Well firstly Sony - YRF partnership was more of a cordial bonding than just focusing on money part. YRF did not sign exclusive deal with them since beginning but always gave Sony rights of its movies bcoz of goodwill, had YRF been solely money minded then they had many options to do so. Since last 8 or 10 years Sony started reducing airtime for YRF films, in an age of maintaining visual presence this surely bound to reduce brand recall among people. Let alone this even good YRF films wear hardy shown except in watershed hrs.
Sony has sufficient funds to buy rights and by the way bollywood movies still get huge ad revenue but as it seems Sony took it way too easy thinking that some banners will stay with them. Not only YRF i m sensing T Series also moving out alongwith some others. Sony will surely wake up now, yesterday Akshay Kumar made a joke in Kapil Show about Sony not having anything except Sooryavansham so if i read between lines soon Sony will come up with new line up of Akshay films thanks to new agreement with Firoz Nadiadwala and post that Kapil will give interesting response to Akshay during show.
All in all right now Disney is in full swing, they r going all out to acquire bollywood rights. Star has anyways been fair to bollywood audience but somehow Zee had numero uno position in this segment for longest time, now it will be head to head fight. Sony should understand that bollywood channel is not a failed bet infact look how well Max2 is doing or how Star is managing to perform great even with higher priority to bollywood content
