Mumbai: IVM Podcasts has on boarded veteran media professionals, Meghnad S. in the role of creative director (non-fiction) and Safura Ubaid as the network’s creative director (fiction). Both the hires come with a prolific track record and will work in their respective areas of expertise, to elevate the business.
As creative director (non-fiction), Meghnad S. will actively seek concepts and oversee every stage, right from conceptualisation to execution of content in the non-fiction genre.
The podcast network has a wide array of non-fiction podcasts including finance, political, current affairs, and sports to name a few. Well-aligned with the role, Meghnad will bring his expertise as a journalist, author and content creator of videos, podcasts and columns including ‘Sansad Watch’ and ‘Consti-tuition’ to his current role.
On the fiction side, Safura Ubaid will join as the creative director (fiction). She will mainly look into scouting for interesting ideas, adapting concepts and stories and managing the existing portfolio of fiction audio dramas.
Ubaid is a seasoned creative expert in the original content and IP space. She comes with an impressive track record of having created elevated premium content for multiple platforms including marquee players like Netflix, Amazon, Universal Pictures, and Fox Star Studios among a slew of others.
Commenting on her appointment, Safura Ubaid said, “We’re living in a golden age of storytelling and what’s fascinating is we are witnessing a massive consumer shift in the consumption of stories. I look forward to building a strong premium fiction slate within an ecosystem where stories can shapeshift into high-quality scripted audio and video content.”
Meghnad S commented on the new role, “I have always been an avid podcast listener and have keenly followed the great work that IVM Podcasts has been doing. We have also worked together and had great fun for ‘How to Citizen’ and I am excited to be joining this team brimming with ideas. It’s time to experiment with new, creative ways of delivering non-fiction content to a growing base of podcast listeners in India.”
IVM Podcasts-Pratilipi head Amit Doshi commented on the new appointments, “By bringing in the best talent and fortifying the management team, we are ensuring our business is ready to navigate and scale in a fast-evolving content landscape. We are happy to welcome both Meghnad and Safura to the IVM Podcast team. With the kind of expertise they bring to the table, we are excited to see where they take the brand from here.”
Mumbai: Taboola, which powers recommendations for the open web, helping people discover things they may like, on Wednesday announced a two-year partnership with a multi-lingual news platform Jagran New Media. Under the partnership, Taboola will become the renowned publisher’s exclusive content recommendation partner to amplify its audience engagement and increase revenue growth.
With Taboola’s discovery platform and suite of products, Jagran New Media will enable their 91.48 million Hindi, English and Punjabi language users with content recommendations across desktop, tablet, and mobile web for increased reader engagement.
Jagran will leverage Taboola newsroom to empower its editorial team with content performance in real time and help them with actionable insights from Taboola’s network to create relevant content for its readers. Moreover, Taboola News will enable Jagran to feature its content and acquire new readers through exclusive touchpoints on devices beyond the open web. Jagran will also leverage Taboola feed, a vertical-scrolling feed experience similar to social networks that allow its users to access numerous content they enjoy, including articles and videos. Using Taboola video, Jagran will provide a non-intrusive and in-feed video experience to its audience and encourage visitors to stay on the site longer by providing targeted and relevant content.
Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta said, “Jagran New Media has been at the forefront of delivering news to a variety of audiences across regions and languages in order to maintain its leadership position among the top 10 news and information publishers in India. Our partnership with Taboola holds great value, as it will enable us to tap the potential of their technology expertise for improved product experience and grow our digital audiences across languages. We are certain that the partnership will enable us to attain growth in terms of user engagement, retention, and revenue.”
Jagran New Media chief revenue officer Gaurav Arora said, “It gives us immense pleasure to announce our partnership with Taboola. With their technology expertise, innovations, and offerings, we are confident that it will enable us to increase engagement for our growing audiences across categories. We are excited about the partnership and look forward to their valued association to drive value for our readers and explore new frontiers of revenue growth.”
Data from Taboola newsroom identifies topics and news categories that have seen an increase in page view traffic. The insights help publishers create user friendly content and improve website engagement.
Mumbai: Over 200 exhibitors from 30 countries have already booked stand space for the world’s entertainment content market Mipcom Cannes 2022. The majority of returning exhibitors are back to their pre-pandemic booth sizes or larger, bolstered by the re-opening of major outdoor stands on the Croisette beach and surrounding the Palais des Festivals. The demand for exhibit space affirms a strong content sales and acquisitions climate supported by buyers and sellers to return to in-person international business meetings.
RX France (formerly Reed Midem) has also announced plans to launch a new International co-production market alongside the exhibition in the Palais des Festivals dedicated to accelerating international co-production and development business in Cannes. Billed as ‘the mother of all entertainment content markets’, the 38th edition takes place from 17-20 October 2022 in the Palais des Festivals. MipJunior returns to its pre-market weekend schedule from 15-16 October at the JW Marriott Cannes.
Also new for 2022 is ‘The Seaview Producers Hub’, an inaugural 1000 SQM (10,673 SQFT) networking lounge and event space, set against the backdrop of Cannes’ iconic sea view and introduced to reflect the increased focus at the market for exploring early-stage development and co-production partnerships.
Created to be the base of the new co-production market at MIPCOM, the supersized Seaview Producers Hub will feature a lounge with indoor and outdoor seating to accommodate hundreds of daily meetings prioritised for creators, producers, commissioners, and development executives. The Seaview stage and curated areas will support the co-production programme and daily events. The Mipcom Seaview Producers Hub aims to become the annual business hive and fresh hang out point in Cannes for producers and everyone involved in co-productions worldwide, serving as a catalyst for international deal-making in the heart of the Palais des Festivals.
RX France Entertainment Division director Lucy Smith said, “2022 is undoubtedly the comeback year for Mipcom Cannes. A healthy set of confirmations four months out from the market, with more being added daily, demonstrates the huge appetite for the return of a full strength Mipcom. And, unhampered by last year’s travel restrictions, to meet increased demand we have a supersized edition planned for this October in Cannes. More to come over the coming months. Watch this space!”
Companies confirmed to exhibit to date include Zee Entertainment, All3Media International, AMC Studios, Keshet International, Lionsgate, Mattel, NBCUniversal International, Netflix, Warner Bros. International Television Distribution, WildBrain and ZDF Studios.
Mumbai: Leading radio networks in India BIG FM has strengthened its national sales team with the appointment of Ishita Dasgupta as the national head – digital, and business growth (West & South). In her new capacity, Ishita will be in charge of advancing BIG FM’s digital and business verticals across the radio network.
An accomplished media professional, Ishita specialises in media and entertainment. In a career spanning more than 17 years, she has impactfully led cross-functional projects and teams in the fields of revenue management, business development, relationship management, and brand development. Her robust body of experience exhibits a strong focus on advertising sales, digital properties, project management, and profit & loss accountability. In her previous role as vice president – digital alliances & partnerships with QYOU Media India, she oversaw market expansion by spearheading its digital sales strategy and developing innovative IP solutions. Prior to that, she worked with print & TV media companies including ABP, TV9 and India News where she set up the entire revenue function, sales strategy, revenue generation & customized brand solutions.
Sharing views on the appointment, BIG FM COO Sunil Kumaran said, “In all Ishita’s previous roles, her contribution has been integral to the success that the brand has achieved. Given her vast experience in bringing together functions to deliver on the organisational goals, Ishita joins us at an opportune time as BIG FM endeavours to re-write its digital story. I am very happy to welcome Ishita to the team and look forward to exciting times ahead for the brand.”
Speaking about her new role, Ishita Dasgupta said, “I am delighted to join the team at BIG FM. With changing trends and shifts in consumption patterns, the relevance of radio continues to remain unmatched. It is a crucial time for BIG FM, as we focus on understanding and building capacity to grab headspace within the emerging niches of the digital world. I am confident that my experience and learnings over the past two decades will hold me in good stead as I lead the team into new arenas and scale revenues to meet our goals.”
MUMBAI: Visual effects (VFX) and animation studio DNEG has announced on Friday the hiring of Eric Brevig and Greg Butler as visual effects supervisors. Brevig and Butler each join DNEG with decades of experience in the film industry.
Brevig’s notable award-winning credits as VFX supervisor include ‘Total Recall’ (1990), for which he received the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, “Hook” (1991), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, “Men In Black” (1997), which earned him a Bafta nomination for Best Visual Effects, and “Pearl Harbor” (2001), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
Butler’s portfolio of credits as VFX supervisor includes Sam Mendes’ ‘single shot’ war drama ‘1917’ (2019), which earned him an Academy Award and a Bafta for Best Visual Effects, and ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2’ (2011), which earned him his first Bafta. Earlier in his career, Butler received a Visual Effects Society Award for ‘Outstanding Character Animation’ for his work on Gollum in ‘The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King’ (2003).
“I am proud to have both Eric and Greg, two highly accomplished industry veterans each with their own incredible legacy of breathtaking work, join DNEG’s creative ranks. Eric and Greg will certainly help us continue to push the creative boundaries of what is possible during this period of technological advancement in our industry and unprecedented demand for our services. Adding professionals with track records, talent, and expertise such as theirs further solidifies DNEG as the VFX and animation studio leader in the category” said DNEG chairman & CEO Namit Malhotra.
Talking about his new role, Brevig said, “I have had the pleasure of working with DNEG and Namit on several projects in the past and I am delighted to become part of this world-class creative team. DNEG’s commitment to excellence and future growth plans make this a very exciting time for me to join the company.
“My approach to the craft of VFX has always been to find the right techniques to create the most believable, engaging, and immersive experience for the audience. Using both virtual and physical tools, we can now realize anything the filmmaker can envision.”
Butler joins DNEG from Method Studios, where he worked as a VFX Supervisor on various feature, episodic, and advertising projects, including most recently on a large scale, yet to be announced project for Amazon.
“I have been following DNEG for many years – even before my London Soho days – as a competitor, a collaborator and as the home to many of my favorite people in visual effects. I am very excited to join DNEG’s Montréal office and I know we are going to make some great work together.
“Visual effects is a magic trick. Its purpose, to keep the audience engaged in the story and the world of the film. Whether it is used to create fantastic wand duels in Harry Potter or invisible cuts in 1917, visual effects is a series of illusions created in service of the story. While it’s the end result that matters, I have always been enthralled by the filmmaking process; the dynamic behind-the-scenes collaboration of VFX artists and the live action crews whose work is their foundation” said Butler.
Had you invested Rs. 1 lakh in Sensex last year, you would get a return of Rs. 1.2 lakh by now. The same investment would give you a return of Rs. 1.7 lakhs if you had invested in Bitcoins. You sure have heard about bitcoins and cryptocurrency. You might have heard about Blockchain technology and have thought that bitcoins and Blockchain technology are interchangeable terms. Well, that’s not the case. Bitcoin is just one type of cryptocurrency that operates using Blockchain technology.
A Blockchain is a shared database that consists of blocks of information stored in a digital format. The structure in which data is organized in blockchains differentiates it from a typical database. Blockchain technology is defined as “a decentralized, distributed ledger that records the provenance of a digital asset.” The asset mentioned here can be both tangible such as a house, cash, etc., or intangible such as intellectual property, copyrights, patents, etc. Blockchains facilitate the recording and tracking of assets in a business network. It is the Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) and the use of decentralization and cryptographic hashing that accounts for the immutability yet transparency of digital assets. Let us find out how blockchain training can benefit you.
Popularity Among Youth
It is not just because of the high returns that people invest in bitcoins. When it comes to bitcoins and cryptocurrency, there is a lack of regulation and extreme volatility in the markets. Despite this, blockchain technology can be seen gaining popularity among the Indian youth. Below are some reasons cited by young users who regularly use blockchain technology.
● Well-designed Blockchain trading applications are attracting young people. A percentage of youth regularly invest because of a wonderful user experience. The user interface makes the process of investment and transaction easy.
● A regular user had mentioned that even the biggest banks were not able to put it across in an exact way as to what lay on the screen while they were trading stocks.
● A few others are investing in cryptocurrency for betting purposes.
● A person had taken to blockchain technology for ledger management problems after his family faced land transferring issues.
● A budding young adult said that he had opened an account with a cryptocurrency exchange company after seeing an advertisement about the same. However, when he understood the technology behind the working principle of cryptocurrency, he started investing more and saw his returns grow threefold.
● Not everyone, though, invests for the returns. Many are aware that they will not be able to make payments using cryptocurrency, and that, at any moment, the Government can declare a ban on it. This percentage of the population makes a calculated investment as this is a bet on this future-oriented technology and its focus on decentralization.
Benefits of Blockchain Technology
The popularity of Blockchain Technology lies in its features. Let us see what those are:
1. Security
It is a common occurrence for people to send money from one account to another. When money is being transacted, these records can be mishandled. With Blockchain Technology, the mishandling of the data can be prevented.
The blocks are organized in a linear and chronological manner to the end of a blockchain using a digital signature. Each of these blocks has its own hash along with the hash of the preceding block. Hash codes are created by mathematical functions that turn digital information into an alphanumeric string. Changing the content of the block is extremely difficult, which is what makes Blockchain Technology highly secure. It is not easy for even the system administrator to delete a transaction. Let’s understand this:
If a hacker wants to make changes to a blockchain to steal cryptocurrency, his copy would no longer align with the copy of the others. For alignment with the other copies, he will need to make changes to all the blocks. A change in all the blocks of the blockchain not only indicates a new hashcode but a new timestamp on them as well. This would involve a lot of money, time, and resources, and most definitely not being able to remain unnoticed, meaning that the venture would prove to be fruitless and, ultimately, a loss to the hacker.
2. Decentralization
The information in the database is spread out among various network nodes at different locations. This not only helps in accessing the required information should there be a power failure or internet failure in one of the locations but also maintains the fidelity of the data stored in these blocks. Therefore, if a record in one node is tampered with, all other nodes will cross-reference and easily find out the node that has incorrect information.
3. Transparency
With personal nodes or with blockchain explorers, people can see all the transactions, including ones that occur live. Even if hackers are anonymous, the bitcoins that have been extracted or moved can be known. Bitcoin allows the recording and distribution of digital information. The transactions can be recorded only once. The information cannot be altered or mutated, duplicated, deleted, or destroyed. This is the distributed ledger technology of bitcoins.
4. Smart Contracts
A smart contract is a set of rules stored on blockchains and executed automatically to speed up transactions. These contracts define conditions for corporate bond transfers, travel insurance payment terms, and more.
Conclusion
Information is required to run a business. The faster the information is received and with accuracy, the better it is. Blockchain provides information with transparency related to live transactions that can be accessed by one and all. The information provided is immediate and accurate, to the extent that any information that has been hacked can be easily noticed.
Therefore it is self-explanatory why blockchain technology is finding a place of such importance in businesses. Today numerous business domains are using blockchain technology to track orders, payments, accounts, and many other tasks.
Thus, what we understand is that blockchain technology is not just a whim of the young adults but is a serious business that is being considered by the who’s who of the corporates as well.
Mumbai: OnChain Studios has announced a multi-year global partnership with toy maker Mattel for its Crptoys NFT platform.
The partnership will give rise to a new generation of digital toys that exist on the blockchain. It will bring Mattel’s iconic brands into a collectible, interactive world through Cryptoy’s expansive and playable universe. Cryptoys are animated, playable collectibles.
“Mattel shares our deep passion and innovative mindset for creating the future of play for the next generation. Playable and interactive NFTs will be the first foray into Web3 and blockchain for millions of people, and we want Cryptoys to be the on-ramp that makes it fun and easy for everyone to collect and play,” said OnChain Studios CEO and co-founder Will Weinraub.
“As owners of one of the largest portfolios of children and family entertainment franchises in the world, and as the first toy company to launch NFTs, we see incredible opportunity in the Metaverse for our cherished brands and iconic IP,” said Mattel president and COO Richard Dickson. “Mattel is continually stretching and scaling our brands to find the bridges between traditional toys and what’s next. We are excited to be expanding in this fast-growing space and to be the only toy company partner on the Cryptoys platform, giving fans of all ages new ways to be inspired by the Mattel brands they love.”
Cryptoys’ summer 2022 launch will feature original character drops, followed by the first of many Mattel drops, including some of the company’s brands and characters.
Mumbai: India’s premier digital sports destination FanCode has become the exclusive broadcaster for CWI until 2024, and will be the only platform streaming these matches live for Indian audiences. With this, FanCode has become the first-ever digital-only platform to host an India bilateral series and is expected to reach 10 crore sports fans.
The series will be played during India’s prime-time with ODIs starting at 7 pm and T20Is starting at 8 pm IST; and fans can watch the action live across FanCode app and its official website.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the board of control for cricket in India (BCCI) announced India’s tour of the West Indies to play three ODIs and five T20Is between 22 July and 07 August. The ODI series and three T20Is will be hosted across Trinidad and Tobago and St Kitts & Nevis, with the final two T20Is scheduled for Lauderhill, Florida in the USA.
FanCode has developed a comprehensive and immersive digital experience aimed at redefining sports consumption for fans in India. Fans can customize their experience and select their commentary language, statistics and analysis of choice through interactive overlays while watching the live stream. From Kohli’s beautiful straight drive to Rovman Powell’s clean power hitting, they will also be able to rewatch and relive any moment from the game almost in real-time. Another offering unique to FanCode is its focus on keeping the series accessible to all users with subscription options like Tour Pass and Match Pass, where fans can select and pay for the entire series or certain matches they want to watch.
The series is highly anticipated as India returns to the Caribbean after three years and will be led by new captains Rohit Sharma and Nicholas Pooran, with the latter taking over the reins from Kieron Pollard. The series will be a culmination of an action-packed summer for both the teams in the buildup to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
Speaking about this, Cricket West Indies CEO Johnny Grave said, “Our four-year deal with FanCode has brought Indian cricket fans closer to CWI’s live properties across multiple formats that has featured the top cricketing nations like South Africa, Pakistan, Australia and England. FanCode has become the go-to platform for Indian fans to consume cricket in a digital-first manner which has redefined the sports viewing experience.”
Commenting on the Tour, FanCode co-founder Prasana Krishnan said, “We are delighted to bring the iconic series to our consumers. Our long-term partnership with CWI is a testament of our commitment to providing our users with a fan-first digital experience. FanCode will ensure a customized and seamless experience, right from the choice of their preferred language, match graphics, and real-time highlights, to a multitude of subscription options.”
West Indies Captain Nicholas Pooran on the upcoming series, said, “We have a young team that is eager to restore the brand of cricket the West Indies team is known for playing. As I take charge of this team, our ambition is to always be competitive, as we look to use this series to fine tune our preparations for the upcoming T20 and 50 Over World Cups.”
Mumbai: Crypto exchange Binance’s venture capital and incubation arm Binance Labs on Wednesday announced the closing of a new $500 million investment fund. The fund is supported by leading global institutional investors such as DST Global Partners, Breyer Capital, as well as other major private equity funds, family offices, and corporations as limited partners.
The new fund will be invested in projects to boost the use of blockchain, web3, and value-building technologies.
Binance founder and CEO Changpeng Zhao said: “In a web3 environment, the connection between values, people, and economies is essential, and if these three elements come together to build an ecosystem, that will accelerate the mass adoption of the blockchain technology and crypto. The goal of the newly closed investment fund is to discover and support projects and founders with the potential to build and to lead web3 across DeFi, NFTs, gaming, metaverse, social, and more.”
Since 2018, Binance Labs has invested in and incubated more than 100 projects from over 25 countries. Its portfolio includes industry-leading projects such as 1inch, Audius, Axie Infinity, Dune Analytics, Elrond, Injective, Polygon, Optimism, The Sandbox, and STEPN.
Binance Labs makes investments across three different stages: incubation, early-stage venture, and late-stage growth. The $500 million investment fund is expected to be allocated to projects spanning all three stages.
With incubation, Binance Labs aims to connect projects with Binance’s network of resources, experts, and mentors to help them drive successful product development and growth. Binance Labs runs its incubation program regularly and is currently supporting its fourth cohort.
Early-stage venture investments include token and equity investments across all sectors of cryptocurrency and web3, including infrastructure, DeFi, NFTs, gaming, metaverse, social, and crypto adoption platforms.
Late-stage growth investments target more mature companies looking to scale or bridge into the web3 ecosystem with the Binance ecosystem as a solid strategic partner.
MUMBAI: An OTT network, OMTV that showcases content on Indian Sanatan culture on Wednesday announced that it has secured funding of Rs 4 million. The company shared that it will be using this funding to cover its current operational cost and ramp up the production of original content.
Raj Kumar Jalan and Subhash Jalan led the funding. Raj Kumar Jalan is an IIT alumnus and has been working in Silicon Valley for the last three decades. Raj is a serial investor and invested in a lot of start-ups. He has served as the CTO of A10 most recently (a listed company on the New York Exchange) and played a fundamental role in the company’s growth trajectory. Subhash Jalan is currently settled in Bahrain and has over 15 years of experience in the investment banking domain. Over the years, he has invested in structured and monitored a private equity portfolio with total assets under management exceeding $5 billion.
OMTV founder Nitin Jai Shukla said, “We’re a group of passionate people who wanted to offer content close to our cultural roots. Our motto is ‘Gyan bhi, Garv bhi’ and through our OTT platform, we are showcasing stories that either evoke pride or learn something new. Partnering with Raj Kumar Jalan and Subhash Jalan puts us in a strong position and will enable us to make more interesting stories and connect with a larger viewer base. I thank you for the confidence that they have shown in the concept. I have a go-ahead from them on their participation in the next round of funding.”
“Sanatan Dharma is the richest, culturally most diverse, colorful religious tradition. A vast rainbow for every facet of life. A celebration of life in every way. We need an app like OMTV to tell the stories to the widest range of audiences to create a renaissance, a new sense of awareness, awe and pride for the most beautiful, meaningful religious cultural heritage. Living in America for so many years our 2nd generation American-Indians should be aware of their culture and roots and OMTV promised to deliver just that. I wish all the best to Nitin and his team for the amazing job that they are doing for sanatan culture,” said Raj Kumar Jalan.
Subhash Jalan said, “Our investment in OMTV is predicated on the thesis that OMTV will be the game changer..i.e, it truly heralds a positive change in the way in which viewers will want to absorb, acquire and nurture knowledge of our Sanatan Dharm. The way we see it is that the current landscape of electronic content is minuscule compared to the endless, limitless and huge knowledge base embedded in the Gita, Upanishads and the Vedas in particular and also in our heritage. All that needs to come out and be available to the man on the street in a readily available medium of OTT is now expected to be the order of the day. There is a lot of pure entertainment content out there, but OMTV will be the first platform that would combine knowledge, wisdom, values and morals with entertainment. We are very excited and look forward to OMTV scaling heights in the years to come.”
OMTV was launched during the pandemic and strives to be synonymous with quality content related to Indian culture. The app is available on both Android and iOS and is based on subscription video on demand. OMTV has been associated with short video apps Chingari and Josh and has clocked 100 million+ views and one lakh followers on these apps. It has also collaborated with Magic Box Animation Studios, one of the country’s biggest animation content providers.
The content that one will see on OMTV will either enhance your knowledge base (Gyan) or make you feel proud (Garv) about your culture and therefore reinforce the Indian value system. Over time, OMTV intends to be the aggregator of the content that deals with Indian Sanatan culture. It features a range of content from mythology, history, education, and similar genres.
Post this funding, OMTV is also looking to produce a lot of original content. There is great demand for content that can inform and educate people about the correct values through entertainment. Storytelling is a powerful medium and the best way to communicate, transfer and impart knowledge. All the shows on OMTV will reflect compelling Indian stories and showcase the rich Indian culture.
