Category: Over The Top Services

Mumbai: Tata Play Binge has announced another OTT partner integration to the platform, facilitating availability, accessibility, and affordability for OTT consumption. Tata Play Binge now offers ReelDrama, an OTT platform for bespoke Assamese content.

With its extensive partnership deals with 18 OTT apps, Tata Play Binge aims to present viewers with compelling content from all major and regional players across the country in just one click, expanding its regional offerings. The platform hosts an extensive library of movies, TV shows, web originals, and live sports all under one roof, with 18 apps under one roof.

ReelDrama, the most recent addition, is a homegrown Assamese OTT platform known for bringing Assamese culture to life through entertainment and education. Celebrated Assamese titles such as Rhino Express, Fisaa, Trojan, Ratnakar, Tomar Opekkhyat, and others, as well as ‘snackable entertainment’ in the form of short form videos ranging from music to poetry, stand-up comedy to cooking, devotional shows, and so on, will now be available to Tata Play Binge subscribers.

Commenting on the addition of ReelDrama, Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer, Pallavi Puri said, “One of the ideas behind Tata Play Binge is to bring to the fore diverse content from various cultures of India into the mainstream. ReelDrama’s content slate consists of Assamese cult movies and new-age cinema from the region, which we believe will add another flavor to the entire offering of Tata Play Binge.”

ReelDrama director Kuheli Dasgupta said, “The objective of ReelDrama is to provide an alternative platform for talented Assamese filmmakers to showcase their craft to a larger section of Assamese- speaking viewers. The association with Tata Binge will aid our effort to reach out to a wider audience, not only in Assam but also in the entire country.”

ReelDrama will join the band of most popular OTT platforms on Binge like Disney+ Hotstar, ZEE5, SonyLIV, MX Player, Voot Select, Lionsgate Play, Hoichoi, Planet Marathi, NammaFlix, Chaupal, SunNxt, Hungama Play, Eros Now, ShemarooMe, Voot Kids, Curiosity Stream, EPIC ON, and DocuBay. Content from all these platforms is available to the viewers of Tata Play Binge through a single subscription and single user interface.

 

Mumbai: MX Player has emerged as a preferred destination for maximum entertainment, owing to its exceptional content and diverse library of shows across genres and formats. And now, the platform is preparing to enthrall its viewers with the MX Studios original Salesman of the Year.

A slice-of-life mini-series Salesman of the Year produced by MX Studios, follows the life of a 26-year-old Karthik, played by Hussain Dalal, and his Charminar to Chandni Chowk journey as this Hyderabadi salesman relocates to Delhi. Co-powered by Valvoline and ET Money, and in collaboration with TVS Raider, Salesman of the Year will premiere exclusively on MX Player on 21 December.

Salesman of the Year is a five-episode series about a Hyderabad-born and raised 26-year-old Karthik who lands a sales job in Delhi. Karthik attempts to cope with life in a city, a place that is unfamiliar and often intimidating in every way, in order to prove to his parents that a sales job is not insignificant. With hope in his heart and ambition in his veins, he begins to deal with a highly competitive workplace, a jargon-spouting boss, an overly friendly DJ as a roommate, and locals who constantly threaten him, and all he can do is ensure that things don’t go south – literally and metaphorically.

Directed by Ankita Sharma, the series is written by Rajesh Narasimhan and Ashiish V Patil and also features internet sensation Ahsaas Channa in a key role.

Talking about the show, Dalal said, “Salesman of the Year tells a story that is extremely relatable for everyone as we are all trying to belong and be accepted – be it in a new city, a new job, with new friends or our own family. I had a blast playing Karthik Reddy, as his Hyderabadi slang & swag are something viewers have not had a chance to see before. The show is a masaledaar serving of Hyderabadi biryani with Dilli ke parathe – Amma kasam majhaa ayenga!”

Channa further added saying, “This was amongst the most mature and challenging characters I’ve had a chance to play. To portray a cold, aggressive corporate woman who comes with a gripping backstory was amazing. The script and the team made the entire journey and experience much more exciting – hopefully viewers will find both Ira Saxena and the show as exciting as I did!”

 MX Player COO, Nikhil Gandhi said, “The vision behind creating MX Studios is to offer bespoke brand solutions to advertisers and marketers across categories, tailored to cater to the pulse of Indian audiences. After the successful launch of our latest quiz based series, ‘Business Baazi’, we are delighted to associate with Valvoline, ET Money and TVS Raider for the upcoming slice of life series, Salesman of the Year. Written by Patil, it is an amalgamation of compelling content and seamless brand integrations. The diverse reach and target segmentation that MX Player offers is unparalleled in the OTT ecosystem and we hope to continue delivering value and impact for our stakeholders.”

Valvoline marketing head Ipshita Chowdhury, further added, “Shifting a job and city both can trigger quite a bumpy ride. MX Studio’s new show Salesman of the Year tells the story of one such Hyderabadi salesman who moves to Delhi – and that’s when he finds a friend and Valvoline Bike Xpert, Rocky who runs one of Delhi’s top bike garages to help him make his life and ride, both smoother. Just like what Valvoline’s Champ 4T Engine Oil does for motorcycles. We found a great fit and a fun story to integrate the brand seamlessly and we are delighted to partner with MX Studios to present a fun new series that the viewers will enjoy.”

 ET Money chief operating officer Santosh Navlani added, “MX Player’s new show ‘Salesman of the Year’ depicts how the protagonist, Karthik, faces a challenge when investing his money and how ET Money Genius solves all his concerns and empowers him with investing intelligence. There is a strong correlation between Karthik and ET Money’s target audience, who witness the same challenge while making their investment decisions. With such a perfect narrative and story resonance, we believe our association with MX Player in this show gives us an opportunity to portray the value and power ET Money Genius can bring to an investor’s life, i.e., empowering them with investing intelligence.”

 

Mumbai: Offbeet Media Group is a new-age media platform company driven by content production (B2B and B2C) and distribution capabilities.

Offbeet has a thriving service business with different brands offering specialised services for the government sector, influencer marketing, OTT, broadcast sector, B2C business of media brands via 101.com, Zelador Talent Management, the USPL (US Premier League), and Offbeet Studios, which has projects lined up for theatrical release and the OTT marketplace.

The group has a robust, credible stack of services/media products with an established body of work and has taken its first steps into tech with VR, NFT/metaverse, and esports, as well as becoming a true new-age media platform company.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with Offbeet Media Group CEO & founder Jaideep Singh to find out about the company’s plans.

A management executive with 20 years of experience in media, marketing, and entertainment, Singh has specific expertise in broadcast/TV, digital & social media, film, radio, live events, and experiential large-format entertainment properties. He has an in-depth understanding of building the content and revenue sides of media businesses across platforms and an established track record of managing P&L.

An expert in strategically building scalable and sustainable media brands/IPs and businesses, Singh has engaged aggressively in the global market with exposure and understanding of the UK, US, Europe, Singapore, and the Middle East.

Edited Excerpts:

On the market gap 

Offbeet was founded with the intention of capturing the space for telling stories about India that are rooted in our diverse culture, heritage, and the new India that is emerging. With content at the heart of everything we do across all lines of business we have entered, and a belief that there is a space and a demand for a new-age media company that vows to be content at heart while efficiently delivering profitable media services and media products that are scalable across spectrums, we have launched.

On the rising Offbeet scale

We started as a small content agency, working with and servicing brands and the government sector. Today, we have evolved into a media group that has a thriving service business with different brands.

On the covid impact

We actually took it as an opportunity to evolve and deliver innovative content solutions to clients to ensure business kept ticking. We also pulled back and strategised to seize new opportunities to diversify our business into what it is today. As a result of that, in the first covid year, we had no drop in revenues, and in the second year, which is the last fiscal year, we actually did 4X the business of the previous year. The work we put in last year to diversify and strengthen our offerings has carried the momentum forward, with H1 of this year already delivering the previous year’s topline, and the team is working to ensure that the current fiscal year is 3-4X growth again.

On the USP

Well, three things. One, great mix of service and media business both running efficiently and scaling at a very fast pace. Second, our ability and agility to enter into new trends and opportunities at speed and execute to perfection. And third, our team is our soul; it’s a perfect collective of creative, marketing, design, and business minds with solid years behind it, which has actually driven our first two points to perfection.

On the plans to grow USPL

We identified a gap in the US market and the need for a strong cricket league brand. Hence, we launched the USPL with a vision to deliver world-class cricket content and mix it with entertainment to get a wider audience to come and see the game on-ground, digitally, as well as on TV. We have set a good baseline in the first season with partnerships on broadcast and OTT, both on Voot and Colors Rishtey. The planning for the second season of the league is underway, and we will soon be making a big announcement for the same.

On the expansion

As of now, our aim is to focus on USPL and expand this brand in the US and into other markets as well. While remaining true to our vision, we have taken our first step into the explosive world of e-sports. With Ekalavya Bhattacharya on the team to drive the Offbeet esports business, we are developing this space in India and also making it one of our new growth drivers for the next year.

On the acquisition of 101Media

We launched the 101NFT Creators Project at Kochi as one of the first emerging from a digital publishing brand. Following which, we had a very interesting association with MG Motors and produced a series about Indian women who are warriors of change and are doing real work in the area of sustainability. 101India will soon be announcing a few flagship properties and also exploring expansion into new markets in India as well as globally.

On scaling Zelador up

In just 18 months, Zelador has produced some truly outstanding work across both macro- and nano-influencer bases. Aside from regular business, Zelador works on “moments-driven” marketing campaigns for multiple clients, has close to 100 clients, and produces content with influencers on a daily basis. The team had also collaborated with Google US as their exclusive partner in India on a mega project, where we worked with 200+ influencers and delivered close to 5,000+ pieces of content.

Zelador, which has a global presence, also provides solutions to Indian clients in markets such as the US, UK, MENA, and APAC. As we move ahead with our new business head Zerxes Wadia, who is an old friend and also a very smart influencer himself as well as a brand strategist, we are targeting a few things on a high level for scaling the talent business. One, increase our roster to 100+. Second, to expand into regional markets. Third, bring value to our influencers by making them brands. And fourth, we have a tech product coming out soon.

On what Zelador looks at before signing up talent

A&R discovery process is based a lot on the gut and feel of the team driving the acquisition, and you really can’t pin it down to anything specific. But at the top level, we look for talent that has some uniqueness to it, is hungry, hardworking, young, and understands content for the short and long term, both. Our core sectors for now are health & fitness, entertainment, music, adventure, and travel.

On the evolving influencer marketing industry

It’s no longer just about a post here and a reel there. It’s developed into a science with clear KPIs and metrics that are tracked by many tools available on the market to ensure that the brand gets the result it’s aiming for. As I see it, influencer marketing is now an integral part of most brands’ digital and social media marketing strategies, and if the category keeps moving the way it is and matures, I am sure it will inch closer to getting 10 per cent of the pie of any campaign that gets launched.

On the role of the metaverse

We are still too early to comment on this, but I believe it is critical for every business to begin exploring the world of the metaverse. We are doing our own work in this space and will soon announce Offbeet’s metaverse strategy.

On the collaboration with the Indian government

We have delivered some pathbreaking campaigns for both central and state ministries, with content at the heart of them. To give you a top-level view, we have produced top-quality regular content, coupled with impact content, by roping in A-league celebrities from India like Shah Rukh Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Puneet Rajkumar, Sachin Tendulkar, Ayushman Khurana, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Sonu Nigam, Varun Dhawan, Shreya Ghoshal, Kangana Ranaut, and many more for social message campaigns for different ministries. These campaigns are a mix of TVCs, documentaries, music anthems, web series, etc. We also work closely with top government officials on media strategies for impact and reach.

On the company’s goals for 2023

The majority of our scaled bets will reach maturity next year, with volume business expected to drive our topline and bottomline at an explosive rate. While our brand communication business across government and brands is showing a healthy growth, I see Offbeet Studios, the US Premier League, and 101 India as driving our volume deals. We have already made our initial forays into the US and MENA markets. 2023 would be the year to spread our services and offerings in these two key markets to drive the global footprint of Offbeet Media Group.

Mumbai: Global audio series platform Pocket FM released Pocket FM #Rewind2022 on Thursday, highlighting key consumption and listener community trends on the platform during the year.

Pocket FM has expanded its community to more than 80 million listeners and 5,00,000+ creators. With 1,00,000+ hours of content, and an addition of 1,500+ audio titles. The platform witnessed 45 billion+ minutes of entertainment, with an average listener bingeing for more than 110 minutes daily.

According to industry data, short video platforms account for 45 minutes of the average daily user’s time, while audio and video OTTs account for 65 and 70 minutes, respectively. On the contrary, average daily listener time spent is over 110 minutes on Pocket FM.

Over 90 per cent of the listeners’ spent time is attributed to audio series, a long-form serialised audio fiction category, pioneered and nurtured by Pocket FM. The platform will refresh its library with more than 1,000 audiobook titles in 2022.

Eyes are busy, ears are free!

Audio series are the new X-factor in the entertainment space. The long-form content of Pocket FM has brought binge-listening behaviour into the audio space. Audio series are now the entertainment boosters for listeners during commutes, household chores, work hours, and even during leisure hours, reiterating the strength of audio series to keep the audience engaged and entertained 24×7, irrespective of their activities.

Leisure hours account for nearly 50 per cent of the total listening time spent by consumers. Time slots between 9 a.m. -12 p.m. and 9 p.m. -12 a.m. have the maximum number of listeners tuned in, accounting for 35 per cent of the total daily time spent on Pocket FM. The listening pattern throughout the day follows similar patterns. The listener community of Pocket FM has a healthy gender ratio, with males and females having a 55 per cent and 45 per cent presence, respectively.

85 per cent of listeners are below the 35-year age bracket, though the listener demographic spreads across all age groups.

Content has no boundaries!

The content library of Pocket FM, dominated by Hindi and other Indian languages, has garnered popularity across corners of the country, the company said. This does not deter its tier-I audiences from getting entertained. Similarly, the platform’s English content is also consumed in smaller towns.

According to the government, there are eight tier-I cities in India. These eight cities contribute 15 per cent of Pocket FM’s listener community. Six of these eight cities are listed among Pocket FM’s top 10 cities.

While Delhi and Mumbai lead the top 10 cities, others like Lucknow, Indore, and Patna also fare well on the list of Pocket FM’s top listeners, including little-known Botad from Gujarat.

Audio series, the new binge factor!

The status of audio series has now surpassed that of television series. Pocket FM’s long-form serialised fictional storytelling has become the prime entertainment format for their 80 million+ listener community, contributing to over 90 per cent consumption. These audio series range between 500 to 1000 episodes. Sometimes they reach 1,500 episodes based on the script and listeners’ demand.

The top 10 audio series on Pocket FM have garnered over 1.4 billion plays, leading to more than 10 billion minutes of streaming.

People do pay for audio, definitely for great content!

Pocket FM witnessed 10X growth in content revenue, exceeding $25 million annualised revenue run-rate (ARR) in October, using micropayment-led content monetisation. Monthly transactions exceeded a million in November 2022.

Stimulated by binge-listening, the listener community applauded the introduction of the micropayment model. The pay-as-you-listen model, along with lower entry price points, created wonders for Pocket FM’s revenue growth.

Pocket FM CEO Rohan Nayak said, “With an objective to redefine the entertainment space, Pocket FM has been able to create the binge factor through its audio series. Furthermore, our audio series have managed to drive similar consumption behaviours, sometimes even better than any television content. It reflects in our listeners’ intent to pay for audio series, and increasing time-spent on the content.”

Creating audio celebrities

Pocket FM said that it is powered by their 5,00,000+ creator community, which consists of writers and voice actors. The Pocket FM creator community is provided with a stage to showcase their talents and posit the possibility of being transformed into audio celebrities.

With continued focus on the creator economy, Pocket FM has invested over $10 million to incentivise the creators for their contributions and keep them motivated on the platform. Top creators at Pocket FM earn more than $15,000 on average.

“Our creator community is an integral part of our journey, and we will continue to stay invested in building audio celebrities. This year has been a turnaround point for our growth journey, building the foundation for years to come,” added Nayak.

Mumbai: iTap and HumaraMovie have launched a new OTT show, Ex-Mates. The show depicts the drama of a breakup that spirals out of control. Shreya Prasad and Kunal Kulkarni break up due to the toxicity of their relationship, but things take a dramatic turn when the prime minister declares a nationwide lockdown.

While celebrating her freedom, Shreya soon realises that due to the lockdown, she will have to put up with her toxic boyfriend, who has been trapped a few floors below her, for another 14 days. They make a pact to divide the house and chores in order to make life easier, only for things to spiral out of control.

Ex-mates is a show for the modern age, brought to you in collaboration with One More Studios and created by Vibhav Ameta. With a total of seven episodes spanning 14 days, prepare to witness chaos in the best way possible as a toxic couple navigates their daily lives cut off from the rest of the world. The highly anticipated first episode of Ex-mates was released on the iTap app on 13 December, which can be downloaded from the Google App Store, and the HumaraMovie YouTube channel, followed by two episodes released every alternate day.

Speaking on this launch, an iTap spokesperson said, “We are eagerly looking forward to the launch of Ex-mates. We are certain that the audience will receive the show very well due to its humorous and strikingly realistic nature. Nowadays, the audience wants content that they can relate to, something that they can identify with, and we feel like this show is the perfect embodiment of that.”

Ex-mates creator Vibhav Gupta stated, “I had a vision when I created this show, I wanted to portray chaos and uncertainty in a humorous and lighthearted way. Lockdown changed lives for everyone, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to showcase that chaos and isolation in the show. I am very certain that the audience reaction will be one of appreciation and astonishment to this show.”

Mumbai: Prime Video, in collaboration with Dharma Productions and Leo Media Collective, announced that it will co-produce a new movie for theatrical release. The currently untitled movie features Vicky Kaushal in the lead and is directed by Anand Tiwari and produced by Hiroo Yash Johar, Karan Johar, Apoorva Mehta, Amritpal Singh Bindra, and Anand Tiwari.

The film also features Triptii Dimri and Ammy Virk in pivotal roles and is scheduled for a theatrical release on 28 July 2023. Following the theatrical release, the film will be available for streaming for Prime members in India and in more than 240 countries and territories.

The Vicky Kaushal-starrer is the second theatrical co-production that Prime Video is associated with Dharma Productions. The move marks Prime Video’s commitment to the growth of the content ecosystem in India by joining forces with the best storytellers in the country.

“As the first choice of entertainment, our aim is to super-serve our delightfully diverse customers in India with local stories that they can enjoy on any screen of their choice. We are committed to the growth of the Indian film industry, and our recent foray into co-productions is a perfect example of this,” said Prime Video, India vice president Gaurav Gandhi.

“Our association with Dharma for theatrical co-productions is a perfect extension of our existing deep association that includes licenced movies, direct-to-service premieres, and Indian originals across both series and films. After announcing Yodha as our first co-production, we are now thrilled to announce Anand Tiwari’s film as our next co-production with them. I am confident that Prime Video and Dharma Productions will together continue to deliver world-class cinematic experiences to viewers within India as well as across the globe.” he added.

Dharma Productions’ Karan Johar said, “Anand Tiwari’s upcoming film is special on several counts. It is helmed by a master storyteller, features Vicky Kaushal, a National Film Award-winning actor, and is also a natural progression of our association with Prime Video. Together with Prime Video, we have delivered some of the most memorable stories to audiences around the world. From direct-to-service premieres of Shershaah and Gehraiyaan, to giving a global reach to our theatrical ventures when they are released on streaming, the worldwide success of our films is a testament to the strength of our association with Prime Video. We are thrilled to be collaborating with them across the spectrum of storytelling—licensing, original series, original movies, and now theatrical co-productions.”

The announcement fortifies the successful, half-a-decade-long association between Prime Video and Dharma Productions. Prime Video’s expansive content library features multiple licensed Dharma classics that have acquired massive fan-following over the years, with several new films scheduled to release on the service post their theatrical release. In the last two years, Prime Video launched the highly successful movies Shershaah and Gehraiyaan, directly on the service, serving audiences in 240+ countries and territories. Taking a step further, earlier in the year, Prime Video also announced a slate of original series and movies with Dharmatic Entertainment.

“Dharma Productions has a history of successful storytelling, and we are proud to have played an important role in taking their best stories to the world,” said Prime Video, India director of content licensing, Manish Menghani.

“This step of foraying further into theatrical co-productions will serve to strengthen our partnership and collective commitment to bringing the best content to our customers, across the world. We are excited to work with the best creative voices in the country to co-create stories that leave an everlasting impression on their viewers. Anand’s untitled next film features stellar talent in front of and behind the camera. We are truly excited to embark on this new journey and see where it takes us,” he added.

Dharma Productions CEO Apoorva Mehta said, “Anand Tiwari’s upcoming film is an eclectic mix of drama, emotions, and a dash of comedy that will leave the audiences gleaming. With a stellar cast like Vicky Kaushal, Triptii Dimri, and Ammy Virk, the film is the perfect summer entertainer, and we can’t wait for audiences to watch it in theatres. We are delighted to collaborate with Prime Video on two theatrical films. In Prime Video, we have found a partner that not only shares our vision of offering engaging cinematic experiences but also provides global distribution for the best stories from the Indian entertainment ecosystem. Through these collaborations, we will further nurture our successful deep association with Prime Video.”

Leo Media Collective is also a co-producer of the upcoming Vicky Kaushal film. Co-founded by Amritpal Singh Bindra and Anand Tiwari, Leo Media Collective has become synonymous with premium-quality, coming-of-age content in the entertainment space. Though he began his career working in Hollywood, Amritpal’s love for Indian content brought him back to India to create Indian content for global audiences. With vast experience in the world of films, advertising, and theatre, Anand Tiwari too has created a niche for himself in the entertainment industry.

Talking about the upcoming film, Leo Media Collective founders Anand Tiwari and Amritpal Singh Bindra said, “We are excited to make our theatrical debut working alongside two of the biggest champions of storytelling in India – Prime Video and Dharma. The film is wholesome entertainment. We are certain that the audiences will love watching a story that hasn’t been told before. We are also excited to partner with Prime Video once again. Together, we have delivered two of the most differentiated stories in recent times – Maja Ma and Bandish Bandits. At the same time, we are looking forward to working with the team at Dharma Productions. The coming together of three entities that have shared values in storytelling and content makes this film even more special.”

Mumbai: Esports and live game streaming platform Loco on Thursday announced the elevation of Firasat Durrani, currently VP of operations, and Chetan Dhembre, currently CTO, to co-founders of the company. By bolstering its core leadership, Loco is aiming to consolidate its position in the gaming ecosystem and provide the Indian gaming community with cutting-edge products and services.

Durrani, who joined Loco in 2020 when it launched its live streaming platform, has been leading Loco’s content supply and operations functions, from creator and content acquisition to publisher partnerships. Meanwhile, Dhembre, who came on board in 2018, has built Loco’s best-in-class engineering team, which has designed and delivered a product for Loco’s users.

Durrani said, “New beginnings are always exciting, and I am elated and honoured to step into this new role as co-founder at Loco. Loco has come a long way in the last two years, from humble beginnings to becoming the world’s leading independent esports and live streaming platform today. Having witnessed this incredible transition firsthand, I am confident that our amazing team will continue to be trailblazers as we move forward, leading and pushing the boundaries of gaming entertainment. With many exciting new developments in the pipeline, I look forward to what 2023 has in store for us.”

Dhembre said, “Having been part of Loco for over half a decade, I am honoured to be named the co-founder. I am proud of what we have achieved so far and am excited for the future. Loco has grown exponentially from its humble beginnings to becoming one of the most sought-after tech companies in the esports and live streaming spaces. Looking ahead, we plan to introduce cutting-edge technology and even more features on the platform for an effortless and unified user experience. With one of the most talented product and technology teams in the country, we are well-equipped to tackle any challenges that come our way.”

Loco founders Anirudh Pandita and Ashwin Suresh said, “We are delighted to welcome Firasat and Chetan as co-founders of Loco. With their wealth of knowledge, expertise, and extensive experience in their respective fields, 2023 will be an exciting time for the company. Their continued contribution has been integral to Loco’s growth. We are confident that in their new roles, they will be instrumental in taking Loco to the pinnacle of the esports and gaming streaming entertainment industries worldwide. These appointments demonstrate Loco’s commitment to investing in and strengthening its leadership team and provide a promising foundation for its journey ahead.”

Mumbai: NXTCONCLAVE 2022 was organised by NXTDIGITAL, the digital media division of Hinduja Global Solutions, which is a Hinduja Group company, and brought together notable business leaders to exchange ideas and knowledge. The event was attended by leading and independent digital platform operators (DPOs) from all over India.

The event began with a welcome address by Hinduja Global Solutions’ whole-time director and NXTDIGITAL CEO Vynsley Fernandes, who discussed the goals of NXTCONCLAVE 2022. The event’s theme was “Digital Transformation Through the 3Cs: Connect, Converge, and Collaborate.” On the sidelines of the conclave, Vynsley pointed out, “The media industry is founded on innovation and evolution. We at NXTDIGITAL have been spearheading that change by launching new products and solutions based on new tech. The fortunes of the entire industry are tied to each other, so we thought it imperative to set up this conclave to discuss the changing paradigm. We’re delighted that DPOs from across India chose to join us today; to figure out ways to grow and collaborate together as an industry.”

The event’s opening session was titled “State of the Indian M&E Industry: Talking Data.” KPMG associate partner Vibhor Gauba and associate vice president Poulomi Chakraborty delivered the presentation. They displayed a recent KPMG report that characterised the Indian television market as still being a goliath with plenty of space for expansion, particularly in rural India.

In the second discussion, which was titled “Emerging Technology Trends – Bhai, Kya Hai Yeh Metaverse?” Accenture’s global IT Enterprise Metaverse Lead  Ashwin D’Silva, JetSynthesys’ chief strategy officer Girish Menon and NXTDIGITAL’s chief technology officer Ru Ediriwira discussed the future-shaping emerging technologies that could help industry players understand the possibilities of a metaverse and plan business strategies.

In the third session, NXTDIGITAL COO N K Rouse and NXTDIGITAL’s content & solutions advisor, Mukund Sharma, discussed “The new digital savvy consumer: What does she want?” with management college students Shiwank, Vernika, and Rehaan. Students were polled about their daily content consumption and the mediums on which they prefer to watch specific content. It ended with the unveiling of the beta OTT aggregator app from NXTDIGITAL, called NXTPLAY.

The fourth discussion focused on the topic “Increasing digital adoption—time for true convergence,” with speakers—Aabo founder, serial entrepreneur, mentor, and guide Atul Himani; industry expert Gaurav Babbar; and OneOTT Intertainment Ltd. (OIL) COO Sanjeev Agarwal—discussing how digital adoption is pushing the industry toward convergence. The main focus of the session was on how important digital adoption is and how stakeholders will benefit the business if they understand it as soon as possible.

OIL’s chief business officer Sameer Kanse briefed the audience on broadband over satellite and NXTSkyFi. He went on to moderate the session titled “The Enterprise Business: Leveraging Capabilities and Infrastructure for Growth,” which featured YES Bank’s chief information officer Mahesh Ramamoorthy and IndusInd Bank’s senior vice president and infrastructure head Mustafa Shaikh, who discussed the enterprise-class requirements of the sector and what is expected from DPOs to meet the same.

NXTDIGITAL’s learning and development head Alka Tiwari, along with Sharon George (NIIT) and Subeer Sarkar (a cable partner from Allahabad), gave a presentation on the topic “Upgrading Digital Skill Sets: Now a Necessity,” in which she explained how NXTDIGITAL provides training for industry stakeholders to upskill themselves with new digital technologies through a national training programme called NXT Sangram.

The day-long event concluded with the final session, titled “Value Creation: Collaboration is the Key,” in which NXTDIGITAL CEO Vynsley Fernandes, Indiantelevision.com group founder, CEO & editor-in-chief Anil NM Wanvari, EY partner (M&E) Ashish Pherwani, and Elara Capital senior vice president Karan Taurani discussed how value creation is the key and how cost optimisation could be a driver. They agreed on how connecting, convergent thinking, and collaborating will help all industry players in the long run.

Mumbai: Ollang, a US-headquartered global player in the content localisation industry using artificial intelligence (AI) audio solutions, has announced its foray into the Indian market. In addition to expanding its footprint in the country, the company is looking to create a talent pool of AI-dubbing experts. The global brand, which has been bringing dubbed video and audio content to viewers in more than 60 languages, is also on the lookout for professionals in the domain of closed captions and subtitles.

The platform enables TV channels, online video streaming channels, production companies, e-learning platforms, and content creators to ensure that their AV content gets a global reach. This time it has come to India with its state-of-the-art AI-enabled content localisation platform, OLabs, that will need more than 1,000 AI dubbing demos and about 100 active AI dubbers at all times. The projects on which the editors and experts work will come from all over the world, so the language used may vary from Spanish to French to Turkish, among other things.

Ollang co-founder and CEO Ebru Yıldırım said, “The first step is translation, which is done by a professional translator, and the second step is AI dubbing, wherein the AI dubbing editors fix the voices and lip sync. It is also an excellent earning opportunity for professionals working or aspiring to work in the niche future-oriented domain, as they may earn up to $120 for working on approximately one hour of content.”

She also stated that, while demand for English AI-dubbing is currently at its peak, the growth-oriented company plans to scale up and add a few more languages over the next six months. “The major task is to ensure lip sync that is done with AI; otherwise, a simple dub makes the same content jarring to the eyes due to a lack of sync between audio and video. Furthermore, the AI-enabled dubbing process ensures quick turnaround time for projects, reliable work, and the potential for better results.”

Mumbai: MX Player’s content arm – MX Studios, in partnership with Bada Business, is set to introduce India’s next big business tycoons in an interesting quiz show – Business Baazi. Acknowledging and testing the potential of commerce and business school students, this unconventional quiz show will be hosted by Aparshakti Khurana. The show will feature comedian Dr. Sanket Bhosale, who will entertain audiences with gags and mimicry in his various avatars.

It will be available on MX Player beginning 16 December 2022. Renowned business coach Dr. Vivek Bindra will appear as a start-up guru on the show.

The reality quiz show will feature three teams of two students from different schools/colleges in each episode, determining one winner at the end of it. In a total of 13 episodes, nine episodes will be qualifying rounds (hosting 27 teams over the span of the series), three episodes will be the semifinals, and one will be the grand finale that will crown the ultimate winner who takes home the trophy and a cash prize of Rs 10 lakhs.

Commenting on the collaboration, Bada Business CEO and founder Dr. Vivek Bindra said, “Business Baazi was conceptualised with an aim to ensure that learning about business is fun and engaging. We are thrilled about our collaboration with MX Studios as MX Player is the perfect platform for this initiative to reach out to India’s diverse audience with our fresh, relevant, and universally appealing content.”

Leveraging consumer insights to drive creative excellence that caters to its audience’s needs, MX Studios has entered a three-show deal with Bada Business.

Speaking about this show and the deal, MX Studios content & creative head Suresh Menon said, “MX Studios has been effectively delivering brand messaging through engaging, innovative, and relevant solutions. Quiz shows have always been popular with viewers across the globe, and at MX Studios, we believe our audiences are ready to consume content of diverse genres. Our three-show content partnership with Bada Business, is a step in this direction, and the first show is Business Baazi, a unique quiz show that will test the business acumen and knowledge of our young students while educating them with business insights. The show is for all aspiring/budding entrepreneurs, and we hope it strikes a chord as we continue to cater to our audiences with quality offerings and further bolster relationships with them.”

The Business Baazi trailer acquaints the audience with the degree of intellectuality as it tests the contestant’s knowledge of Indian and international business affairs. It introduces viewers to ace presenter Aparshakti Khurana while also providing comic relief in the form of Dr. Sanket Bhosale, who, unlike other quiz shows, adds a fun twist to the episode. But above all, Business Baazi insinuates the importance of nurturing the potential that today’s youth carry with them.

On hosting this interesting quiz show, Khurana commented, “To be honest, I have hosted many shows, but Business Baaziwas hands down the most challenging and phenomenal experience of them all. These young minds hold a depth of knowledge, and I believe it is so very important to recognise and nurture this talent, the future of India.”

Adding to this, Bhosale mentioned, “I loved the idea of adding a comedy segment to this fascinating quiz show, it really brings a smile to the faces of these bright students, and more so, it really adds a hatke twist to the format of the show. The craze for studying and making something of their lives is so much sharper in this generation, and I am glad I could be a part of Bada Business and MX Player’s vision of encouraging and recognising the efforts of these young students. Me being a doctor loved to give the best medicine (laughter) on the show.”