The jiohotstar.com domain has officially been transferred to Reliance-owned Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. The updated WHOIS records confirm that Reliance is now the legal owner of the domain, bringing to an end a months-long saga involving multiple stakeholders. The transfer was completed this week and the domain transfer can be verified on the WHOIS records. The records now reflect Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. as the new owner of the domain.
The domain combines the branding of two of India’s largest entertainment and telecom giants—Reliance Jio and Disney+ Hotstar and has been at the centre of ownership disputes. Initially registered by a Delhi-based engineer, the domain was later acquired by two siblings based in Dubai.
The engineer claimed he had no malicious intent when registering the domain, but he was not able to maintain ownership due to rising legal and commercial interests. The Dubai siblings’ involvement further complicated the matter.
The acquisition by Reliance and Viacom18 appears to be a strategic move to consolidate their digital and OTT presence under a unified branding ecosystem. With Viacom18’s partnership with JioCinema and the upcoming streaming ventures, controlling the jiohotstar.com domain could be an important step in eliminating brand confusion and leveraging the domain’s high visibility.
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