Raj Nayak Introduces House of IP
Raj Nayak, the former Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Viacom18, has recently unveiled his new venture, House of IP. This events and entertainment studio is designed to focus on the creation and development of intellectual property. Nayak has partnered with YAAP Digital, a company known for its work with influencers and online content, to collaborate on this project. House of IP aims to span several domains including entertainment, sports, music festivals, digital content, and branded experiences. Their mission is to nurture original ideas from their inception all the way to market, while also offering intellectual property owners counsel on strategy, brand building, content creation, and monetization. “In an era where content is increasingly fragmented, attention spans are decreasing, and brands are in search of more engaging and proprietary experiences, the demand for robust, scalable IPs has become more critical than ever,” Nayak commented. He added that the goal is to create cultural properties that not only resonate deeply with audiences but also provide tangible value to brands and platforms. Nayak is also the founder of House of Cheer, a ‘happtech’ enterprise that strives to enhance happiness by merging technology with personal interaction. His extensive background in television includes senior roles at Star TV, NDTV Media, and Viacom18, now part of JioStar after the merger between Reliance Industries and Disney India. Nayak also launched Aidem Ventures, a media sales company, in 2010. Atul Hedge, founder of YAAP, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Partnering with Raj to launch House of IP is a natural progression of our vision. With his creative leadership coupled with our digital-first approach, we are excited to co-create iconic, scalable properties that will transform how brands interact with culture and communities.”
Lionsgate Play Secures Rights to ITV Studios’ Dramas
Lionsgate Play, a streaming service, has acquired several titles from ITV Studios, including the Rose Ayling-Ellis led drama ‘Code of Silence’ and the Aiden Turner starring police procedural ‘The Suspect’. The deal also encompasses Australian dramas ‘Four Years Later’ and ‘Erotic Stories’. ‘Code of Silence’ has been successful in garnering attention since its showcase at the London TV Screenings earlier this year. The drama, which is available on ITVX and soon to be on BritBox in North America, features a deaf civilian who assists the police by using her lip-reading skills. This acquisition is part of a series of agreements reached by ITV Studios in the Asia Pacific region. Australian network SBS has opted to air ‘Code of Silence’, renewed for a second season, and Seven Network has picked up the UKTV series ‘The Marlow Murder Club’. In Japan, the Mystery Channel has secured a multi-title agreement that includes the first season of BBC’s light drama ‘Ludwig’, the second season of ‘The Marlow Murder Club’, and the fifth season of ‘Grace’. New Zealand’s public broadcaster TVNZ also purchased ‘Code of Silence’ and has added ‘Ludwig’ Season 2 and ‘Piglets’ Season 2 to its roster.
BBC Dominates Grierson Awards Nominations
The BBC leads the pack with an impressive 31 entries on the longlist for the upcoming Grierson Awards, significantly outpacing other UK broadcasters. Channel 4 follows with 17 nominations, Netflix with 16, and Sky Documentaries with 10. Disney+, Prime Video, and ITV have also made the list with fewer entries. Other contenders such as Channel 5, Apple TV+, Discovery+, National Geographic, and Mubi each secured two nominations. Among production companies, Candour Productions and Rogan Productions are notable with nominations across four categories each. Candour earned nods for its works including ‘Groomed: A National Scandal’ and ‘The Essex Millionaire Murders’ for ITV, and ‘Cause of Death’ for Channel 5. Rogan Productions was nominated for ‘Rose Ayling-Ellis: Old Hands, New Tricks’, ‘The Search for Nicola Bulley’, and ‘The Rise & Fall of Michelle Mone’ for the BBC, with Ayling-Ellis also being recognized in the Best Documentary Presenter category. The Griersons: British Documentary Awards, organized by the Grierson Trust, are set to take place on November 18 at the Roundhouse in London.
Daniel Hayes is a business journalist with a focus on market trends, startups, and corporate strategies.
His sharp analysis and investigative reports make complex financial topics accessible to all readers.
