Category: Over The Top Services

Jagran New Media continues to grow; crosses 100 mn users mark

Mumbai: Jagran New Media (JNM), a digital arm of Jagran Prakashan said that it has surpassed 100 million users in the news/information category. According to the report ‘Comscore MMX Multi-Platform: June’22,’ as JNM reported, the company registered a growth of 19 per cent in total unique visitors to 100.60 million. With 384 million total views and 485 million minutes time spent, JNM said that it has witnessed an annual growth of four per cent in total unique visitors and consolidated its position as one of India’s top ten news and information publishers, which augurs well for monetisation.

Jagran New Media provides real-time content across genres, with news and politics being the primary drivers. Education, lifestyle, health, auto, and technology are also significant contributors to this growth, it said.

Jagran New Media CEO Bharat Gupta said, “Content, technology, and policy are the new building blocks for any new-age media company. Our mission is to produce factual and credible content that enables and empowers the new India through knowledge, information, and POV towards better health, better education, and better growth, leading to an inclusive and progressive society. We have made significant investments in content + technology to provide an engaging and secure experience at the product end, while also protecting the digital expansion of Cookie Fadeout through the use of the DMP.”

“News/information category witnessed a drop in FY 2021-22. The algorithm change aimed at making the news ecosystem more expert-driven, authoritative, and trust-based, as well as the post-UP election traffic, were the two big reasons for this drop. Eight out of the top 10 news and information companies witnessed a sharp annual decline. Thanks to our audience-first strategy, wherein we have different products for different audience segments, which helped Jagran New Media witness growth. In all, we are gearing up for the next billion users by way of a scalable and sustainable business model,” he further explained.

Jagran New Media chief revenue officer Gaurav Arora said, “We are all set for the festive season and are hopeful of an action-packed season this year. Our primary goal at Jagran is to reach out to our advertisers with innovative solutions across genres. The segmented approach has previously yielded results, and we are currently aiming high in the auto, tech, lifestyle, FMCG, and gaming categories as part of our overall revenue plan. We are introducing new products and IP’s to enable brand solutions that are out of the ordinary.”

Jagran New Media has an array of offerings under the media and publishing category. Within the Hindi news and information category, the company’s flagship brand, Jagran.com, further consolidated its position with constant growth in terms of users, page views, and time spent. It clocked a reach of 44.61 million unique visitors, 166 million total views, and 229 million total minutes of reach.

In the education category, JagranJosh.com said that it has 43.79 million total unique visitors, 124 million total views, and 140 million minutes of spent time and registered a growth of 98 per cent in total unique visitors, 86 per cent in total views, and 87 per cent in total minutes. JagranJosh.com also registered an annual growth of 138 per cent in total unique visitors, 167 per cent in total views, and 171 per cent in total minutes.

In the health segment, Onlymyhealth.com maintained its leadership position in the Indian health-information category with 7.09 million total unique visitors, 11 million total views, and 13 million total minutes time spent, registering a monthly growth of 30 per cent in total unique visitors, 41 per cent in total views, and 30 per cent in total minutes, and an annual growth of 91 per cent in total unique visitors, 23 per cent in total views, and a 28 per cent increase in total minutes.

In the women’s and lifestyle category, HerZindagi.com maintained 18.22 million total unique visitors, 28 million total views, and 31 million total minutes. JNM consolidated its video presence by clocking 67.18 million video views and witnessed a growth of 120 per cent during the month of June’22 (Source: YT analytics).

August 2, 2022
HeyHey! is helping brands across the entertainment industry enter web3 and navigate new waters: founder & CEO Caleb Franklin

Mumbai: HeyHey! is a leading-edge online platform that facilitates new forms of experiential engagement between fans and global celebrities, creators, and influencers by utilising new-age tech like web3, blockchain, and NFTs to create digital products that are ahead of the curve. The platform also acts as a gateway through which fans can discover and directly interact with their favourite stars, while empowering celebrities to develop memorable bespoke experiences for their fanverse through personalised video messages and shoutouts.

Having launched in key international markets like the US and Japan, HeyHey!’s foray into India brings with it an appreciation of the celeb-fan relationship nuances that may differ from one market to another.

HeyHey! uses its innovative tech to partner with brands, celebrities, and entertainment entities to deliver unmatched experiences with the help of cutting-edge web2 and web3 solutions to fanverses. HeyHey! helps connect fans with over 2,500 artists on its robust roster, ranging from famous Indian names such as Govinda, Amish Tripathi, Sharman Joshi, Evelyn Sharma, Elnaaz Norouzi, Kaneez Surka, Sarfaraz Khan, and K. Gowtham. Apart from films, they also have leading television stars like Rupali Ganguly, Divyanka Tripathi, Rashmi Desai, etc., alongside regional stars like Angel Thomas, Monal Gajjar, Deeksha Joshi, Ojas Rawal, and more, and leading Hollywood stars such as Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Mariah Carey, and Tom Hardy.

Indiantelevision.com caught up with HeyHey! founder and CEO Caleb Franklin. He currently operates out of HeyHey!’s Mumbai office, building an exclusive platform for fan-celebrity engagement with some of India’s biggest talent being present on the platform. In addition to its India operations, HeyHey! is present in Japan and attracts some of the best regional and international talents in sports, media, literature, and art.

He is also Matter Entertainment founder and CEO. Matter produces premium television and film series for top OTT platforms such as Netflix, Disney+, Amazon, etc. Matter is a premium literary management company representing some of the leading global artists from India in the realms of writing, direction, books, and production.

Before founding HeyHey!, Franklin spent a decade working for the Creative Artists Agency (CAA). In his time at CAA, Franklin represented the company’s clients across the global landscape of media, entertainment, technology, and sports. Caleb spearheaded many of the agency’s international initiatives and was part of the founding team of CAA’s presence in India and the Middle East.

Franklin graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in Social Studies from Harvard University with a minor in South Asian Studies. In his personal time, Franklin is a board member of the Ron Brown Scholar Program and serves on the founding committee of Soho House Mumbai. He currently lives in Mumbai with his wife Anisha and their dog Morty.

Edited excerpts:

On the idea of HeyHey!

Caleb: HeyHey!’s mission is to help fans connect with their favourite celebrities, brands, and creators and provide premium experiences at scale. We started as a platform which helped customers get personalised video messages for their loved ones from our roster of more than 2,500+ celebrities. HeyHey! was a growing and touching success, with requests for every occasion ranging from birthday wishes to marriage proposals, haircuts, and even breaking up with someone! We wanted to bridge the gap between a fan and their favourite creator and also help creators build a community.

On NFTs and the metaverse, allowing celebrities and brands to build better fan engagement

Caleb: Until now, we’ve seen the focus in the NFT and metaversal spaces revolve around the collectible and novelty aspects. NFTs and the metaverse are still in their nascencey, but we’ve seen that a lot of our partners are interested in this space and are curious to explore it more. As we see more adoption from fans who want to have a more personal touch from their favourite celebrities and creators starting to realise the potential of dedicated fanverses, we will witness a great shift in how both personal and corporate brands start to develop better trust and cultivate a more organic approach to showcasing their products and services with interactive opportunities and experiential engagement.

On leveraging these opportunities

Caleb: Staying true to our mission of providing premium experiences to fans at scale, we realised the power of web3. Our aim is to build fanverses, communities, and a platform where fans and celebrities get to build a deeper connection. The concept behind HeyHey! NFTs is to allow fans to have pathways into their favourite celebrity’s community with exclusive perks that are only available upon ownership of that artist’s NFT.

Apart from making the NFT community in general bigger, we’re trying to provide community building provisions to our NFT creators as well as NFT enthusiasts. HeyHey!’s idea, however, includes having global artists and a global fanbase. We want to create a fanverse where the confines of geographical barriers are broken and both artists and fans worldwide can come under one umbrella.

On the celebrities that HeyHey! is working with currently

Caleb: We help connect fans with over 2,500+ Indian and global artists from our network, ranging from famous Indian names such as Govinda, Amish Tripathi, Sharman Joshi, Evelyn Sharma, Elnaaz Norouzi, Kaneez Surka, Sarfaraz Khan, K. Gowtham, Rupali Ganguly, Divyanka Tripathi, Rashmi Desai, etc., to regional stars like Angel Thomas, Monal Gajjar, Deeksha Joshi, Ojas Rawal, to Hollywood stars like Johnny Depp, Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Mariah Carey, and Tom Hardy.

On creating awareness among celebrity fans to use its service

Caleb: Our previous collaborations have worked as a great case study for us to pitch to other celebrities and potential NFT creators. Being able to show them both what the market is like and what we have done with other artists only gives them a better understanding of what the space is like and they can further decide upon things.

Creators are now understanding the several use cases web3 offers that are not available in existing web2 solutions. Fans are also understanding the importance of dedicated fanverses and communities built around creators they follow/brands they use and feel like a part of their journey.

On the experiences that fans can get with celebrities using NFTs that otherwise would not be possible

Caleb: To give a simple example, we’ve gamified Sunny Leone’s ‘I Dream Of Sunny’ NFTs, which gives its owners many benefits that go above and beyond monetary, ranging from coffee dates, set visits, joining her on Instagram live, attending a private yacht party with her, to even going skydiving with her! All these benefits depend on the category of the NFTs the enthusiasts have purchased.

One of the NFT owners, who lives in another country, was a winner in one of the weeks, and he got to go on an Instagram live with her. To the ones who didn’t know how he did it, he was flooded with queries about how he got an opportunity like that. Sunny too received many DMs asking her how they would also get an opportunity to go live with her. That’s the power of having ownership of her NFT.

We don’t think that the same would be possible otherwise, because when you think of it, she has millions of followers and she would not go through her list to select a person who she would want to go live with. Also, there would be no purpose. It is because of the NFT that a particular owner owned that enabled him to go live with her. These NFTs allow Sunny to get to know her fans up close and personally, and vice versa.

On the impact that NFTs and the metaverse will have on the M&E industry

Caleb: NFTs and the metaverse are already here, having an immense impact on how the media and entertainment businesses approach new avenues. We see it as various stakeholders in the industry are looking to get in on the action, whether to use it as a tool for showcasing an already-existing product or giving users a preview of what they can expect.

That’s not all. We can see a lot of entertainment businesses incorporating NFTs and metaverse in a way that it’s an extension of what they already offer, essentially helping to offer a more holistic and complete experience.

In the very near future, we are going to see a lot more NFT projects from big and small creators alike, bringing great ideas to the forefront using the crowdfunding method. This comes through the power of community and the feeling of being part of something you genuinely believe has great potential to be something remarkable, and we believe this is just the tip of the iceberg in how the industry can be part of this movement.

On the opportunity that HeyHey! sees in India

Caleb: India as a market has always been selective in what appeals to the masses and if it’s new or revolutionary enough to warrant learning something entirely new. Web3 is the same and in the last two years, we’ve already seen so many ambitious projects from different industries utilising web3. It’s only a matter of time before the infrastructure is adopted all over, and when that happens, our consumers are going to enjoy some exceptional experiences by being part of like-minded communities.

We want to approach this section of the market and help provide the tools to make such a reality accessible and usable. We are confident that India is ready to be more immersed in web3 and the metaverse.

On the collaboration with Viacom18 Studios

Caleb: Viacom18 Studios has been a behemoth in the industry for many years. As a market leader, HeyHey! helped them understand the importance of community building and how web3 was a way of building this long-lasting community. With a full proof concept and plan in place, Viacom18 Studio’s Shabaash Mithu was the perfect opportunity for them to step into the web3 space. With a solid understanding of how we would have liked this to be, and with HeyHey! as their technological partner, we made it a point to show them the path and process.

On the other projects that HeyHey! is working on in India

Caleb: We have some exciting projects in our pipeline. A lot of our partners are curious to understand the potential of web3 and NFTs. HeyHey! is helping brands across the entertainment industry enter web3 and navigate new waters. As showcased with our partnership with The Olive Group, we’re also gearing up to put into production some projects for top-tier brands who want to re-imagine their own existence in the upcoming (virtual) reality.

We’re working with some hard-working teams who want to ensure that they offer their consumers the best possible version of their products they can, whether the consumer is at their store or at home staring at their phone screen.

On some of the misconceptions that exist when it comes to NFTs

Caleb: Due to the high NFT prices we’ve seen in the media, there has been a common misconception that NFTs are only art, a way to “get rich quick” or a scam. This has led to people buying NFTs as an investment with the hope or expectation that they’ll increase in price. We have seen a trend of multiple industries, including art, gaming, ticketing, and entertainment, venturing into the web3 space to understand more about it and explore the multiple use cases it can offer.

HeyHey! NFTs will provide every buyer with utilities, including offline exclusive experiences and the opportunity to join a community of like-minded individuals. Our agenda is to help brands and creators create a community around themselves and also for fans to feel deeply connected.

On web3

Caleb: We see web3 as a means for creators and brands to build communities around themselves or their IPs and for fans to feel more connected and build a deeper relationship with these creators and brands. HeyHey! wants to empower these creators and brands to help build these fanverses and communities.

August 1, 2022
GUEST ARTICLE: 5G and IoT-The beginning of a new era

Mumbai: Meta Description: The integrated ecosystem of 5G and IoT (internet of things) has the potential to revolutionise business fortunes if these new technologies are coupled in a synergistic manner.

What do the numbers say about 5G and IoT integration?

Take a look at the data below to see the great potential that 5G technology integration in IoT devices offers:

• According to Cisco, in the near future, 500 billion IoT devices will be integrated with 5G technology. This figure comprises, among other things, sensors, actuators, scanners, and medical devices.

• Ericsson AB, another reputable brand in the IT business, forecasts that by the end of 2022, 550 million 5G customers will be part of the current iteration of mobile broadband. According to the analysis, 5G integration in IoT devices will see an unparalleled hike in the next few years.

• Asia Pacific will become the 5G network’s second-fastest expanding hub, accounting for around 10 per cent of worldwide customers. This change in the customer segment will spread to the industrial sector, catalysing the use of 5G in IoT devices.

What exactly are IoT and 5G technologies?

The potential of 5G technology and its ramifications for IoT devices have piqued the imagination of information technology professionals. Given the projected increase in the number of IoT devices from 16.4 billion to 30.9 billion units by 2025, the growth of 5G technology is essential for flawless communication among these vast numbers of devices.

The fifth-generation network, or 5G technology, is the next version of the broadband cellular network. It can provide larger bandwidths and data speeds of up to 20 gigabytes per second (20 Gbps). The 5G network, when combined with IoT devices, has the potential to revolutionise the faces of many organisations across industries. Healthcare, transportation, energy and power, and education are just a few of the industries that stand to benefit greatly from the combination of 5G and IoT devices.

Data aggregation and information extraction from IoT devices

IoT devices are critical for gathering, aggregating, and analysing data from a wide range of sources. This data is subsequently analysed, resulting in the extraction of actionable information that may be used to make critical organisational strategic and tactical decisions.

Consider the application of IoT devices in the healthcare industry. Today, IoT devices record a wide range of customer data at hospitals, health centres, infirmaries, and other facilities. The acquired data is then used to extract information about patients’ various health factors, such as age, gender, health concerns, and so on. As a result, this data is used by a variety of stakeholders, including doctors, patients, pharmaceutical companies, and medication marketers, to develop policy frameworks, action plans, and market strategies.

IoT and 5G: complementary forces

All data collection and aggregation can now be done more efficiently if IoT devices are seamlessly connected with one another, which is where the importance of a fast and reliable 5G network comes into play. Because of the 5G network’s high-speed data transfer, IoT devices can work significantly more efficiently than they can with 4G networks. To summarise, for IoT devices to reach their full potential, a fully matured and evolved 5G network is required.

In terms of benefits, 5G technology and IoT devices have the potential to transform the fortunes of numerous companies. The following are some concrete highlights that demonstrate the great potential that integrating these technologies can provide businesses:

1) 5G technology has made a name for itself due to its unique efficiency, speed, and latency characteristics. Furthermore, 5G technology provides superior safety and security, which, when combined with next-generation IoT devices, can enable significant leaps forward in autonomous driving, drone operations, virtual reality, digital finance, and a variety of AI applications in various sectors.

2) 5G networks will primarily benefit enterprises in the healthcare, education, transportation, supply chain, and manufacturing industries. The adoption of 5G-enabled IoT devices in the healthcare industry is already increasing at an exponential rate. The convergence of 5G and IoT in the education industry will result in a more interactive virtual learning and immersive experience for students. Transportation and logistics will profit from the convergence of these new technologies as well, through the use of real-time tracking, electronic data interchange, and automatic stock replenishment. The manufacturing industry may use the concept of remote access, repair, and maintenance in IoT devices via high-speed internet, which will be truly transformative for the business.

The need for a comprehensive 5G and IoT ecosystem

We need to establish an integrated ecosystem of 5G networks and IoT devices to achieve the full potential of 5G and IoT devices. Only with the seamless integration of both of these technologies will industries be able to make huge leaps across the value chain. From raw material procurement to product manufacture, and from sales and marketing to actual client purchasing, we must endeavour to create a comprehensive ecosystem. As a result, businesses across their value chain and participating stakeholders will benefit from synergies.

The author of the article is Altorum Leren co-founder and CEO Prateek Shukla.

August 1, 2022
MPL launches #SaveOurMissingGirls campaign, teams up with Missing Link Trust for a role play game

Mumbai: Mobile and skill gaming platform (MPL), in collaboration with Missing Link Trust, has launched a campaign called #SaveOurMissingGirls to raise awareness about human trafficking. The campaign was announced on the eve of the United Nations’ World Day against Trafficking in persons. It aims to spread awareness of the dark world of human trafficking through a role-playing game.

As a part of this week-long campaign starting on 30 July, MPL has invited people to take a pledge by giving a missed call to the number 9099306000 and show their support towards ending this menace that impacts millions of lives every year.

Human trafficking is the second largest organised crime in the world and the numbers are alarmingly increasing across the world and in India. According to a Dasra report, nearly 1827 women are trafficked every hour on an average in India, resulting in almost 16 million women being victims of sex trafficking every year. 40 per cent of these victims are adolescents and children.

The UN’s theme this year for World Day Against Human Trafficking is ‘use and abuse of technology’ in human trafficking, and MPL has chosen gamification as the technology-led path to sensitise the general public and potential victims about human trafficking and ways to prevent it.

Missing, developed by Missing Link Trust, an NGO which combines art and technology to create mass awareness around sex trafficking, was onboarded on MPL recently. The interactive game, wherein the gamer assumes the role of a trafficked girl in India, is designed to allow players to experience what a missing person goes through when she is trafficked into the inhumane and cruel world of prostitution, a world into which millions of girls are lost every year. Gamers have to make smart choices at each step of the game to be able to get out of the trap set by traffickers.

MPL country head for India Namratha Swamy said, “Technology has a big role to play in the prevention of human trafficking, and we believe online gaming can be an interesting way to sensitise people and raise awareness about eradicating human trafficking. One of the key objectives of the #SaveOurMissingGirls campaign is to use games to make more people alert. We have received an overwhelming response from MPL’s users to Missing ever since its launch on our platform.”

“The Missing game comes under the genre of ‘Games for Change’ by tackling the first ‘P for Prevention’ of the United Nation’s four Ps against trafficking. We think this campaign, along with our collaboration with the MPL platform, with a strong 90 million, will be a game-changer in ensuring a wide reach for the game and making millions of people aware of the menace,” said Missing Link Trust founder Leena Kejriwal.

Several celebrities and influencers such as Durjoy Datta, Ravinder Singh, and Trendulkar have extended their support to the campaign by joining the conversation on social media. NGOs like CyberPeace Foundation, Impulse, and Digital Empowerment Foundation, among others, also supported the initiative to show their solidarity towards the cause.

July 30, 2022
Authenticity drives brand affinity for Gen Z: BBC Studios study

Mumbai : BBC Studios has released a new study titled “Brands, News and Gen Z,” focused on revealing the preferences and motives of a new generation with purchase power, making it easier for advertisers to target an emerging, commercially receptive segment. The study offers advertisers deeper insight into what motivates Gen Z, how this generation engages with the news and what influences their decision-making process for purchases.

The study shows that despite growing up in a digital, filtered and increasingly volatile world, Gen Z are grounded, self-assured, ambitious and steadfast in their values, which align most closely with those of the boomer generation while incorporating the sensibilities of younger generations.

Authenticity, as defined by Gen Z, is about honesty, originality, trust, and quality. For Gen Z, brands aren’t just an expression of what they like; they’re an expression of what they value. They are more inclined to consume brands that are authentic, as they come closer to representing their values, beliefs, and sense of community. The research found that 80 per cent of India’s Gen Z respondents said that authenticity plays an influential role in their choice of brands. If a brand is genuine, Indian Gen Z are more likely to be loyal to it (81 per cent), recommend it to others (78 per cent), and purchase their products and services again (73 percent).

The research found that globally, Gen Z is more likely to trust the content of media platforms that they find authentic. This preference for authenticity also extends to where Gen Z obtains their information, with only 18 per cent of them being inspired by someone they follow on social media. Despite growing up in a digital world, Gen Z believes social media has created pressure to ‘present’, ‘perform’ and ‘perfect’, making it much harder to be authentic. In order to be authentic, Indian Gen Z respondents agree that it is crucial for news publishers to provide readers with a 360-degree perspective (64 per cent), give a platform to people whose voices are trusted (63 per cent), and publish fact-checked stories (61 per cent).

When a news media brand is trusted and perceived as authentic, Indian Gen Z prefers to engage with advertising and branded content presented by that news media brand. 60 per cent of the Gen Z respondents in India said they try out the brand they see on the authentic news media brand, and even more, 73 per cent engage further with other content that the news media brand produces or reports on.

BBC News APAC SVP commercial development Alistair McEwan said, “This research is particularly prominent in India, where the results show increased importance placed on authenticity by Gen Z compared to the rest of the world. We are always striving to learn more about the composition of our audience and the Gen Z cohort is an important emerging segment, and this research highlights that there are many similarities with older cohorts. These insights will help brands better understand the nuances of marketing to Gen Z and assist in creating effective policy settings and appropriate messaging.”

Aspirations in life for Gen Z are being successful, being authentic (true to yourself) and being content. The study found the Indian Gen Z to be the most ‘driven’ cohort among all in terms of their ambition to ‘be successful’ in life. The most popular definitions of authenticity among global Gen Z are embracing who you truly are (44 per cent), and remaining honest in all circumstances (40 per cent).

‘Being a good friend’ is rated highly as being one’s authentic self by Indian Gen Z, and 58 per cent consider their career to be an important aspect of their life. Being successful is very important for Indian Gen Z, which is much more important than the global average, 49 per cent vs. 29 per cent.

July 29, 2022
OMTV collaborates with Hubhopper for audio podcast series

MUMBAI: Sanatan storytelling platform OMTV in collaboration with Hubhopper, a podcast hosting, creation, and distribution platform is aiming to widen its audience base. It has introduced audio podcast features on its app.

Spiritual video shows on OMTV have always been popular with the audience, and now the network is hoping that its podcast catalogue will do the same. OMTV believes that there is a huge market for audio and they have collaborated with the pioneers in this field. On 29 July, OMTV will set off the collaboration with three shows. In the near future, more shows will be added to Hubhopper.

Initially, podcasts will be available in Hindi only, but OMTV plans to dub them in other languages, including English, Marathi, and other South Indian languages.

The podcast is part of a newly added podcast feature, which allows users to listen to podcasts in addition to viewing content. OMTV will convert its major shows into podcasts and distribute them through the Hubhopper platform. Users will benefit from the content consumption options available. They can listen to it on Hubhopper, and if they want to watch it, they can download the OMTV app from the Google Play Store and watch the content they’ve already heard on Hubhopper.

OMTV founder & MD Nitin Jai Shukla said, “Podcasting as a medium is something which we always wanted to try our hands-on and we got phenomenal responses on our show “Swarajya”. Hubhopper is a pioneer in this space and who is better than them to collaborate with if you want to reach out to the right audience. We have perused their diverse directory under religion and spirituality, all the content garnering a prominent presence. We are sure with this collaboration, both the platforms will benefit in their audience base and also our audiences will get to listen to our shows which will make a difference in their lives.”

Hubhopper founder and CEO Gautam Raj Anand said, “We are thrilled about this collaboration. The consumption of spiritual content has increased over the last few years, especially among the younger generation eager to learn about India’s religious and ethnic diversity. Through this collaborative effort with OMTV, we’ll be able to expand and deliver knowledgeable and authentic content to the audience. We can’t wait to bring it to our listeners across different regions and hope to grow exponentially together.”

July 29, 2022
discovery+ uncovers India’s untold story of ‘Kohinoor’ with Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee

Mumbai: discovery+ on Friday announced Secrets of the Kohinoor, a new docuseries in the Secrets franchise that retraces the story of the world’s most precious diamond, ‘Kohinoor,’ and will premiere on 4 August 2022. discovery+, along with acclaimed director Neeraj Pandey and Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee, also intends to uncover the stories of multiple rulers and their insatiable desire for the ‘Kohinoor.’ The docuseries will be directed by Raghav Jairath.

Post success of Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century, discovery+ is expanding the Secrets franchise. The docuseries uncovers how the weight of the diamond has been slashed down to less than six times its original weight or it might not be the same diamond Emperor Babur mentioned in his memoir.

Docuseries will feature parliamentarian and author Dr. Shashi Tharoor, historian and AMU professor Irfan Habib, professor Dr. Adrienne Munich, Jamia Millia Islamia

professor Farhat Nasreen, archaeologist and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) ex-regional director K. K. Muhammed, AMU professor Dr. Manvendra Kumar Pundhir, Indian author-columnist, diplomat and former high commissioner for India in the United Kingdom, author J Sai Deepak, professor Dr. Danielle Kinsey, historian and professor Dr. Miles Taylor and master diamond polisher Pauline Willemse.

Speaking about the docuseries, Bajpayee said, “The opportunity to present this series in the franchise has been a uniquely satisfying and learning experience for me, and I am grateful to discovery+ and Neeraj Pandey for that. This project marks my second collaboration with them. Despite being talked about for years, there are many facts about the ‘Kohinoor’ that were unknown to me, and I am certain they would be unknown to a majority of the world as well. The revelations made in the documentary took me by surprise, and I cannot wait for viewers to explore this untold story and be just as surprised.”

Pandey added, “The unseen, disguised, and unknown historical facts have always intrigued and fascinated me, causing me to delve deep into the subject. After the amazing response to Secrets of Sinauli, the idea of exploring the mystery of the ‘Kohinoor’ excited us as it has been one of the most talked about diamonds in the history of time. “

“Our partnership with discovery+ has been great at bringing alive stories that are bigger, better, and bolder. Moreover, it is always a pleasure to work in collaboration with Manoj, who is a master of his craft and has taken the show to a whole new level with his striking storytelling expertise. The robust research, peppered with inputs from renowned scholars and experts, digs deep into the story of ‘Kohinoor’ to surface lesser-known facets of its journey whilst narrating the importance of bringing it back to its homeland,” he added.

Warner Bros. Discovery head of factual & lifestyle cluster- South Asia Sai Abishek shared, “We’re pioneering the history genre with our distinctive offerings that appeal to audiences across age groups. We have added another Indian Originals IP to our already expansive history genre on the platform with the growing Secrets franchise. Following the massive success of Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century, we realized the tremendous potential in the subject and thereby built on the successful collaboration with Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee. The captivating history of ‘Kohinoor’ and its unexplored aspects are even more prevalent now and need to be known by audiences across the globe.”

July 29, 2022
Nishant Nayak becomes FanCode’s chief product officer

MUMBAI: Digital sports fan destination FanCode from the house of Dream Sports, has appointed Nishant Nayak as its chief product officer (CPO). He will lead the product strategy to realise FanCode’s vision of becoming the largest sports fan platform in the country.

Prior to joining FanCode, he was based in Berlin, Germany as Zenjob head of product. He brings with him over 20 years of global experience in product & technology. His expertise lies in leading end-to-end product functions for eCommerce marketplaces like eBay, Flipkart, Zalando, and Zenjob, with a focus on aligning products with the brand vision & strategy including market expansion.

FanCode co-founder Yannick Colaco said, “We’re pleased to welcome Nishant into our FanCode family. He joins us as a core member of our leadership team and will help us accelerate towards our ambition of becoming a 10 crore+ strong community of sports fans.”

Nayak said, “As an avid sports fan myself, FanCode’s mission to build India’s biggest digital sports fan destination is a truly exciting challenge. I look forward to working with the highly talented FanCode team in building a personalised and engaging experience for sports fans everywhere.”

July 29, 2022
Applause Entertainment reunites with Hansal Mehta for biopic on Mahatma Gandhi

Mumbai: Applause Entertainment has once again teamed up with acclaimed director Hansal Mehta for a biopic series on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi.

The series will be an adaptation of notable historian and author Ramachandra Guha’s two books ‘Gandhi before India’ and ‘Gandhi-The Years that Changed the World. Actor Pratik Gandhi will play the lead while Hansal will be enrolled as director of the project.

Post success of Scam 1992, Hansal and Pratik are reuniting for Gandhi which will be set in the Indian Independence struggle era. Applause is looking forward to making Gandhi at an international standard for a global audience and will be filming it extensively across several Indian and foreign locations. Siddhartha Basu will join the project as the historical consultant, factual advisor, and creative consultant.

Applause Entertainment founder and CEO Sameer Nair said, “The story of Mahatma Gandhi is more than just the story of a great individual; it is also the story of the birth of a nation and many other dramatis personae, who along with Gandhi, gained freedom for India. We at Applause are honoured to have this opportunity to tell this important story of India and to bring alive the rich history of the Indian Freedom struggle in a deeply layered multi-season drama series. A story of this magnitude needs a filmmaker of equal stature and in Hansal we have found our perfect storyteller. Collaborating once again with Hansal and Pratik makes this all the more exciting.”

Filmmaker Hansal Mehta said, “When you speak of a historic and iconic figure like Mahatma Gandhi, there is already a great deal of responsibility on you as a filmmaker. Our vision with the series is to make it as true-to-life as possible and supported by Ramachandra Guha’s work, we are confident and enthusiastic that we will bring audiences something to remember. With a common vision for this ambitious narrative, I am excited to kickstart a new journey, yet again with
Sameer and the team at Applause.”

Nair further added “The making of Gandhi will be an emotional experience, and when a series of this magnitude and importance is made, it needs people who truly believe in its import. With Hansal’s directorial vision, Pratik’s delicately nuanced performance and Siddhartha Basu joining the creative process, we are excited to bring Gandhi’s, and India’s journey, to a global audience.”

July 28, 2022
Facebook parent Meta posts its first-ever revenue decline in Q2

Mumbai: Facebook parent company, Meta, on Thursday announced a decline in the company’s revenues in its second quarter earnings 2022 for the first time since it went public in 2012. The tech major reported a drop in revenues from $29.08 billion to $28.82 billion, down one per cent over last year.

Meta also announced that its chief finance officer (CFO) David Wehner would now take over the role of chief strategy officer (CSO) and oversee the company’s strategy and corporate development.

The company announced that Susan Li, currently vice president of finance, will replace him as CFO. The transitions will be effective from 1 November.

The social media network’s net income saw a decline of 36 per cent in April-June, falling from $10.39 billion ($3.61 per share) to $6.69 billion ($2.46 per share) year-on-year (YoY).

“We seem to have entered an economic downturn that will have a broad impact on the digital advertising business,” said Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg in an earnings call on Wednesday. “It’s always hard to predict how deep or how long these cycles will be, but I’d say that the situation seems worse than it did a quarter ago.”

The social media giant also issued a bleak third-quarter forecast. “This outlook reflects a continuation of the weak advertising demand environment we experienced throughout the second quarter, which we believe is being driven by broader macroeconomic uncertainty,” chief finance officer David Wehner said in a statement.

“We have reduced our hiring and overall expense growth plans this year to account for the more challenging operating environment while continuing to direct resources toward our company priorities,” he added.

The company expects its 2022 total expenses to be in the range of $85-88 billion, lowered from its prior outlook of $87-92 billion, Wehner further stated.

Meta’s worrying results follow a pattern reflected in the results of other major tech companies and its rivals, Snap and Twitter – both of whom reported disappointing second-quarter numbers last week, during an unprecedented stressful period across the industry. The results also follow a broader decline in the digital advertising market.

Advertising revenue growth slowed throughout the second quarter as advertiser demand softened, Wehner stated. “The deceleration has been broad-based across verticals, and we believe businesses are lowering their advertising spend in response to the increased economic uncertainty.”

Earlier on Wednesday, another tech major and Google parent company- Alphabet posted a 13 per cent growth in consolidated revenue at $69.7 billion for the second quarter – its slowest quarterly growth in two years.

Meta also faces its own unique challenges of competing with TikTok, while focusing on its next phase of building the immersive metaverse.

In this environment, we’re focused on making the long-term investments that will position us to be stronger coming out of this downturn — including our work on our discovery engine and Reels, our new ads infrastructure, and the metaverse, stated Zuckerberg. The company is also focused on being rigorous about measuring returns and sizing these investments correctly, he added.

July 28, 2022