ITV

Tag: Content

  • Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    Samar Khan takes on additional role as chief content officer for DocuBay and EpicOn

    MUMBAI: Veteran filmmaker and journalist Samar Khan has been appointed chief content officer for IN10 Media Network’s DocuBay and EpicOn, effective July 2025. This new responsibility comes in addition to his current role as chief executive officer of Juggernaut Productions, also a part of IN10 Media.
    With over 25 years of experience in content creation, writing, directing, and producing for television and films, Khan is set to spearhead the content strategy for the two specialized platforms.

    As CEO of Juggernaut Productions since April 2019, Khan has been instrumental in developing a robust concept bank. His extensive background includes pioneering entertainment journalism with India’s first 20-minute entertainment news program, “Bollywood News,” heading the TV division at Red Chillies Entertainment, and leading the OTT platform for Sahara Group. He is also the author of “SRK – 25 Years of a Life” and has creatively produced numerous acclaimed shows for both OTT and television.

    This dual leadership position underscores IN10 Media Network’s commitment to strengthening its content offerings across its diverse platforms under Khan’s seasoned guidance.

  • Balaji Telefilms merger proposal for ALT Digital and Marinating Films with itself gets NCLT sanction

    Balaji Telefilms merger proposal for ALT Digital and Marinating Films with itself gets NCLT sanction

    MUMBAI:  Balaji Telefilms has received the green light from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), Mumbai, for its Composite Scheme of Arrangement that merges its wholly owned subsidiaries — Alt Digital Media Entertainment and Marinating Films — into the parent company. The appointed date for the merger has been set as 1 April 2024.

    The scheme, sanctioned under sections 230–232 of the Companies Act, aims to simplify the group structure, slash redundancies, and boost operating efficiency across its content empire — from streaming platform ALTT to reality show production and IP development.

    According to the tribunal’s order, the merged entity will benefit from economies of scale, unified cash flow management, and enhanced resource optimisation — all under the Balaji banner, which is already listed on NSE and BSE. No shares will be issued, given the transferor companies are fully owned by the transferee.
    The consolidation brings together:

    * Alt Digital, home to subscription-based OTT content under the ALTT brand;
    * Marinating Films, known for unscripted and event IP;
    * and Balaji Telefilms, India’s leading producer of Hindi and regional TV content.

    The merger was approved by shareholders at an April 2025 meeting and has cleared all statutory hurdles, including SEBI, BSE, NSE and tax authorities. The company has also settled creditor objections and responded to pending GST disputes, with all liabilities transferring to Balaji Telefilms post-merger.

    In short, Balaji is scripting a cleaner, leaner, and meaner future — bringing its IP under one tent to better play the platform and profit game. The final step? Filing the certified order with the Registrar of Companies, which will trigger the scheme’s effective date.

    More drama, less duplication — just the way Ekta Kapoor likes it.

  • Manika Wadhwa joins Teads as industry director

    Manika Wadhwa joins Teads as industry director

    MUMBAI: Television, digital, and branded content sales – she’s done it all. And now Manika Wadhwa has transitioned to  the programmatic advertising platform side. She has hopped on to Teads – a leading cloud-based, omnichannel platform that enables programmatic digital advertising across a global ecosystem of quality digital media.

    As an end-to-end solution, Teads’ modular platform allows partners to leverage buy-side, sell-side, creative, data and AI optimization technologies. For advertisers and their agencies, Teads offers a single access point to buy the inventory of many of the world’s best publishers and content providers.

    Manika has joined Teads as industry director from November 2024.

    She has the pedigree: sales lead -west for ESPN Digital (ESNPcricinfo, ESPN Sports) at Disney Star India; national sales head for The Economist (at Zirca Digitla Solutions); manager – sales, monetisation, brand solutions – digital media at Sony Pictures  Networks India (for SonyLiv), assistant manager digital meida – Aidem Ventures and assistant manager -NDTV India.

    “Thrilled to join the team and contribute to this journey. Let’s aim for the stars!,” she said on Linkedin.  

    So be it!

  • Story-living: How digital creativity is immersing audiences in PR campaigns

    Story-living: How digital creativity is immersing audiences in PR campaigns

    Digital creativity impacts the relationship between brands and their audiences. Instead of only telling a story, efforts have expanded to allow people to experience the storyline. The change from reading a book that contains illustrations to the use of pictures, moving images, or animations in public relations refers to the strategy of ‘story-living’ whereby users are transported into a narrative environment. This change has also transformed the campaigns to become more immersive, increasing user interactions with the brand.

    What is story-living?

    To put it simply, story living embraces the thought of experiencing a message rather than just showing it. To be exact, story living allows people to be part of a narrative, within a certain time and possibly in a great amount of detail. Indeed, with all of the tools at their disposal, audiences today expect to be able to witness self-exploration in both real and virtual contexts. Virtual reality, augmented reality, and live online interactions give realistic insights into the journey. With these experiences, audiences are encompassed in the story and made to feel that they are part of the brand’s universe.

    Why story-living is effective in PR

    The main reason for this is that the audience is usually fully engaged and costs less to execute. Emotional experience is the main reason a brand succeeds. If the audience takes part in an event, they will have a greater emotional response to the brand. This emotional response causes them to have a better important than usual recall of the brand and a positive feeling towards the brand, making them tell their story to others.

    Differently from the classic advertisements that can be seen as just noise among other mundane content, an interaction is something that engages the audience and extends their loyalty towards the brand. When audiences get personally involved, they are more likely to mention it on social media networks or endorse it to more people, thus increasing the number of the audience of the given brand organically.

    Tools that bring story-living to life

    Well, with the improvement in technology, PR teams now have a variety of instruments to make story-living events a reality. Here are some of the famous ones:

    1.  Virtual reality (VR): VR places audience members into completely new spaces and enables them to navigate and interact within them in a real life setting this creates remarkable impressions of the brand’s universe for the audience.
    2.  Augmented reality (AR): AR adds a layer of digital interaction to the physical world, allowing users to interact with different elements. AR can be used by brands in a number of creative ways so that people can engage with the brands in a more fun and entertaining manner.

    3.  Live streaming and interactive videos: Live video makes it possible to stream events as they occur and to view additional interactions such as questions and comments direct to the presenters. Engagement in this manner makes people feel much closer to the action and hence the feeling of immediacy.
    4.  Social media polls and quizzes: Involving, engaging, and simple tools such as polls and quizzes require the audiences to become part of the narrative. Such tools assist the audience in taking part in the evolution or strategy of a brand.

    5. Custom-made content: Thanks to modern analytics, brands may now provide a high level of customization and create messages and contents that are suitable for every user. This makes an interaction personal, consequently creating a bond.

    The future of story-living in PR

    In the wake of new technological changes, story-living will undoubtedly be included in the core blocks of PR practices and approaches. Such digital tools enable brands to capture the audience’s attention in diverse significant experiences. This particular trend shows a change in PR practice as the bulk of it will not revolve around storytelling but rather engagement.

    Turning the audience into a key piece of the brand story is what story-living brings into PR and transforms it into something new. It is changing how brands speak as they create deeper and better connection with customers in the process. Story-living is bound to trend as companies diversify it, while at the same time cutting through the noise in today’s digital world and maintaining relevance.

    The article has been authored by The Right PR founder & director Harday Gupta.

  • MIS 2024: Leveraging a Customer – Centric Martech Stack

    MIS 2024: Leveraging a Customer – Centric Martech Stack

    Mumbai: Media Investment Summit 2024 is a dynamic platform that aimed to bring together minds from the Brand, Media, Advertising, Digital & TV fraternity to explore the ever-evolving landscape of Content, Adtech, Martech, Metaverse and Web 3.0, the evolution of traditional media planning and buying, data and privacy infringement and ROI on advertising.

    The day – long affair is to make sure to tantalize the thoughts of those looking for answers to myriad topics under the Branding, Advertising, TV, Digital media planning and buying roof.

    The panel for this session was moderated by Fractal Ink CEO Tanay Kumar. The panelists were Future Generali India Life Insurance Co. Ltd. CMO  Geetanjali Chugh Kothari, Pepperfry VP – Marketing & Growth Mahip Dwivedi, Schneider Electric director – Global Strategic Marketing Ankesh Kumar, Dangal Play head  Akshat Singhal and Vserv co-founder & CEO Dippak Khurana.

    Kumar posed the question on the various aspects of utilizing marketing technology (Martech) tools and strategies to the panelists. To which Kothari said, “There are essentially two aspects to consider. Firstly, many areas have become hygiene, especially when it comes to customer data. Secondly, when evaluating the tools to include in your entire CapEx.”

    Dwivedi underscored the customer-centric approach to Martech utilization. He said, To fully utilize Martech, the focus should be on serving the customer, not just selling to them. Using the term “sell” implies bombarding customers with irrelevant messages, which isn’t effective.”

    Kumar shared insights into the global utilization of in-house tools for efficient asset management and campaign execution. He reiterated, “We utilize a variety of in-house tools globally to control assets, release them, and manage various campaigns efficiently.”

    Singhal highlighted the role of Martech in content personalization, communication, and analytics. He said, “From personalizing content to sending communications, we rely on marketing tools to engage, gather analytics, send notifications, and craft personalized emails. So marketers help that way a lot.”

    Khurana said that, “Any marketer who is taking decisions buy or build, there are 2 areas they try to take decisions on. One is they have an objective of user growth and second is they have an objective of user retention.”

    The session concluded as panelists navigated the complexities of the digital landscape, leveraging Martech tools effectively will be essential for staying ahead of the curve and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

  • MIS 2024: The Evolution of Advertising: Ever – Changing Trends in Television Space

    MIS 2024: The Evolution of Advertising: Ever – Changing Trends in Television Space

    Mumbai: Media Investment Summit 2024 is a dynamic platform that aimed to bring together minds from the Brand, Media, Advertising, Digital & TV fraternity to explore the ever-evolving landscape of Content, Adtech, Martech, Metaverse and Web 3.0, the evolution of traditional media planning and buying, data and privacy infringement and ROI on advertising.

    The day – long affair is to make sure to tantalize the thoughts of those looking for answers to myriad topics under the Branding, Advertising, TV, Digital media planning and buying roof.

    The panel was moderated by Indian Television.com Group founder, chairman & editor in chief  Anil Wanvari along with the panelists Polycab head digital marketing Tanushree Jain, SYSKA Group head marketing Amit Sethiya, Laboratories Ltd. India AVP Media Raghavendra Katte and Shemaroo Entertainment, Sandeep Gupta

    The session provided an overview of the ever-changing trends in the evolution of television advertising, with a keen focus on potential disruptions, emerging technologies, and the industry’s strategic response to future challenges.

    Jain emphasized the imperative for television to embrace more technology and content that resonates with consumers’ preferences. She said, “With digital offering targeted and measurable last-mile conversion, television needs to incorporate more technology and content that resonates with consumers’ preferences.”

    Sethiya highlighted the brand’s significant presence built through television advertising over the past decade. His insights underscored the enduring value and impact of television as a medium for brand building and reaching diverse audiences.

    Katte delved into the marketer’s dilemma, emphasizing the importance of targeted approaches in advertising. He told, “The marketer has a choice, they can either participate in ad avoidance by being part of inventory without detailed targeting, or they can opt for targeted approaches where their information is actively sought out.”

    Gupta shed light on the evolving strategies of content providers and creators in television. He said, “Content providers and creators in television are exploring ways to monetize their content more effectively, adapting to changes in the industry.”

    Overall, as the industry continues to evolve, embracing technology, targeted approaches, and innovative content strategies will be crucial for brands and content creators alike to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.

  • Watch the 75 Primetime Emmy Awards, streaming live exclusively on Lionsgate Play

    Watch the 75 Primetime Emmy Awards, streaming live exclusively on Lionsgate Play

    Mumbai: D-Day is approaching and we simply can’t keep calm! As the 75 Primetime Emmy Awards come closer, fans are eagerly waiting to see their favourite television stars light up their screens. From Zendaya’s fashion pro paux’s to Jeremy Allen White’s undeniable charm, the creme de la creme of Hollywood is all set to grace this highly anticipated night of glamor. The awards are sure to bring heartfelt odes, iconic red carpet moments and the perfect blend of entertainment and recognition. Get ready for a saga of emotions and celebrations, as Lionsgate Play is set to LIVE stream the 75 Primetime Emmy Awards on 16 January 2024, starting 5:30 AM.

    Four reasons you shouldn’t miss the Awards:

    The Best of Television

    The Primetime Emmy Awards is a night of prestige and recognition for the best in broadcast television, celebrating shows and actors alike for their ovation worthy performances over the past year. The awards are purely given on artistic and technical merit, foregoing any possible biases. In addition to this, the night sees some long awaited reunions with the ‘who’s who’ of the industry eager to attend.

    A Striking Red carpet!

    As televisions finest come together, they dress their fashionable best! From dropped jaws to bedazzled eyes, stars get their ‘model’ on, either carrying on trends or creating their own. Either way, the night is an extravaganza and how!

    Anthony Anderson makes you laugh

    Every good show needs a great host and when you have the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, You need a great host! Who better to take on this role than the legendary Anthony Anderson? With more than 2 decades experience in making people laugh till they cry, his comedy is the perfect addition to the awards.

    Tough Competition – who will win? Can’t wait!

    The nominations this year are stacked, making it one of the most competitive years to win these awards. With the likes of The Last of Us, Succession, The Bear and Beef in the mix, the stakes are higher, making the win even more satisfying. With shows like this, the prediction game has been ever so interesting.

    Lionsgate Play is bringing the magic of the Primetime Emmy Awards to all South-East Asian audiences as the official broadcaster of television’s most prestigious night. The awards will stream live exclusively on the platform in India on 16 January at 5:30 AM IST.

  • MIB invites comments on the guidelines of accessibility standards for disability audiences.

    MIB invites comments on the guidelines of accessibility standards for disability audiences.

    Mumbai: MIB (Ministry of Information and Broadcasting) issued a notification concerning section 29, section 42 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act 2016. MIB asked for comments or feedback from general people on the announcement of a new mandate for content access to persons with disabilities.

    Mandate asked the government to take appropriate measures and initiatives for  accessibility for content, films, and universal access for promoting interest and preserving human rights. The government issued guidelines for accessibility standards in the public exhibition of feature films in cinemas for people with hearing and visual impairment.

    These guidelines are mandatory for cinema entities and theatres to follow from 10 January 2024. The film which is certified by CBFC ( Central Board of Film Certification) is mandatory to take this measure to promote global accessibility for the content.

    The focus of these guidelines is also on information and assistive devices needed by persons with disabilities to enjoy the content. The effective date is applicable from the date of the notification.

    The accessibility feature mandate depends on principles of health, education, human rights, fundamental freedom, availability, advocacy, and affordability. According to the mandate, films must arrange special shows for people with disabilities as prescribed in the notification. This film or content should enclose a subtitle, audio description, captioning, and technical specialties for the betterment of disabled persons.

    It is also mandatory for film producers to deliver two sets of films for certification to CBFC, one is for public view and the second is for accessibility features for disabilities. Film exhibitors are also entitled to provision accessibility features to disabilities. As per the mandate, providing a minimum of two pieces of equipment per 200 seats.

    As per the 2011 Census, Out of the total population, 2.21 per cent of the population is disabled out of which 19 per cent persons have vision disability and 19 per cent people with hearing disability in hearing. These new regulations will be inclusive of accessibility for social, and cultural well-being.

  • Tata Play Binge adds hyperlocal content app STAGE

    Tata Play Binge adds hyperlocal content app STAGE

    Mumbai: Making diverse content easily accessible, Tata Play Binge has added India’s first dialect-based OTT app, STAGE to its vast array of offerings. STAGE, is a Haryanvi and Rajasthani content-focused OTT app that will expose Tata Play Binge viewers to a plethora of entertainment formats like web series, movies, short films, standup comedy, poetry, folk art and much more.

    Dedicated to safeguarding and amplifying India’s diverse and rich cultural heritage inherent in regional dialects, the hyperlocal entertainment platform STAGE, celebrates artists and embraces diverse regional dialects. It is home to top web series and movies from Haryana and Rajasthan like Dada Lakhmi, Mewat, Akhada, College Kaand, Group D, Safe House, Chaudhar, Opri Paraai, 12vi Aala Pyaar, Doojvar, Bhaichara, Prem Nagar, Mayajaal, Punarjanam, Dahleez, Mere Yaar ki Shaadi, Sarpanch, Muklawo, Aata Saata, Mautana, Bindori, Pariksha, Karj Ro Ghunghat, Maayro, Ghunghat, Vakeel Sahiba, Beend Banugo Ghodi Chadhungo, and many more.

    Commenting on the new partnership, Tata Play’s chief commercial and content officer, Pallavi Puri, said, “Tata Play Binge allows access to content in 13+ languages across 25+ apps. With STAGE, we are adding more entertainment choices for our audiences in Haryana and Rajasthan. With each new partner addition, our goal is to make Tata Play Binge a go-to choice for genre based content discovery instead of browsing by various apps, thereby making the viewing experience worthwhile for our subscribers.”

    Talking about this partnership, STAGE co-founder and CEO Vinay Singhal said “Dialects in India are as diverse as they are vibrant, changing every 8 kilometers. Until now, individuals have primarily had access to Hindi content, missing out on the essence of cultural values embedded within regional languages. At STAGE, our mission is to create content that resonates with the aspirations of Bharat, allowing individuals to embrace and celebrate their unique culture and dialect.
    Our partnership with TATA PLAY BINGE marks an exciting opportunity to extend this mission to a wider audience. The tagline ‘Kyonki Boli Mein Apnapan Hai’ encapsulates our belief that there’s a sense of familiarity and belonging in one’s own dialect. This collaboration empowers us to introduce our library of over 300+ original films and series, spanning various genres, to a broader set of viewers, enabling them to connect deeply with the richness of Haryanvi and Rajasthani dialects.”

    STAGE will join other popular OTT platforms on Tata Play Binge like Disney+ Hotstar, Apple TV+, ZEE5, Fuse+, Hallmark, MX Player, Lionsgate Play, Aha, VROTT, Sun NXT, ReelDrama, Chaupal, Namma Flix, Planet Marathi, manoramaMAX, iStream, Tarang Plus, Hungama Play, FanCode, ShemarooMe, Curiosity Stream, EPIC ON, Travelxp, DocuBay, ShortsTV, Playflix, KliKK along with Gaming. Content from all these platforms is available to the viewers of Tata Play Binge through a single subscription and a single user interface. Additionally, Netflix can be availed as a combo pack with DTH channels for all Tata Play DTH subscribers whereas Amazon Prime Video content can be accessed as an ad-on by all Tata Play Binge subscribers, who also have the DTH connection. Viewers can enjoy all 25 plus apps on large-screen connected devices through Tata Play Binge+ Android Set Top Box, Tata Play edition of the Amazon FireTV Stick and www.TataplayBinge.com.

  • YouTube launched a new content system tools for Indian creators

    YouTube launched a new content system tools for Indian creators

    Mumbai: YouTube announced good news for podcasters and content creators in India. YouTube launches some new features for the customisation of content creation. YouTube made a new user-friendly UI with digital infrastructure to provide a new-age customer experience.

    For that matter, YouTube rolled out new features that inculcate attractive features like stories, opinions, and insights with podcast enthusiasts. Creators can easily roll out content through YouTube Studios and YouTube Music. It will allow users to have direct engagement with podcasters and consume content at per convenience. The podcast will be available on YouTube Music.

    Podcasters also get benefits out of ad revenue by podcasting monetisation. It will also be available for on-demand, offline, and background listening; this will benefit podcasters through subscription plans.Google plans to close the Google podcast in April 2024.

    YouTube also provides a platform to collaborate with sponsored content. Despite a plan to close Google Podcast, Google will build a music and podcast ecosystem with one single app.

    Google-backed YouTube has been running successfully in India for many years and is contributing to the economy significantly.As per Oxford Economics, YouTube said that more than 7 lakh creators and partners collaborated with them.

    YouTube additionally introduced the feature ‘ Podcast Shelves’ on YouTube music for better navigation access.