ITV

Category: Television

  • LiveU Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire the Business and Technology of Actus Digital, Enhancing Video Monitoring and Analytics, and Deepening AI Capabilities

    LiveU Signs Definitive Agreement to Acquire the Business and Technology of Actus Digital, Enhancing Video Monitoring and Analytics, and Deepening AI Capabilities

    Hackensack, NJ:  LiveU, the global leader in live IP-video contribution, production and distribution solutions, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Actus Digital’s business and technology, significantly enhancing its recording, monitoring and Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities and accelerating its mission to help customers improve operational effectiveness and create more value from video.

    Actus Digital, renowned for its intelligent monitoring and compliance platforms, used by premier broadcasters and media agencies worldwide, brings powerful content analysis, Quality of Experience (QoE) monitoring solutions, and advanced AI enabled tools that will complement the LiveU EcoSystem, delivering workflow simplicity and operational efficiency. The LiveU EcoSystem is a set of innovative IP-video solutions, that add efficiency and shorten workflows across the entire video production chain, including multi-cam 5G contribution encoders and cloud-based ingest, production and IP-video distribution solutions, making the two solution portfolios highly synergistic.

    “We are delighted to be welcomingActus Digital to LiveU,” said Samuel Wasserman, CEO and Co-founder of LiveU. “Their exceptional, market-leading monitoring platform and AI expertise, combined with our shared commitment to reliability, quality, and customer service will significantly strengthen our entire offering in line with our overall strategy.”

    “The LiveU EcoSystem is IP-Positive, meaning it accepts all the major video protocols for maximum interoperability and ease of use for our customers. With Actus Digital, we can now give our customers the valuable ability to monitor and gain insights from all these different feeds in a single solution, so that they can always be sure of their LiveU experience,” he continued.

    Sima Levy, President and Founder of Actus Digital, added: “Joining LiveU provides our customers with easy access to a comprehensive, high-reliability IP-video EcoSystem, backed by world-class support. Combining the LiveU EcoSystem with the Actus Intelligent Monitoring Platform delivers powerful new capabilities to our customers across radio, TV, OTT and the internet. In fact, more and more of our customers have asked for integration with LiveU and we’re excited to be able to combine our resources and expertise to serve them better.”

    This latest strategic acquisition by LiveU adds a peerless intelligent monitoring and compliance logging platform with advanced AI tools to the LiveU product portfolio, enhancing the ability of content creators and storytellers everywhere to generate more value from their video.

    About LiveU

    LiveU offers a set of high-quality IP-video solutions for any live production – the LiveU EcoSystem. Built on its open, adaptable platform, the LiveU EcoSystem adds efficiency and shortens workflows across the entire video production chain, from contribution and production to distribution. Through innovative story-centric workflows, we help customers share their stories with a global audience in the most dynamic and engaging way. At the core of our EcoSystem lies LRT™ (LiveU Reliable Transport), LiveU’s pioneering protocol for IP bonding and wireless connectivity, ensuring rock-solid resiliency and low latency from any location. Our rich portfolio ranges from our portable multi-cam/compact 5G encoders for live transmission to next-gen cloud ingest, digital production and global distribution solutions. Customers can go live from anywhere with our advanced, network-agnostic connectivity solutions – combining cellular (including private 5G), fiber and satellite. With over 5,000 customers in 150 countries and world-class customer support, LiveU’s technology is the solution of choice for global broadcasters, sports, public safety and other organizations. LiveU is a multi-award winner, including Frost & Sullivan for global product leadership and Technology & Engineering Emmy® Awards. LiveU is an Anglo-American company, headquartered in Hackensack, New Jersey, USA. For more information, please visit www.liveu.tv, or follow us on X, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn or Instagram.

    About Actus Digital

    Since 2005, Actus Digital has set the standard for intelligent media monitoring and compliance logging, trusted by broadcasters, media regulators, public sector organizations, and governments worldwide. With over 1,300 installations, Actus delivers a next-generation browser-based platform, built on its industry-leading QA Compliance Logger and enhanced with advanced solutions like Actus MV (interactive multiviewer), Actus AI Media Insight (AI-powered content analysis), Clip Factory Pro (content repurposing), OTT StreamWatch (OTT/FAST monitoring), and Actus RVM (remote post-STB monitoring). Each product can stand alone or be fully integrated into one unified, powerful platform — maximizing innovation, flexibility, and operational efficiency.
    Actus supports all broadcast video and streaming protocols, including ATSC 3.0, SMPTE 2110, and is available as a turnkey appliance, software/VM-based system, or SaaS. With global offices and 24/7 support, Actus Digital is committed to innovation, service excellence, and customer satisfaction.
    For more details, please visit actusdigital.com.

  • Gaurav Sawant steps up to prime time, anchors India First on India Today TV at 8 pm

    Gaurav Sawant steps up to prime time, anchors India First on India Today TV at 8 pm

    MUMBAI: India Today TV is sharpening its prime-time edge. Starting 28 April 2025, Gaurav Sawant, one of Indian journalism’s most battle-tested voices, will anchor India First at 8 pm, replacing Newstrack in the coveted slot.

    Known for his fearless field reporting, Sawant has covered India’s defining moments, from the Kargil War and Kandahar hijack to the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Uri, Pulwama, Nagrota, and the India-China Galwan standoff. His journalism has taken him deep into conflict zones across Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Ukraine, and Israel, not to mention terror attacks in London and Bangalore.

    Sawant’s frontline credentials are unmatched. He earned Para Wings from the Indian Navy after completing five para jumps, including an assisted free fall from a Sea King helicopter at INS Dega-a rare honour for a civilian journalist—and has completed eight para jumps in total.

    His commitment to telling India’s stories runs deep. As the author of ‘Dateline Kargil: A Correspondent’s Nine-Week Account’ from the Battlefront, and the creator of the Veergatha series on Param Vir Chakra awardees for schoolchildren, Sawant has consistently placed service above self, even refusing government remuneration for projects honouring India’s bravest.

    “India Today’s vibrant and democratic newsroom has always built its own leaders, training, trusting, and empowering talent ready to take charge,” the network said in its announcement.

    Now as managing editor, Sawant brings a clarity of purpose and credibility to India First, promising reportage rooted in fact over frills—a reflection of the same values that have defined his storied career.

  • Greenply teams up with Lucknow Super Giants for a witty T20 season swing

    Greenply teams up with Lucknow Super Giants for a witty T20 season swing

    MUMBAI: This T20 season, Greenply Industries has padded up with Lucknow Super Giants to showcase what true resilience looks like-on the pitch and inside your home. The plywood major launched a tongue-in-cheek campaign that ties the unpredictable drama of cricket to the everyday strength needed from quality plywood.

    Conceived by Tonic Worldwide, the campaign unfolds through three witty films featuring LSG players, each highlighting Greenply’s key product strengths: high durability, water resistance, and fire safety. From spilled drinks to mini fires during match-time celebrations, Greenply promises to stay as unfazed as a cool-headed batsman under pressure.

    “With cricket being such an integral part of Indian homes, we wanted to tap into that shared excitement and show how Greenply products consistently deliver on performance. Built on a legacy of quality, our products stand true to the trust they’ve earned. ‘Har Zarurat ka Reply’ is more than a tagline — it’s our promise of reliability where it counts the most, whether it’s on the field or in your home,” said Greenply Industries Ltd VP marketing Yatnesh Pandey.

    Tonic Worldwide senior creative director Josna Joseph added, “The Indian cricket fans are an important customer base for almost every brand. To break the clutter, it is important to connect with them emotionally. Players or plywood, it’s talent and performance that ultimately creates a loyal fanbase and customer.”

    The films will be heavily promoted during the ongoing T20 season across CTV and social media. Fans can also interact via a Whatsapp chatbot to seek expert advice or win T20 match tickets.

    Catch the campaign films here:

  • TAM Sports: IPL 18 ad frenzy – brands swing for the fences as ad volumes hit record highs

    TAM Sports: IPL 18 ad frenzy – brands swing for the fences as ad volumes hit record highs

    MUMBAI; The wickets may be tumbling on the pitch, but in the advertising arena, it’s pure carnage — with brands smashing sixes every over. Fresh data from TAM Sports shows that ad volumes for IPL 18 (first 40 matches) have surged past last year’s figures, underlining one unchanging truth: nothing unites — or excites — Indian marketers like cricket.

    The numbers tell a story of big bets and even bigger ambitions.

    The top five categories — e-commerce gaming, pan masala, aerated soft drinks, digital wallets, and biscuits — have steamrolled the competition, grabbing nearly 60 per cent of the ad pie. In a cricket-mad nation, snack cravings and fantasy sports dreams are, clearly, recession-proof.

    Leading the advertising scoreboard are heavy-hitters like Dream11, Parle Products, Sporta Technologies, KP Pan Foods, and PepsiCo India. Dream11, in particular, seems to be playing Test cricket while others are stuck in a T20 mindset — blanketing screens with a relentless media barrage.

    But it’s not just the usual suspects jostling for screen time.

    IPL 18 has welcomed a new squad of ambitious rookies: online payment apps, solar energy brands, smartwatches, and a fresh wave of wearable tech firms, all eager to cash in on the cricketing carnival. The brand line-up today mirrors a new India — digital-first, experimental, and willing to go big.

    The scale-up is staggering:
    * TV ad volumes during IPL 18 are over three times higher than in the pre-IPL season.
    * New categories have grown by over 25 per cent year-on-year.
    * Connected TV advertising has spiked, with brands now chasing the living room, the bedroom, and even the metro ride home.

    Sports channels are having a summer of dreams, while GECs and movie channels quietly sulk. Every IPL season rewrites the broadcast pecking order — and 2025 is no exception.

    Beyond TV, the smart money is on a multi-screen blitzkrieg. Brands are synchronising 10-second TV spots with mid-match mobile banners, OTT pre-rolls, and influencer-led meme storms. If you’re breathing and own a device, chances are someone is trying to sell you a soft drink, an SUV, or a fantasy cricket app right now.

    Bottom line: IPL is no longer just a sports tournament; it’s India’s biggest marketing Super Bowl — stretched over two luxurious months.

    The brands that win this season won’t just outspend rivals; they’ll outthink, out-hustle, and out-wow them.
    Because in IPL 18, as in cricket, it’s not the cautious that survive. It’s the ones who know when to send it sailing into the stands.

  • Saikat Dutta revs up ABP Network as new revenue head

    Saikat Dutta revs up ABP Network as new revenue head

    MUMBAI: Saikat Dutta is putting his foot firmly on the pedal at ABP Network Pvt Ltd, joining as the network revenue head in April 2025 with a burst of fresh energy and an enviable track record in turbocharging ad sales across India’s media landscape.

    Dutta, whose career has zipped through some of the country’s biggest networks, will now steer pan-India advertising sales for ABP News, ABP Ananda, ABP Majha and ABP Asmita, besides beefing up digital revenues across connected TV, web, and app platforms.

    With 24 years of punching above his weight in advertising sales, Dutta’s resume reads like a greatest hits album: from TV Today (where he drove ad sales for Aaj Tak, Aaj Tak HD, and Good News Today) to a stint as chief operating officer at Patanjali Media, and earlier as a revenue honcho for Sun TV Network’s GEC cluster in the north and east markets.

    Before that, he made his mark at India TV, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, Asia TV USA Ltd, Star TV, and ABP Group, helping these media giants rake in crores through innovative and integrated ad solutions.
    From selling blockbuster shows to orchestrating strategic alliances, Dutta has consistently delivered standout results.

    In his own words, it’s “new role, new energy!” — and with a toolkit spanning strategic planning, B2B sales, key account development, and solution selling, Dutta looks ready to crank up ABP Network’s revenue engine into overdrive.

  • Amar Vandana Paranjape steps up as senior manager at Shemaroo Entertainment

    Amar Vandana Paranjape steps up as senior manager at Shemaroo Entertainment

    MUMBAI: : Amar Vandana Paranjape has clinched a well-earned promotion at Shemaroo Entertainment Ltd, stepping up as senior manager (lead on-air promotion) for Shemaroo MarathiBana.
    A veteran with over 15 years in broadcast creativity, Amar has been the invisible hand behind many of the channel’s sharp promos, clever packaging, and seamless storytelling — from the first brainstorm to final broadcast. Now, he’s steering the full on-air promotions (OAP) ship, crafting the narrative heartbeat of Shemaroo’s Marathi offering.
    His journey has been a masterclass in media hustle: from launching Star Pravah and Zee Yuva, scripting brand solutions, leading promo operations at Star India, and even setting the pre-launch wheels turning for Hotstar at Prime Focus Technologies. Along the way, he’s worn many hats — animator, producer, director, creative lead — and worn them well.
    Armed with a powerhouse blend of creativity, leadership, and serious operational chops, Amar is now primed to supercharge Shemaroo MarathiBana’s on-air presence — with more big, bold, and brilliant ideas on the horizon.

     

  • Rahul Kanwal to steer NDTV as CEO from June; revenue & losses rise in FY 25

    Rahul Kanwal to steer NDTV as CEO from June; revenue & losses rise in FY 25

    MUMBAI:  In a high-voltage move, New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) has tapped veteran journalist Rahul Kanwal as its new chief executive officer and key managerial personnel, effective 16 June 2025. The appointment, cleared by the board at its meeting on 25 April, awaits the final nod from the ministry of information and broadcasting.

    Kanwal, who resigned as news director of India Today and Aaj Tak, and executive director of Business Today about a fortnight ago, brings more than 25 years of newsroom grit to the corner office. Known for his prime-time presence, election dissections and hard-nosed investigations, Kanwal has built a formidable brand in Indian journalism.

    An alumnus of the general management program at Harvard Business School and a Chevening Scholar, Kanwal honed his reporting chops at Delhi University and Cardiff University, specialising in international broadcast journalism. He is also a Roy Peck Trust Grant awardee for hostile environment journalism — and no stranger to both on-ground turbulence and boardroom manoeuvres.

    Kanwal’s editorial journey spans senior stints at Zee News and Headlines Today, marked by multiple awards for journalistic excellence. As he trades the anchor desk for the CEO’s chair, industry watchers are keen to see whether his instinct for headline-grabbing stories will translate into headline-grabbing strategies at NDTV.

    Meanwhile, the news broadcaster wrapped up FY25 with a cocktail of heady revenue growth and strategic bravado — and a side of losses. Busy transforming itself into a global, next-gen media powerhouse,  NDTV posted a 19 per cent jump in fourth-quarter revenue and a full-year top-line surge of 26 per cent.

    The network’s bold gambit included expansive coverage of heavyweight events like the Mahakumbh and Delhi Elections, alongside marquee brands such as Yuva and the NDTV Auto Awards. Meanwhile, its digital arm raced ahead, clocking a 47 per cent year-on-year jump in users across websites and apps.

    This was no year of half-measures. NDTV went all in — expanding distribution, overhauling its production and digital ecosystems, and splashing out on brand-building. It also widened its portfolio, launching NDTV Marathi to capture regional audiences and NDTV World to beam India’s view to global shores. The year also saw the launch of the ambitious NDTV World Summit, a high-powered gathering of global movers and shakers.

    However, ambition comes at a cost. Heavy investments meant NDTV ended the year in the red — a deliberate sacrifice, the company says, to sow the seeds for sustainable, profitable growth ahead.

    “FY 2024-25 was a defining year where we chose to lead with ambition and invest in the future,” said NDTV executive director and editor in chief Sanjay Pugalia. “We are confident the strategic decisions taken this year will deliver long-term value for our audiences, partners, and stakeholders.”

  • JioStar blitzes in FY 2025, clocks Rs 10,006 crore in revenue since merger

    JioStar blitzes in FY 2025, clocks Rs 10,006 crore in revenue since merger

    MUMBAI: JioStar is scripting a blockbuster success story, delivering a knockout performance since its merger launch on 14 November 2024. The entertainment juggernaut reported gross revenues of Rs 10,006 crore and an EBITDA of Rs 774 crore, posting a margin of 7.7 per cent — all while still ramping up operations.

    At the heart of this meteoric rise lies JioHotstar, the OTT powerhouse that debuted on 14 February 2025 and rapidly changed the game. Within just five weeks, JioHotstar crossed the milestone of 100 million paid subscribers — a feat unrivalled in the Indian streaming landscape. By March-end, monthly active users (MAUs) hit a staggering 503 million, thanks to a blockbuster calendar packed with the ICC Champions Trophy, IPL, and a digital library boasting over 320,000 hours of content.

    Sport was JioStar’s turbocharger with IPL 2025 opening with fireworks, clocking 1.4 billion digital views (a 35 per cent spike year-on-year), 253 million TV viewers (up 14 per cent), and a colossal 49.6 billion minutes of total watch time across platforms (up 33 per cent). JioHotstar alone posted a dazzling 38 per cent jump in digital viewership, buoyed by a 47 per cent surge in connected TV (CTV) audiences and a 60 per cent higher CTV watch time.

    The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 turned out to be another mega-hit, recording the highest TV ratings ever for a multi-nation cricket tournament in India. The tournament delivered a 4.3 TVR — a 23 per cent gain over the ICC ODI World Cup 2023 — and set a new peak concurrency record with a staggering 61.2 million live viewers during the final.

    JioStar also scored with the Tata WPL season 3, which posted a 19 per cent ratings lift and expanded its reach by 49 per cent. On JioHotstar, WPL viewership surged by 34 per cent, underpinned by a massive 130 per cent growth in CTV engagement.

    In a strategic brand play, all sports channels were unified under the Star Sports banner, now comprising 24 channels — with dedicated Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada sports offerings to deepen regional footprints.
    Beyond cricket fever, JioHotstar is claimed to be reshaping entertainment with a new wave of digital experiences. The Mahashivratri night live-stream drew an impressive 39 million views, while Coldplay’s Music of the Spheres tour streamed live to 8.3 million fans, bringing global experiences closer to Indian audiences.

    A new content vertical, “Sparks,” featuring short, snappy segments from India’s top digital superstars, has tapped into the nation’s appetite for quick-binge entertainment — a strategic play to capture Gen Z and millennial attention spans.

    Coupled with its arsenal of premium OTT originals and international content, JioHotstar is fast positioning itself as the de facto platform for premium digital storytelling.

    While the digital frontier blazed ahead, linear TV continued to deliver knockout blows.

    Star Plus cemented its dominance as India’s top Hindi GEC, with six out of the top 10 shows under its belt. Star Gold’s premiere of Stree 2 garnered a reach of 41.2 million, further reinforcing its draw among movie buffs.
    Regional GECs — Star Pravah (Marathi), Star Jalsha (Bengali), Star Maa (Telugu), Star Vijay (Tamil), and Asianet (Malayalam) — retained their #1 spots across states, showcasing JioStar’s deep local connect.

    Meanwhile, niche genres — Kids, Youth, and English — remained the network’s unchallenged playgrounds, extending JioStar’s leadership across every major viewer segment.

    In less than six months post-merger, JioStar has not just delivered on audacious promises — it has rewritten the rulebook. With a dominant hold across digital and linear entertainment, record-breaking sports audiences, and an evolving playbook for new-age content, JioStar is emerging as India’s undisputed entertainment giant.

    As Reliance’s media empire keeps building momentum, it’s clear that for rivals, the chase is only getting harder.

  • India’s TV blindspot hides 100 million eyeballs-and everyone wants a piece of it

    India’s TV blindspot hides 100 million eyeballs-and everyone wants a piece of it

    MUMBAI: Far from the reach of TRPs and dish antennas lies a forgotten audience—There’s a silent crowd of 100 million Indian homes—unplugged, unconnected, and uncounted—who have neither a cable subscription nor a dish on the roof. They dwell beyond the prime-time spotlight in the shadows of India’s glitzy entertainment economy.

    At Indiantelevision.com’s 21 edition of the Video, Broadband, Broadcast Technology Summit 2025, under the theme ‘Changing the Paradigm’, the opening panel titled “Plugging the Gaps – What’s the Right Formula?” saw industry leaders converge to crack the conundrum of these missing millions.

    Moderated by BCG’s Payal Mehta, the session brought together a powerhouse of voices from broadband giants, content behemoths and tech disruptors, each offering their vision of reaching India’s TV no-go zones.

    You Broadband CEO Sameer Mahapatra cut straight to the issue—access. “Fixed broadband is miles away when I’m talking about semi-rural and rural,” he said. While mobile broadband has gained significant ground, Mahapatra argued that public-private partnerships, such as those seen under the Universal Service Obligation Fund, would be vital for making rural access a reality.

    Excitel Broadband chief customer experience officer Parag Garodia acknowledged the dominance of mobile over fixed networks but flagged affordability and infrastructure as persistent challenges. “Infrastructure in tribal and ultra-rural India is rare. Even shops that sell televisions or hardware are few and far between,” he noted. He emphasised the need for more vernacular content, citing that cultural disconnect is a major reason why rural India remains unhooked from TV.

    Meanwhile, Warner Bros. Discovery head of distribution and eurosport – south Asia Ruchir Jain reminded the room that India, as a content market, is massive in size but tiny in monetisation. “India is either one of the largest or the largest country in the portfolio of global media firms, but its share in monetisation is of low significance,” he said. According to Jain, the content is there, the viewers are coming, but the money isn’t flowing. Yet.

    GTPL Hathway Limited SVP Yatin Gupta laid bare the pricing dilemma. “The pricing has become common for rural as well as urban areas,” he said, referencing TRAI’s 2017 tariff order. He argued that differential pricing could revive cable TV in price-sensitive rural zones, where many have dumped their subscriptions altogether. “Affordability is the elephant in the room,” he added, stating that even basic necessities like uninterrupted electricity come before a television set in a rural household’s shopping list.

    But the debate wasn’t just about televisions. PlayboxTV founder & CEO Aamir Mulani saw mobile as the true battlefield. “There’s a big war going on between mobile and TV—and that war is for attention,” he declared. With 74 per cent of content now consumed via mobile, compared to TV’s 26 per cent, Mulani advocated for microtransactions, mobile-first content, and pay-per-episode formats that have gained traction in China. “Revenue is not the challenge—it’s strategy that needs fixing,” he added.

    The session closed with a call for aggregation—not just of content but of access models, pricing, and distribution. Community viewing centres, government-subsidised set-top boxes, bundled services and freemium ad-supported content models were all floated as potential solutions.

    From DD Free Dish’s five crore loyal homes to the unexplored hinterlands, everyone agrees on one thing: India’s TV-dark households aren’t unreachable—they’re just waiting for the right connection.

  • ‘Jiyo Gopuda’: The Latest Offering from Sony AATH Promises Joy and Laughter

    ‘Jiyo Gopuda’: The Latest Offering from Sony AATH Promises Joy and Laughter

    MUMBAI: Sony AATH, known for bringing families together through heartwarming and entertaining stories, is thrilled to announce the launch of its show, ‘Jiyo Gopuda’. Adding a delightful dose of laughter and presenting a character quite unlike any other, ‘Jiyo Gopuda’ is all set to premiere on the channel on April 26, 2024.

    Jiyo Gopuda introduces viewers to the amusing Gopen Chandra Barik, who mysteriously arrives in Moglaipara and takes up residence in a rented attic. Gopuda’s seemingly impossible adventures and the unbelievable tales he spins from the confines of the attic charm the local children. He becomes a captivating figure for the landlord’s son, and his close-knit group of friends – Jhinuk, Chintu, Potla, Hotka and Chingri.

    Get ready to join Gopuda and his young companions on a series of unbelievably funny and imaginative adventures.

    Tune in to Sony AATH on April 26, 2025, at 12:30 PM, and watch ‘Jiyo Gopuda’, every Saturday and Sunday. Prepare for a weekend full of family fun and laughter!