ITV

Category: Over The Top Services

  • Bumble’s language badges enable users to make more meaningful connections

    Bumble’s language badges enable users to make more meaningful connections

    Mumbai: Bumble, the women-first dating and social networking app, has added Language Badges to help its community showcase which languages they speak on their profiles to make more meaningful connections. The dating app’s community of users can now select up to five badges from over 100 languages globally and over 30 languages in India.

    As per Bumble’s internal study, people who have added at least one language badge witnessed 34 per cent increase in their matches than those who have not. Since the launch, in India, the top five most widely used language badges on Bumble profiles are English, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, and Tamil. 

    “With the launch of Language Badges single Indians will now be able to showcase their language preferences and communicate more easily with their potential matches. This is another way in which Bumble continues to offer single Indians opportunities to find people they are most compatible with, to make more meaningful connections,” shared Bumble India communications director Samarpita Samaddar.

    Over the past year, Bumble has made several updates to its platform, including introducing 150 new interest badges in dating profiles and launching its ‘Night In’ feature, where two people can participate in an interactive game during a video chat. The company also recently launched Snap’s AR Lenses within Bumble video calls and launched video notes that utilise Snapchat’s technology.

  • SonyLIV’s Saugata Mukherjee joins HBO Max as head of content, India

    SonyLIV’s Saugata Mukherjee joins HBO Max as head of content, India

    Mumbai: WarnerMedia-owned video streaming service HBO Max has brought on board SonyLIV’s Sugata Mukherjee as head of content for India.

    In this new role, Mukherjee will report to HBO Max managing director for India & Southeast Asia Amit Malhotra.

    Mukherjee comes with over 16 years of experience in digital media, TV broadcast, and publishing. He joined Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI) in February last year as head of original content for the company’s digital OTT platform. Before SPN, he worked with Hotstar as content strategy and production head.

    He has been associated with Star India since 2013, first as VP and head of commissioning and later as editor – content studio, where he was responsible for content acquisitions, development, and strategy. In 2018, he moved to Hotstar.

    Mukherjee has also worked with companies like Pan Macmillan where he was the publisher and editor-in-chief. He was previously associated with Harper Collins Publishers as managing editor and rights director.

  • Netflix is testing TikTok-inspired short clip feature for kids

    Netflix is testing TikTok-inspired short clip feature for kids

    Mumbai: Netflix Inc is testing out a TikTok-inspired ‘Kids Clips’ feature to attract younger viewers to its platform and help them discover programming.

    It will feature new short videos or ‘clips’ from the existing library of kids’ programs and movies on a daily basis on its current as well as future offerings. An added feature limiting access to only 10-20 clips at a time will also be introduced subsequently.

    The kids’ feed will resemble ‘Fast Laughs’ – the feature showing funny clips from different series, films and stand-up specials on Netflix that was introduced earlier this year. However, unlike vertically aligned videos on Fast Laughs, here they will be available for viewing horizontally.

    The Kids Clips feature will be piloted in markets like the US, Latin America, Canada, Australia, and Ireland this week.

  • Lionsgate Play announces first Indian original show ‘Hiccups and Hookups’

    Lionsgate Play announces first Indian original show ‘Hiccups and Hookups’

    Mumbai: Lionsgate Play, the streaming service platform from Lionsgate India and Starz has announced the release date of its first Indian original series production “Hiccups and Hookups.” The family dramedy will premiere on  26 November, exclusively on the platform.

    The Kunal Kohli-directed series will feature Lara Dutta, Prateik Babbar, Shinnova, Divya Seth, Nassar Abdullah, Khalid Siddiqui, Meiyang Chang, Meera Chopra, and Ayn Zoya.

    “Hiccups and Hookups” is the story of Vasudha Rao (Dutta), a newly separated single mother living with her brother Akhil Rao (Babbar) and her daughter Kavanya Khattar (Shinnova). As the two coaches each other through the crazy world of dating while raising Vasudha’s teenage daughter, their closeness and honesty allows them to share the good, bad, and ugly side of their relationships. The plot explores multiple layers of the lead characters and how they deal with their own challenges and their baggage with each other. The sassy yet heart-warming series opens doors to accepting a dysfunctional family without any judgment, shared the platform in a statement.

    “It gives us immense pleasure to finally reveal the name of our first Indian original series ‘Hiccups & Hookups.’ We are certain the viewers are going to love the onscreen magic created by Lara Dutta, Prateik Babbar, and Kunal Kohli. With our first Indian original series, we aim to stay true to our ethos of entertaining our audience with unique, bold and edgy content,” stated Lionsgate managing director for South Asia and networks – emerging markets Asia Rohit Jain.

  • DIY.org launches OTT platform DIY TV for kids

    DIY.org launches OTT platform DIY TV for kids

    Mumbai: Educational technology platform DIY.org (acquired and operated by Kyt Technologies Pte Ltd) has announced the launch of DIY TV, a subscription-based video-on-demand (S-VOD) platform designed exclusively for kids. 

    The OTT platform aims to fill a latent need by providing specially curated, age-appropriate, global content designed to inspire learning and exploration through active consumption of content, it said in a statement on Monday.

    “The reality of today is that children are consuming most of their content from a screen. Content that is currently available is passive at its best and unsafe at its worst,” said Kyt Technologies co-founder Bhavik Rathod. “Parents are looking for good quality content for their children and kids are seeking rich, educational, and a variety of peer-accepted content. DIY TV is bringing content that addresses both these wants in a way that has never been done before.”

    DIY TV will change how kids consume content through three key focus areas: providing healthy screen time; promoting active (instead of passive) consumption of content, and creating a positive loop of consumption, creation, and collaboration. Moreover, the active community on the platform helps kids collaborate and share, thus adding another layer of positive reinforcement towards learning-based content consumption, said the platform in a statement.

    With a growing subscriber base and thriving community of thousands of kids across the world, DIY allows kids to share what they learn, create with other kids, and receive feedback from moderators and mentors – all within a COPPA-compliant and 100 per cent kid-safe environment, it added.

    “We are building DIY as a transmedia company in the kids’ learning space. We believe in the power of good screen time for kids, and to that end, are excited to launch DIY TV as a new vertical on our platform,” stated Kyt Technologies co-founder Tripti Ahuja.

  • Bolo Live onboards Abhay Singh as vice president, marketing

    Bolo Live onboards Abhay Singh as vice president, marketing

    Mumbai: Homegrown social live-streaming platform Bolo Live has brought Abhay Singh Kumpawat on board as its vice president of marketing to drive the next level of growth for the company.

    In this new role, Singh will lead the entire gamut of digital, product, and brand marketing initiatives for Bolo Live and will play an important role in scaling the company’s growth in new and existing markets as well as broadening its global reach, it said in a statement on Monday.

    An IIT Roorkee alumnus, Singh is a growth specialist for over seven years and has played an instrumental role in driving early-stage growth and scale for startup brands like Mitron TV and YourQuote. While his specialty includes product marketing, brand building, and the development of transformational strategies for startup brands, Singh has also co-founded IndiaMeets and E-Vogue.

    “Driving business value through real-time, relevant conversations between the content creators and their fans has never been more challenging yet exciting with the complexity and volume of marketing channels in today’s era,” said Singh on his new role. “An exciting market opportunity at the amalgamation of live streaming, microtransactions, and gamification coupled with addressable market size, a profitable business model, the founders’ vision, and the quality of young talent within the team is a great combination at Bolo Live.”

    Bolo Live has over one lakh monthly live streamers on the platform spending close to 120 min daily on the platform, with 18 live streamers already making over a lakh rupee monthly from the platform already; all driven by microtransactions of captive audience base and not fixed payouts from the platform, said the company.

    “As we chase bigger ambitions, it is key to ensure that the growth and marketing strategies of the company keep pace with the evolving business. It is exciting to have Abhay on board as he brings in stellar expertise in the field of growth and marketing,” stated Bolo Live co-founder and CEO Varun Saxena. “He has a clear vision for the future of marketing and innovation and can build a strategic team to execute the vision at Bolo Live. Abhay is an all-rounder who also has an entrepreneurial bent and we do foresee that the team and the brand will flourish under his guidance.”

    “We are currently ramping up the team aggressively and in the next few weeks will see announcements of prominent hiring across Technology, Product and Marketing roles,” he further added.

    Singh is also a Limca World Record holder, International Children’s Excellence Fund scholar, MMCF scholar, and has won an award for Republic Day Honor for academic excellence.

    “Abhay’s appointment is another validation of our commitment and leadership in the industry. As we continue our transformational journey, we are poised for unparalleled growth and innovation,” said Bolo Live co-founder and CPO Tanmai Paul. “We are confident that Abhay’s vision and in-depth understanding of the consumer internet marketing landscape will translate into the exponential growth of the percentage of power users on the platform.”

  • Netflix launches its mobile games worldwide

    Netflix launches its mobile games worldwide

    Mumbai: Netflix has announced that it will launch its games on mobile across the world. Every Netflix subscriber can play up to five mobile games including “Stranger Things: 1984” (BonusXP), “Stranger Things 3: The Game” (BonusXP), “Shooting Hoops” (Frosty Pop), “Card Blast” (Amuzo & Rogue Games), and “Teeter Up” (Frosty Pop).

    Netflix members can play these mobile games without paying any additional fees, ad-free and without any in-app purchases. These games are currently only available on Android devices. Members on an Android tablet will see a dedicated games row or be able to select games from the categories drop down menu to download and play. The games are available in multiple languages but will default to English if the language is not available in a particular country, said the streaming giant in a statement.

    Users can play games across multiple mobile devices via the same account. If you hit your device limit, you can sign out of devices not in use or deactivate them remotely on Netflix website to free up a slot. Keeping in mind child safety controls, Netflix has made these games unavailable on kids’ profiles. While some mobile games will require an internet connection, others will be playable offline, it added.

    “We are in the early days of creating a great gaming experience, and we’re excited to take you on this journey with us,” said Netflix vice president for game development Mike Verdu.

    In July, Netflix hired former Facebook vice president Mike Verdu to head its video games unit as vice president, game development. Verdu has been associated with EA Mobile, Kabam, TapZen and served as chief executive officer at Zynga from 2009 to 2012. 

    The company officially revealed its plans to enter the video game market in its second quarter earnings call. Netflix views gaming as a segment that will help it attract and retain customers. Co-CEO Reed Hastings emphasised that Netflix is not looking to generate revenues from video games per se, it is about “enhancing the big service that we have.”

    The company announced its first big move in the gaming space on 28 September with the acquisition of indie video game creator Night School Studio.

  • MX TakaTak launches #TodPhodDiwali campaign

    MX TakaTak launches #TodPhodDiwali campaign

    Mumbai: Short video app MX TakaTak has launched a new Diwali campaign #TodPhodDiwali providing its community of users a chance to win gifts and prizes including touchscreen tablets by simply uploading their unique video of celebrating Diwali.

    Creators can take inspiration from influencers like Rugees, Neetu Bisht and comedian Kiku Sharda for content ideas such as ‘guides to Diwali outfits and looking your todphod best’, ‘ghar ki saffsafai – todphodhouse cleanup’ and ‘celebrating Diwali responsibly.’

    “Short video apps have become one of the critical mediums for artists like us to connect with our fans. I am incredibly thrilled to partner with MX TakaTak for #TodPhodDiwali, it’s such a simple yet fun challenge that allows you to be yourself and celebrate this joyous festival with content across any genre of your choice. The audiences on this platform have always been encouraging and interactive, making the collaboration with it seamless,” said comedian Kiku Sharda.

    Announcing his soon-to-be released video, Rugees added, “The lockdown has restricted our celebrations for the festive season, but MX TakaTak is allowing me the chance to share my happiness with so many Indians across the country. You can make any video you like, be it lip sync, food recipes, rangoli tips, Diwali prep or whichever aspect you most enjoy this season.”

    “Topical challenges like #TodPhodDiwali by MX TakaTak allow us to bring out the best in us as content creators and I will soon be posting an engaging dance/ lip sync video that highlights the spirit of this festival,” noted Indian model and MX TakaTak creator Neetu Bisht. “Diwali is the one time in the year that I gorge on sweets, play cards with my friends and overall get together with loved ones so we can enjoy each other’s company. I am glad to be able to extend that to my MX family as well.”

  • Eros Now to launch film festival on Facebook Watch this Diwali

    Eros Now to launch film festival on Facebook Watch this Diwali

    Mumbai: Eros Now is launching a month-long Bollywood film festival on Facebook Watch this Diwali. As part of the collaboration, the OTT platform will stream a film every day from its library of over 12,000 Indian films on Eros Now’s Facebook page from 3 November to 2 December. The films will be powered by Mzaalo, a blockchain-based video streaming application in the gamified video and entertainment ecosystem. 

    The list includes popular titles from the 90s and 2000s such as “Tere Naam,” “Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam,” “Devdas,” “Cocktail,” “Love Aajkal,” “Shubh Mangal Savdhan,” “Raanjhanaa,” “Manmarziyaa,” “Vicky Donor,” “Hathi Mere Sathi,” and more.

    Commenting on the campaign, Eros Now senior vice president – marketing Ramakrishnan Laxman said, “Our data science-led research indicates that Bollywood movies have a strong repeat watch value, and during festival season, this repeat viewing increases many folds. With people preferring to stream long-form content on their devices nowadays, this partnership with Facebook allows us to extend the joy of watching the old and new gems of Bollywood this Diwali to billions of social media savvy audiences.”

    “Our focus in India with Facebook Watch has been reflective of the diverse consumer tastes in the country. With movies and cinema being extremely popular with our community, we are excited to partner with Eros Now to enable fans to watch their favourite Bollywood movies on Facebook Watch. We hope this experience will enable people to share, connect and entertain themselves with content they like on Facebook,” added Meta director – media partnerships Paras Sharma.

    Eros Now has a 10 million-strong community of fans on Facebook, and this collaboration between the two companies is expected to provide them with an interactive viewing experience.

    “This industry-first initiative is a great example of democratising the best of Bollywood content. Our association with Eros opens new avenues of user–brand experiences to drive social entertainment commerce. We are certain that this unique festive partnership will pave a path for more engagement and result in further uptake of our content,” stated Mzaalo COO Vikram Tanna.

  • Amazon miniTV announces content partnership with Pocket Aces

    Amazon miniTV announces content partnership with Pocket Aces

    Mumbai: Amazon’s free video entertainment service miniTV has announced a partnership with digital entertainment company Pocket Aces. As part of this partnership, Pocket Aces will bring its repertoire of web series to miniTV starting with “Adulting” season three that will premiere exclusively on the platform on 12 November.

    Starring Aisha Ahmed and Yashaswini Dayama, “Adulting” is a coming-of-age story about two young women trying to handle the responsibilities of being independent adults in the past paced, urban bustle of Mumbai.

    Some of the other shows that will exclusively release on miniTV as part of this collaboration over the coming months are “Please Find Attached” – season three (starring Barkha Singh and Ayush Mehra) and ‘Crushed” – season one (starring “Noor” fame Rudraksh Jaiswal and Aadhya Anand who debuted in the film “A Yellow Bird”). 

    “We are proud to partner with Pocket Aces to bring quality entertainment to our hundreds and millions of customers in India for free!” said the head of Amazon Advertising Harsh Goyal. “Starting with the third season of the popular show ‘Adulting’, this is an alliance that will play an instrumental role in further bolstering our exclusive content offering.”

    “Pocket Aces’ mission is to entertain audiences wherever they are spending time, and hence the association with Amazon miniTV as one of the launch partners really resonates with us,” said Pocket Aces co-founder and chief executive officer Aditi Shrivastava. “In a country such as India, being able to offer high-quality content for free to audiences ensures huge reach and accessibility. We’re very excited about our slate starting with proven IPs such as ‘Adulting’ and ‘Please Find Attached’, and then building brand news properties such as ‘Crushed’ and others. With the way it is shaping up, we are sure that miniTV can become one of the most loved content apps in India, and we’re excited to be a part of that growth.”