming television series. The first-ever original was a Gujarati web series titled Kacho Papad Pako Papad{{cite web |url=https://www.indiantelevision.com/specials/year-enders/2017-the-year-otts-went-regional-in-india-180104 |title=2017: The year OTTs went regional in India |date=4 January 2018 |website=Indian Television Dot Com}} and it is streaming since 2017.

Sony LIV underwent a revamp in its appearance in June 2020.{{cite web |url=https://www.sonyliv.com/ |title=SonyLIV |website=Sonyliv.com |access-date=22 July 2022 |archive-date=6 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211006082126/https://www.sonyliv.com/ |url-status=dead}} Since then, Sony LIV provides their original shows in 5–7 languages.

= Genres =

Sony LIV features content in the following key genres: comedy, crime, drama, horror and action.{{cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions |url=https://www.sonyliv.com/faqs#accordion9 |website=sonyliv.com |access-date=28 October 2020}}

Viewership

As of August 2015, Sony LIV had reached about 25 million views on a monthly basis.{{cite news |url=http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/sony-to-move-its-video-streaming-service-sony-liv-to-a-fee-based-model/48739192 |title=Sony to move its video streaming service SonyLIV to a fee-based model|access-date= 2015-08-31 |date=2015-09-11 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903031309/http://tech.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/internet/sony-to-move-its-video-streaming-service-sony-liv-to-a-fee-based-model/48739192 |archive-date=3 September 2015}}

Sony LIV security flaw

On 20 December 2019, Bengaluru-based security researcher Ehraz Ahmed discovered a security flaw in the Sony LIV app, that allowed to fetch sensitive user information such as profile picture, email address, date of birth, name and phone number of its registered users.{{cite web |url=https://gadgets.ndtv.com/apps/news/sonyliv-api-flaw-fix-user-information-attack-app-update-2151958 |title=SonyLIV Fixes Flaw That Could Allow Attackers to Fetch User Information |website=NDTV Gadgets 360 |date=20 December 2019 |language=en |access-date=2019-12-23}}