ITV

Category: iWorld

  • Sushant Mohan snags top Zee digital gig

    Sushant Mohan snags top Zee digital gig

    MUMBAI: IndiaDotcom Digital, formerly Zee Digital, has plumped for Sushant S Mohan as its new chief editor and business manager. Mohan, a digital veteran since ’08, is tasked with giving Zee’s digital platforms a right proper shake-up, blending editorial gravitas with business brawn.

    He’s no stranger to the digital trenches, having previously steered DNA’s digital transformation as chief executive, and before that, cutting his teeth at Opera News, News18, BBC, Fever 104, Red FM, All India Radio and DD Prasar Bharti, amongst others. 

    Now, he’s promising to inject “fresh energy” and “innovation” into Zee’s digital offering, while also chasing those all-important revenue streams. 

    “It’s a privilege and an exciting challenge,” Mohan quipped, “to lead one of India’s most influential digital news platforms.” He aims to deliver “impactful journalism” with a “sharp focus” on the audience.

    Zee Media Corporation Ltd CEO  Karan Abhishek Singh reckons Mohan’s “rare blend of editorial acumen and business insights” will be just the ticket for IndiaDotcom Digital’s “new phase of growth.” The company is banking on him to keep the digital platforms “credible, relevant, and future-ready.”

    This appointment is part of IndiaDotcom Digital’s grand plan to become the “most innovative and impactful digital media platform” in India. Whether it will  manage to avoid the usual digital pitfalls remains to be seen, but with Mohan at the helm, it certainly is giving it a go.

  • Citadel Indian & Italian spinoffs axed as Amazon rewrites its spy game

    Citadel Indian & Italian spinoffs axed as Amazon rewrites its spy game

    MUMBAI: Amazon has pulled the plug on Citadel: Honey Bunny and Citadel: Diana, the much-hyped Indian and Italian offshoots of its globe-trotting spy saga. Instead, those “successful and widely enjoyed international chapters” will be stitched into season two of the main series, Citadel, which is now set to drop globally in Q2 of 2026.

    That’s the word from Amazon MGM Studios television head Vernon Sanders,  who promised an “exhilarating” return. “With high-stakes storytelling, new additions to our amazing cast and bold, cinematic ambition,” he said, “season two will deepen the emotional journeys of Nadia, Mason and Orlick against the relentless force that is Manticore.”

    Translation? The spinoffs are toast, and Amazon’s once-grand plan to build a Bond-style franchise without Bond is looking like an expensive misfire.

    The cancellation comes on the heels of Jennifer Salke’s exit from the studio. Salke, who first pitched the sprawling espionage epic to Joe and Anthony Russo, dreamt up Citadel as a prestige powerhouse for Prime Video—an interconnected universe with local-language series spanning continents. What she got instead: ballooning budgets, reshoots galore and a reported $300m price tag for season one.

    Still, Citadel got renewed before its April 2023 premiere. But season two was quietly delayed after Amazon brass were said to be “unhappy” with early footage. Now, storylines from Honey Bunny and Diana—which, despite being ratings hits in India and Italy, respectively—will be merged into the mothership’s narrative.

    The new season picks up a month after the first ended: the spies are underground, hunted by Manticore, and pulled back into action to stop Brazilian billionaire Paulo Braga from unleashing a world-ending device, courtesy of Citadel’s own Bernard Orlick.

    So yes, the spies are still in the game. But Amazon’s dream of a global franchise? That’s very much under review.

  • Divij Sharma swaps Alexa for Prime Video, joins as head of engagement

    Divij Sharma swaps Alexa for Prime Video, joins as head of engagement

    MUMBAI: Divij Sharma, Amazon’s digital dynamo, is making a grand entrance onto the Prime Video stage, leaving behind the dulcet tones of Alexa to take up the mantle of head of engagement. After an 11-year odyssey through Amazon’s Indian ecosystem, from marketplace to Amazon Pay and Alexa, Sharma is now set to weave his magic on Prime Video’s content kingdom.

    ” These ongoing ~11 years at Amazon have been an incredible journey of building and scaling breakthrough digital products & services in India,” quipped Sharma, clearly buzzing with his new gig. “And now, it’s time to bring that experience to Prime Video, crafting experiences that’ll keep viewers glued to their screens.”

    Sharma’s Amazonian adventure saw him spearhead Alexa’s Indian charge, conjuring up voice shopping and celebrity partnerships while serenading millions across Echo, Fire TV, and a plethora of partner devices. His CV reads like a tech-savvy fairytale, sprinkled with data-driven fairy dust and a dash of entrepreneurial swagger.

    Before his Alexa journey, Sharma cut his teeth at McKinsey & Company, where he conjured up project management modules and data models for corporate titans. He’s a self-confessed data junkie, with a knack for turning complex tech into consumer gold.

    His mission? To amplify Prime Video’s diverse content portfolio, turning casual viewers into die-hard devotees. With a blend of strategic vision and execution prowess, Sharma is poised to orchestrate a viewership symphony.

  • Big screen, big truths as Acharya Prashant comes to PVR Aura Bhopal

    Big screen, big truths as Acharya Prashant comes to PVR Aura Bhopal

    MUMBAI: Popcorn, pause, and Prashant, Bhopal’s silver screen is set to swap blockbusters for Brahm Gyaan. PVR Inox Limited, India’s largest cinema chain, has teamed up with the PrashantAdvait Foundation to present a live spiritual session with none other than Acharya Prashant, on 20 April 2025 at PVR Aura Mall, Bhopal.

    Curated as part of PVR Inox’s Alternate Content in Cinemas initiative, the one-of-a-kind event invites audiences into an intellectually charged dialogue with one of the most followed spiritual thinkers of our time inside the immersive atmosphere of a cinema hall.

    Known for bringing ancient wisdom into modern lives, Acharya Prashant is an IIT Delhi and IIM Ahmedabad alumnus turned spiritual reformer. With a staggering 55 million plus YouTube subscribers, 3.5 billion plus views, and 160 plus published books, he has reshaped how the digital generation discovers clarity, consciousness and calm.

    PVR Inox Limited Chief Business Planning & Strategy Kamal Gianchandani said “With Acharya Prashant, we’re not just hosting a session, we’re creating a space for stillness, insight, and inner transformation. Our cinemas have always been places where stories come alive, and with Alternate Content, we’re now bringing voices that awaken something deeper within. This is cinema reimagined as a catalyst for reflection.”

    The event is expected to draw everyone from Gen Z seekers to seasoned meditators, offering a much-needed escape from the chaos of daily life. Think of it as an evening of mental detox meets cinematic magic.

    The much-awaited event is set to take place at PVR Aura Mall, Bhopal, on 20 April 2025, during the evening session. Attendees are encouraged to check the official website pvrcinemas.com for exact show timings. Bookings are now open and can be made via the PVR Inox app or website, so be sure to grab your seats early!  

    Seats are limited, but the insights may just be limitless. Whether you’re a spiritual novice or a seasoned seeker, this might just be your cue to switch off your phone and switch on within.

  • Hungama Music pulls plug, India’s streaming scene shrinks

    Hungama Music pulls plug, India’s streaming scene shrinks

    MUMBAI: Another one bites the dust in India’s cut-throat music streaming scene. Hungama Music is throwing in the towel, announcing its service will be switched off from 15 April, leaving users’ downloaded tunes and libraries gathering digital dust. This follows the premature demise of Resso and Wynk Music, making it a proper hat-trick of Indian streaming services hitting the skids in just over a year.

    “Downloaded music and library content will no longer be available,” Hungama Music informed its users.

    Resso, owned by ByteDance, blamed “local market conditions” for its January 2024 exit, while Wynk Music, owned by Bharti Airtel, effectively rolled its users into Apple Music after a strategic partnership. 

    Despite India’s booming streaming appetite – second only to the US in terms of sheer volume – local players are finding it a right pickle to compete with the global giants. YouTube, with its 462 million users, remains the undisputed king, while Spotify’s global clout and Apple Music’s strategic tie-ups are proving too much for many to handle.

    Hungama Music, which ditched its freemium model for a subscription-only approach last year, clearly couldn’t keep up. Even a recent partnership with Virgin Music Group, aimed at boosting Indian regional music, wasn’t enough to save it from the digital graveyard.

    “It’s a proper David versus Goliath situation,” a source close to the Indian music scene quipped. “These global behemoths have the cash and the clout to snap up users, leaving local players struggling to get a look-in.”

    With only Gaana and JioSaavn left standing, the question now is whether they can survive the onslaught. Can they whip up subscription packages that are both tempting and wallet-friendly enough to keep punters from straying? Or will they too end up singing the blues? One thing is for certain, the Indian music streaming scene is proving to be a proper dogfight.

  • Cinystore launches KeepItShort, India’s first OTT for student filmmakers to own their spotlight

    Cinystore launches KeepItShort, India’s first OTT for student filmmakers to own their spotlight

    MUMBAI: Hyderabad’s startup scene just dropped a cinematic plot twist. Cinystore Technologies, a homegrown media-tech venture, has launched KeepItShort—an OTT platform built exclusively for India’s student filmmakers. No nepotism, no rejections in unread emails, no waiting to be ‘discovered’. Just raw talent, tech muscle and the sweet, sweet power of storytelling.

    KeepItShort is already gunning for a cult status among the country’s 5,00,000+ film and animation students from over 2,700 institutions. Built as a SaaS-powered OTT engine, it’s less about red carpets and more about real reach. With over 1,200 showreels expected at launch—each with at least five collaborators—the platform is bracing for a cinematic invasion of 6,000 fresh minds (and likely twice as many coffee-fuelled editing marathons).

    Think of it as a digital film festival that never ends—and doesn’t care if you know someone at the top. The platform offers end-to-end control, from promotion and performance analytics to audience monetisation and post-launch support. It’s like a one-stop launchpad where future directors and editors can flex, fail, and fly—without begging for favours on Linkedin.

    “We built KeepItShort to shift power back into the hands of student filmmakers. By combining tech with transparency, we are helping filmmakers navigate a noisy, gatekept industry with clarity and control. It’s about levelling the playing field—where stories rise because of merit, not connections,” said Cinystore Technologies CEO Nagender Polamraju.

    He added, “KeepItShort is about giving student filmmakers the same dignity and reach as professionals. We believe talent should not wait for a break and that students should not have to carry the fear of instability or being overlooked after graduation. By offering a space to explore roles like directing, script writing, editing, or sound engineering while still in school, this platform brings their work directly to audiences and industry insiders without needing to cross outdated gates of access.”

    And the industry’s already watching. Institutes, governing bodies and production houses have shown keen interest in the model. Why? Because nothing says the next big thing like a raw, gutsy story from someone who hasn’t been chewed up by a studio committee yet.

    KeepItShort also banks on its community angle—aiming to not only showcase talent but to build a bustling network of future collaborators, critics and creators. By offering analytics and real-time performance data, students don’t just hope people are watching—they know.

    Whether it’s a two-minute thriller or a silent black-and-white satire on social media validation, if it’s on KeepItShort, it gets seen, gets stats, and maybe, gets picked.

    The platform is now live, available for student creators who want to cut the middleman, cancel the cold calls, and take total control of their creative hustle—from idea to audience. 

  • CloudTV turns up the heat with Bookmyshow Stream, SunNxt and 400+ content delights for users

    CloudTV turns up the heat with Bookmyshow Stream, SunNxt and 400+ content delights for users

    MUMBAI: If your Smart TV experience feels as bland as reheated popcorn, CloudTV just sprinkled some serious masala on it. The proudly desi TV operating system has unleashed a new wave of streaming partnerships, turning your living room into a content buffet.

    Bookmyshow Stream, SunNxt, Timesplay, Tivizon, Bollywood Masala, and even a French radio network have joined the CloudTV content party—because who doesn’t want Turkish drama with a side of celebrity gossip?

    CloudTV—a made-in-India OS used by over 12 million users—announced it had inked deals with a host of entertainment platforms to bulk up its streaming muscle. The move adds nearly 400 new content options to its ecosystem, offering everything from action flicks to lofi beats, with a smattering of tarot, tamasha, and Times Now.

    “Our goal at CloudTV has been to provide the best content and continue expanding the range of offerings for our consumers across India. Content consumption has exponentially grown in recent times, driven by widespread internet accessibility. Following these partnerships, our users will now have access to some of the most popular and widely spoken languages in the country such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu languages. Through these content alliances, we hope to advance the digital entertainment sector and establish CloudTV as the go-to platform for Smart TV brands who wish to offer a content-rich Smart TV experience to their users,” said CloudTV COO & co-founder Abhijeet Rajpurohit.

    So, what’s on this upgraded plate?

    Bookmyshow Stream brings its TVOD model, offering movies for rent or purchase, as well as free and discounted content across 35+ genres. Expect a hearty mix of indie gems, regional blockbusters, and international shorts. Binge responsibly.

    SunNxt, the southern superstar of OTT, delivers a rich mix of live TV, music videos, and movies in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi and English. With curated classics and crowd-pullers, it’s like having your own film fest—minus the queues.

    Timesplay opens the door to news and entertainment with channels like Times Now, ET Now and Zoom, alongside web series and docs. Basically, it’s what your dad watches and what your flatmate binges.

    Tivizon is serving 75+ international FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) channels, including Turkish soaps, global news and sports—because why limit your melodrama to one country?

    Bollywood Masala does exactly what the name promises—delivers piping-hot gossip, celeb interviews and behind-the-scenes chaos. It’s Hindi cinema, minus the PR polish.

    Net Radio, the lone wolf from France, offers seven music channels spanning everything from epic scores to lofi beats and chill electronica. Your background music game just got a facelift.

    And that’s not all.

    CloudTV is also getting its hardware in shape. The OS has struck a chipset partnership with global tech giant Mediatek and has locked in an app-bundling alliance with DishTV’s OTT arm, Watcho. So, it’s not just what you watch—it’s how fast and smooth you watch it that’s getting a boost.

    From kitsch to kult, mainstream to moody—CloudTV’s latest moves have turned it from “just another OS” into a serious content concierge. If your smart TV didn’t feel that smart before, it probably just got a PhD in binge-watching.

  • Spotify tunes up India’s advertising scene with Sax and gen AI

    Spotify tunes up India’s advertising scene with Sax and gen AI

    MUMBAI: Spotify is cranking up the volume on its advertising game in India, launching the Spotify Ad Exchange (Sax)  and unleashing its generative AI ads. This double-whammy aims to give advertisers a programmatic playground and AI-powered audio ad creation, all while tapping into Spotify’s legion of engaged listeners.

    ” Sax is a new programmatic offering that will give advertisers in India easier access to Spotify’s high-quality inventory and more opportunities to reach our highly engaged audience at scale,” declared Spotify sales head India Arjun Kolady. “We aim to make it easier for our client and agency partners to include Spotify as a part of their programmatic always on audience strategies. Globally, over 5,000 advertisers have tested Sax, and with the official launch, our goal is to ensure that all programmatic players can plug into it”. 

    Sax, fresh from a successful US and Canadian pilot, integrates with Google DV360, The Trade Desk, and Magnite, allowing advertisers to bid for ad space via real-time auctions. This means full addressability and measurement across audio, video, and display ads, with podcast ads soon to join the party. Spotify is also boasting a partner framework to help advertisers track their results across the wider digital ecosystem. 

    Quipped Kolady. “We’re streamlining media strategies, boosting efficiency, and giving brands access to high-impact formats.”

    But that’s not all. Spotify is also leveraging its AI chops to launch generative AI ads, which allows advertisers to create audio ads – scripts, voiceovers, and background music – in a matter of minutes. This is a significant leap from the current multi-day process, and it comes at no extra cost.

    “We want to make it easier for advertisers of all stripes to create top-notch audio ads,” Kolady explained. “Gen AI Ads will help them stay topical, relevant, and reach a massive audience.”

    Spotify’s move is a clear shot at dominating the Indian audio advertising space, blending programmatic prowess with AI-driven creativity. With Sax and Gen AI Ads, the team is  betting big on making Spotify the go-to platform for advertisers looking to make some noise.

  • Swiggy dives into pro services with Pyng, an AI-powered app to match users with real experts

    Swiggy dives into pro services with Pyng, an AI-powered app to match users with real experts

    MUMBAI: Life in urban India is a full-blown hustle, and Swiggy—already the king of cravings and convenience—has now set its sights on your next big need: people who actually know what they’re doing.

    From tarot readers to tax planners, Swiggy’s latest launch, Pyng, is a fresh spin on adulting—powered by AI, polished with trust, and guaranteed to cut through the digital chaos.

    Pyng is Swiggy’s bold entry into the professional services market. Built for speed, relevance and that elusive thing called reliability, Pyng connects users with verified professionals across 100+ specialisations, right from health coaches to wedding emcees.

    The platform isn’t just another directory app—it’s smarter than your average “search and hope” routine. With its AI-powered assistant, Pyng understands user needs in real time, recommends verified pros, and even provides post-session support. Yes, you can ask follow-up questions after your call with a numerologist or a wealth manager—because who really understands annuities on the first try?

    Swiggy co-founder & head of innovation Nandan Reddy said, “As our lives become increasingly fast-paced, the demand for professional assistance—from tax planners and counsellors to yoga trainers—is growing across both personal and professional spheres. With Pyng, we’re offering a reliable, spam-free platform where users can connect with trusted experts. By curating demand for these specialised offerings, Pyng not only empowers individual providers but also brings structure to consumers’ latent needs, connecting them with reliable experts who deliver real value.”

    What makes Pyng extra spicy? A money-back guarantee if you don’t find the service valuable. It’s the kind of confidence that screams: “We know what we’re doing—and so do our experts.”

    Currently live in Bengaluru, the app has already onboarded 1,000+ professionals, with a goal of hitting 10,000+ nationwide. Pyng’s catalogue reads like an urban millennial’s wish list:

    . Wellness wizards – Yoga instructors, pregnancy coaches, and therapists.

    .  Finance fixers – Investment gurus, tax whisperers, and wealth strategists.

    .  Cosmic consultants – Astrologers, tarot readers, and energy healers.

    .  Party pros – DJs, emcees, and wedding maestros.

    .  Lifestyle and learning leads – Makeup artists, trip planners, career coaches, and music tutors.

    Users can now download Pyng Now on both iOS and Android. And yes, it has a seller app too—because the supply side deserves love, UX, and decent onboarding too.

    With this launch, Swiggy isn’t just delivering food or groceries—it’s delivering real-life solutions, one algorithm-approved professional at a time.

    Alexa might tell you how to do it.

    Pyng finds someone who’ll actually do it.

  • Malaysia’s Media Prima rides ad revolution with Broadpeak

    Malaysia’s Media Prima rides ad revolution with Broadpeak

    MUMBAI: Malaysia’s media heavyweight Media Prima Berhad has jumped into bed with French tech firm Broadpeak to revolutionise advertising on its streaming platform Tonton. The partnership, announced yesterday, unleashes server-side ad insertion (SSAI) technology to seamlessly inject commercials into live streams without viewers batting an eyelid.

    Tonton, Malaysia’s homegrown streaming darling that carries the nation’s popular TV3 channel, now benefits from smoother transitions between programmes and adverts. The platform is banking on Broadpeak’s cloud-based broadpeak.io service to boost its revenue potential while delivering a slicker viewing experience across multiple devices.

    “We were looking for a trusted partner to help us future-proof our OTT monetisation capabilities,” says Tonton head of product Gregory Eu. “Broadpeak’s dynamic ad insertion service helps us increase revenue potential while giving us the scale and flexibility we need as a nimble organisation.”  

    The broadcaster hopes to extract maximum value from its advertising inventory while giving Malaysian viewers the seamless experience they increasingly demand.

    Supporting Tonton’s elevated subscriber experiences in bringing high-quality live content to multi-device audiences, the service harnesses a suite of Switch Media’s video player, content management, and application solutions — delivered via seamless technology ecosystem integration with Broadpeak. Media Prima also benefits from effortless ad server integration with Springserve, a long-term Broadpeak technology partner.  

    Switch Media played a key role in enhancing Tonton’s OTT service by providing its advanced MediaHQ platform, which powers seamless content management, high-performance video playback, and a superior user experience across multiple devices. With MediaHQ’s flexible modular architecture, Tonton benefits from streamlined video workflows—from ingest and media management to content distribution and analytics—ensuring high-quality delivery of both live and on-demand content. This integration allows Media Prima to efficiently manage and scale its OTT offering while delivering engaging viewing experiences to Malaysian audiences. 

    “We’ve enabled a scalable and efficient content workflow that enhances the viewing experience while seamlessly supporting ad integration,” exclaims  Switch Media chief executive Mark Johns.

    For Media Prima, the technology offers blessed relief from the headache of unpredictable traffic spikes, with Broadpeak’s software-as-a-service solution scaling automatically without requiring additional servers. The broadcaster needn’t break a sweat during peak viewing times, letting it focus on cementing Tonton’s position as Malaysia’s streaming sweetheart.

     Broadpeak president & chief executive Jacques Le Mancq couldn’t resist a bit of back-patting: “It’s fantastic to work with market leaders like Media Prima Berhad with a clear vision for growth. Media Prima Berhad is powering a new OTT trajectory and cementing Tonton’s position as a national-favourite streaming service with future-ready monetization and agile SaaS technologies. We’re also delighted to see our technology partnership with Switch Media enabling seamless market deployment and fast results for our joint customer base across the region.” 

    As streaming wars heat up across South-east Asia, Media Prima’s tech-savvy move might just give it the ammunition to fight off international rivals with deeper pockets.