Warner Bros. Discovery India
The Indian division of Warner Bros. Discovery, operating television networks, streaming services, content businesses and related media partnerships.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Warner Bros. Discovery India is the Indian operating division of Warner Bros. Discovery and part of the company's Asia-Pacific organization. It manages a portfolio of television, streaming, content-distribution and film-related activities serving the Indian market. Its operations combine businesses that previously belonged to Turner International India and Discovery India, which began their Indian activities separately in 1995 and were brought together after the 2022 merger of Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia. The division's Indian history began with Turner's launch of Cartoon Network in 1995, widely described as the first dedicated children's channel introduced in India. Turner subsequently expanded its portfolio with Pogo in 2004 and with additional entertainment, film, news and factual offerings. Some initiatives were operated directly, while others used joint ventures, licensing arrangements or partnerships with Indian media companies. Turner participated in the launch of CNN-IBN, now CNN-News18, with Global Broadcast News, although the news operation itself was run by the Indian partner under the CNN brand. Turner also entered general entertainment through Real, acquired control of the NDTV Imagine television businesses, and introduced channels associated with Warner Bros. and HBO. Discovery India developed a complementary position around factual, lifestyle, science, natural-history and unscripted programming. The combined business has therefore served several audience segments, including children, families, factual-content viewers, film audiences and English- and Indian-language television households. In addition to linear channels, Warner Bros. Discovery India manages Discovery+, the company's on-demand streaming service in India, and has participated in local content, education and audience-engagement initiatives such as the Discovery School Super League. The Indian television portfolio has changed repeatedly in response to distribution economics, audience measurement, competition from domestic broadcasters and the growth of streaming. Channels including Real, WB Channel, HBO and Toonami were eventually discontinued or reconfigured. In 2020, WarnerMedia announced that HBO and The WB channel would close in India and several neighboring markets. HBO India ended its Indian television transmission on 15 December 2020, while The WB channel was also discontinued. Following the merger of Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia, the Indian operations were consolidated under the Warner Bros. Discovery identity in 2022. The merged business retained a broad channel portfolio, reported in the referenced material as 19 television channels across standard- and high-definition feeds and multiple Indian languages, including English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi and Bengali. In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 announced a multiyear arrangement under which JioCinema became an Indian streaming destination for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. programming. The arrangement reflected the company's wider shift toward platform partnerships while Discovery+ remained an important branded streaming service in the market. Warner Bros. Discovery India's positioning combines globally recognized entertainment and factual brands with local distribution, language adaptation and Indian-market partnerships. Its business is not limited to one consumer product: it spans linear television, streaming access, content licensing, film distribution, news-brand partnerships and educational or promotional programming. The division's current scale, channel composition and commercial structure may change as Warner Bros. Discovery continues to adjust its Indian television and streaming strategy.
History
Warner Bros. Discovery India's roots lie in two businesses that entered India independently in 1995: Turner International India and Discovery India. Turner's first major Indian launch was Cartoon Network, introduced as the country's first dedicated children's channel. The company expanded its children's portfolio with Pogo in 2004 and later added entertainment, film and other genre channels. Turner also used partnerships to broaden its reach. Global Broadcast News, now associated with TV18 Broadcast, worked with Turner Broadcasting System on the launch of CNN-IBN on 18 December 2005. The operation was run by the Indian partner and used the CNN brand. Turner launched WB Channel on 15 March 2009 with Hollywood films and programming drawn from the Warner Bros. library. That year it also launched Real, a Hindi general-entertainment channel created as a 50:50 venture with Alva Brothers Entertainment. Real closed in March 2010 after weak viewership, low advertising support and a limited supply of new programming. In late 2009, Turner Asia Pacific Ventures agreed to acquire control of NDTV Imagine. The transaction involved investment and a transfer of NDTV's interest, giving Turner a 92 percent stake in NDTV Imagine Ltd. The related channels were subsequently rebranded as Imagine TV, Lumiere Movies and Imagine Showbiz. Imagine Showbiz was sold to Reliance Broadcast Network in January 2011. Turner also participated in Media Pro Enterprise India, a distribution venture with Star Den Media Services, and Zee Turner, a distribution company formed with Zee Entertainment Enterprises. The company's premium-film and television activity evolved through several HBO arrangements. HBO Defined and HBO Hits launched in February 2013 in collaboration with Eros International and were positioned as advertising-free services carrying films and HBO original programming. HBO Asia later moved toward an exit from direct Indian operations and licensed the channel to Turner International India. The HBO service was revised in 2016, while HBO Defined and HBO Hits underwent changes across standard- and high-definition feeds. Turner also introduced Toonami in 2015. Toonami was later closed, with Cartoon Network HD+ taking its place in 2018. The acquisition of Time Warner by AT&T brought the businesses under the WarnerMedia name. In October 2020, WarnerMedia announced that HBO and The WB channel would close in India and a number of nearby markets. The channels ended transmission on 15 December 2020. The closure marked a major retreat from the earlier premium linear-channel structure, even though Warner Bros. content continued to have value through licensing and other distribution arrangements. Discovery India supplied the other principal part of the eventual organization. Its portfolio centered on factual, documentary, lifestyle, science and natural-history programming, supported by local adaptations and multiple language feeds. Discovery+ added an on-demand component and gave the business a direct-to-consumer product alongside linear channels. After Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia merged in the United States, their Indian businesses were combined in 2022 under Warner Bros. Discovery India. The resulting organization brought together Discovery's factual and unscripted strengths with Warner Bros. entertainment, film, children's and premium-content assets. The division also continued to operate or coordinate activities connected to CNN-News18, Discovery+ and Warner Bros. Pictures India. The referenced material describes a portfolio of 19 television channels, including standard- and high-definition services distributed in English, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi and Bengali. In 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 announced a multiyear content arrangement that made JioCinema an Indian streaming destination for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. programming. This agreement illustrated the company's use of local digital platforms to distribute internationally recognized content while maintaining its own Discovery+ service. Warner Bros. Discovery India's contemporary model consequently combines television networks, streaming, licensing, film distribution, partnerships and locally adapted programming. Its channel portfolio and platform relationships remain subject to changes in the competitive Indian media market.
- 2023
JioCinema became a streaming home for Warner content
[1]Warner Bros. Discovery and Viacom18 announced a multiyear agreement covering HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. programming on JioCinema.
- 2022
Warner Bros. Discovery India was formed
[1]The Indian Turner, WarnerMedia and Discovery operations were consolidated after the merger of Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia.
- 2020
HBO and The WB closed in India
[1]WarnerMedia discontinued HBO and The WB television channels in India on 15 December.
- 2018
Cartoon Network HD+ replaced Toonami
[1]Toonami was closed and Cartoon Network HD+ launched shortly afterward as a replacement service.
- 2015
Toonami launched
[1]Turner introduced Toonami as an additional children's and animation channel in India.
- 2013
HBO Defined and HBO Hits launched
[1]The two advertising-free HBO-branded services launched in India through a collaboration involving Time Warner and Eros International.
- 2011
Imagine Showbiz was sold
[1]Imagine Showbiz was sold to Reliance Broadcast Network after the earlier restructuring of the NDTV Imagine channel group.
- 2009
WB Channel and Real launched
[1]Turner introduced WB Channel on 15 March and launched the Hindi general-entertainment channel Real in a joint venture with Alva Brothers Entertainment.
- 2009
Turner acquired control of NDTV Imagine
[1]Turner Asia Pacific Ventures announced an agreement to acquire a 92 percent stake in NDTV Imagine Ltd., leading to subsequent rebranding of the associated channels.
- 2005
CNN-IBN launched
[1]Turner Broadcasting System and Global Broadcast News launched CNN-IBN, now CNN-News18, on 18 December.
Products and positioning
A multi-genre Indian media portfolio combining Warner Bros. Discovery's international entertainment, factual, children's and premium-content brands with local-language distribution and Indian platform partnerships.
Streaming service
Discovery+
Warner Bros. Discovery's on-demand streaming service in India, offering access to factual, documentary, lifestyle, entertainment and related programming. It complements the company's linear television portfolio and provides a direct digital route for Discovery-branded content.
Children's television network · 1995
Cartoon Network
A Turner children's network launched in India in 1995. It became one of the division's longest-running brands, carrying animated series and family programming for Indian audiences.
Children's television network · 2004
Pogo
A children's channel introduced by Turner in India in 2004. Pogo broadened the company's family-entertainment offering alongside Cartoon Network.
News television partnership · 2005
CNN-News18
The Indian English-language news service formerly launched as CNN-IBN through a partnership between Turner Broadcasting System and Global Broadcast News. The channel is operated by the Indian partner and uses the CNN brand under arrangement.
Film distribution and studio activity
Warner Bros. Pictures India
The Indian Warner Bros. film business associated with the distribution and market representation of Warner Bros. Pictures releases.
Education and audience-engagement program
Discovery School Super League
A Discovery-branded school and knowledge competition program connected with educational engagement in India.
Film and entertainment television network · 2009
WB Channel
A Turner channel launched in 2009 with Hollywood films and programming drawn from the Warner Bros. library. It was later discontinued in India.
Hindi general-entertainment channel · 2009
Real
A Hindi entertainment channel launched as a 50:50 joint venture between Turner International India and Alva Brothers Entertainment. It ceased operations in March 2010 after limited viewership and weak commercial support.
Premium film and television channel
HBO India
The Indian HBO television service carried films and HBO programming before WarnerMedia closed the channel in December 2020 as part of a broader withdrawal from the Indian linear television market.
Animation television network · 2015
Toonami
An animation-focused channel launched by Turner in 2015. It was later shut down, with Cartoon Network HD+ introduced as a replacement in 2018.
Brand decisions
2023
JioCinema content partnershipStrategyBackground
Warner Bros. Discovery sought a major Indian digital distribution route for premium international programming.
Action taken
The company entered a multiyear agreement with Viacom18 making JioCinema an Indian streaming home for HBO, Max Original and Warner Bros. content.
Aftermath
The arrangement strengthened platform-based distribution of Warner Bros. Discovery content in India while Discovery+ continued as a branded streaming service.
2022
Consolidation under Warner Bros. DiscoveryM&ABackground
Discovery Communications and WarnerMedia merged at the global level, requiring the corresponding Indian businesses to be combined.
Action taken
The Indian Turner, WarnerMedia and Discovery activities were brought together under the Warner Bros. Discovery India identity.
Aftermath
The combined division operated a broader portfolio spanning factual, children's, entertainment, film, streaming and distribution activities.
2020
Closure of HBO and The WB channelsStrategyBackground
WarnerMedia reassessed its linear television presence in India and neighboring markets amid changing distribution economics and competition from other entertainment platforms.
Action taken
WarnerMedia announced that HBO and The WB would stop broadcasting in India on 15 December 2020.
Aftermath
The decision ended the Indian linear operations of both channels, while Warner-branded content remained available through licensing and later platform partnerships.
2009
Acquisition of NDTV ImagineM&ABackground
Turner Asia Pacific Ventures sought to expand beyond children's, factual and international entertainment channels by taking control of the NDTV Imagine television businesses.
Action taken
Turner agreed to acquire a 92 percent stake in NDTV Imagine Ltd. The associated services were subsequently rebranded as Imagine TV, Lumiere Movies and Imagine Showbiz.
Aftermath
The group was later reshaped, and Imagine Showbiz was sold to Reliance Broadcast Network in January 2011.
Announced transaction consideration. (2009)
Sources1 sources
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