PlanetOut Partners with Jungo TV, Launching First LGBTQ+ Streaming Service in India
The New Channel Offers LGBTQ+ Award-Winning Films, Series, and Shorts
EXCLUSIVE — Los Angeles, March 29, 2021 — PlanetOut, which owns Here TV and the multi-channel network, PlanetOut on YouTube, announced today that it is partnering with Jungo TV for the launch of the first LGBTQ+ streaming channel in India. The free service will feature exclusive LGBTQ+ award winning content from PlanetOut’s massive library, plus new original movies and series each month.
PlanetOut is now available on MX Player, a video-streaming and VOD platform with over 280 million users globally. MX Player is owned by Times Internet, the digital arm of India’s largest media conglomerate, the Times Group. PlanetOut is also carried on Jungo TV’s newly-launched free direct-to consumer app Jungo Plus, which is available on iOS and Android devices.
In 2018, India’s LGBTQ+ community celebrated a historic judgement when the Indian Supreme Court struck down colonial-era laws of Section 377, allowing the decriminalization of consensual, homosexual relationships. However, the pathway to same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ couples adopting is still a long ways away, as there remains significant amount of homophobia present among the Indian population — with around half of Indians objecting to same-sex relationships, according to a 2019 opinion poll via the
Centre for Regional Political Economy (CRPE).
“We’re thrilled to partner with Jungo TV to launch PlanetOut on the MX Player and to bring high-quality queer stories to the LGBTQ+ community living in India. This project marks the beginning of our latest mission to offer the best in LGBTQ+ content to the developing world,” says Paul Colichman, CEO of PlanetOut.
Programming for PlanetOut’s new global channel features many of the best LGBTQ+ films, series, and specials, including Academy award-winning films such as “Gods & Monsters,” the hit cooking show, “Food Fetish”, which features the most acclaimed chefs and their favorite recipes, documentaries such as Emmy-nominated, “A Long Road to Freedom: The Advocate Celebrates 50 Years”, narrated by Laverne
Cox and interviews with extraordinary people including Cher, Kaitlin Jenner, Margaret Cho, Dustin Lance Black, and more.
“Our mission at Jungo TV is to connect fans with content they are passionate about. We are so proud to deliver the first 24/7 LGBTQ+ channel to Indian audiences through our partnership with PlanetOut,” says George Chung, CEO of Jungo TV.
ABOUT PLANETOUT
PlanetOut is an ad-supported LGBTQ+ video channel that focuses on lifestyle, entertainment, travel, cooking, and of course, equality and Pride. PlanetOut reaches millions of diverse, cultured, and engaged viewers every month with its Award-Winning library of movies, series, shorts, and specials. PlanetOut offers audiences high-quality content that tells queer stories authentically. Owned by Here Media Inc., PlanetOut launched in 1995.
ABOUT JUNGO TV, LLC
Jungo TV is an international streaming media company, delivering ad supported television and video on demand content. The company owns and operates over 20 digital-first channels, covering a wide range of content verticals, including sports, music, and international entertainment. Since its founding in 2016, Jungo TV has increased its carriage footprint to 800 million registered devices with over 1 billion monthly views across its networks in North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South Asia. Key stakeholders are Nasser Kazeminy, Dr. Mehmet Oz, William Pope, Ahmet Calik, Sandy Climan, Robert Priddy, and CEO George Chung.
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Mitch Swan
President | Millennial PR
323.378.6687
mitch@millennialpublicrelations.com