MUMBAI: Is there still space in the content creation, event IPs, and the experiences verticals despite the gadzillion or so producers, event organisers and individual creators popping up from every nook and cranny all over India?
Well, Raj Nayak, the former chief operating officer of Viacom18 and founder of House of Cheer, sure as hell believes there is. He has unveiled his next bold venture — House of IP — in partnership with digital marketing outfit Yaap.
Positioned as a first-of-its-kind venture studio for event and entertainment IPs, House of IP promises to create, scale and monetise original properties across sports, music, digital content and branded experiences. From seed ideas to revenue engines, the studio aims to become a launchpad for immersive, culture-first experiences.
“At a time when content is fragmented and brands are fighting for attention, scalable IPs are the future,” said Nayak who does not seem to be tiring despite being in the media and entertainment business for nearly four decades.
He’s raring to go with his new venture, just like he was at the start of his career nearly 40 years ago. “House of IP is built to turn bold concepts into cultural movements — and business success.”
Yaap, known for its work in influencer marketing and digital media, brings its tech-driven, platform-first mindset to the collaboration. Founder Atul Hegde called the move a “natural evolution” of Yaap’s vision. “With Raj’s creative force and our digital DNA, this partnership will help build IPs that go the distance,” he said.
House of IP is setting up shop in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Dubai, with plans to work both with original concepts and existing IP owners. The venture will offer strategic consulting, content creation, brand partnerships and monetisation models.
“Think big ideas, deep culture connects, and long-term brand value,” Nayak added. “Welcome to the House of IP.”
What should work in Nayak’s favour is the numerous relationships he has forged and goodwill he has generated on almost every front throughout his career, whether amongst marketers or agencies or broadcast executives or event agencies.
Then there is a bunch of startups as well as unicorns in almost every vertical which are looking for expertise to take them forward in the experiences department or their content needs. The new sports policy announced recently by the government is likely to see a plethora of new sports get a fresh impetus with administrators and the private sector getting together to make India a sporting nation and take it beyond just cricket.
Already, many leagues for many a sport have come up which need nurturing and guidance to make them grow a la the Pro Kabaddi League and the Indian Super League. Raj spent a large part of his early career selling sports and continues to do so with the Celebrity Cricket League, which should work in the House of IPs’ favour.
Finally, with the overall live and experiential business literally exploding like never before, it’s most likely that his House of IPs will have a lot to cheer about. Just like his House of Cheer.
MUMBAI: Bharti Airtel has locked in an exclusive partnership with Apple, making Apple TV+ and Apple Music available for its home wifi and postpaid customers. The deal unlocks premium entertainment benefits for Airtel users, giving them access to Apple’s acclaimed content across multiple platforms.
Airtel’s new offer ensures that home wifi users on plans starting at Rs 999 can enjoy Apple TV+, streaming on multiple devices without restrictions. Meanwhile, postpaid customers on plans above Rs 999 gain access to Apple TV+ and six months of free Apple Music—a major win for music and entertainment lovers.
Bharti Airtel CMO & CEO – connected homes Siddharth Sharma highlighted the significance of this collaboration, “We are excited to join hands with Apple and bring their premium video and music content exclusively to Airtel users. This partnership is a game-changer, offering millions of our home wifi and Postpaid customers access to Apple’s world-class entertainment catalogue. We believe this will redefine how our customers consume content.”
Apple India director – content and services Shalini Poddar echoed this enthusiasm, “Partnering with Airtel allows us to expand access to Apple TV+ and Apple Music to millions of users. Our goal is to make award-winning stories, music, and entertainment accessible to all, and this collaboration takes us one step closer to that vision.”
Airtel subscribers can now binge on Apple TV+ originals, including hits like Ted Lasso, Severance, The Morning Show, Slow Horses, Silo, Shrinking, and Disclaimer. Upcoming releases such as Wolfs and The Gorge will also be available. Meanwhile, Apple Music users will experience an ad-free music catalogue, featuring expertly curated playlists, live artist interviews, and exclusive features like spatial audio and Apple Music sing.
Airtel’s home wifi plans (Rs 999, Rs 1,099, Rs 1,599, and Rs 3,999) offer not just Apple TV+, but also streaming perks across platforms like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Zee5, and JioHotstar. The blazing-fast speeds of up to 1 gbps ensure an uninterrupted viewing and listening experience.
Postpaid users on Rs 999, Rs 1,199, Rs 1,399, and Rs 1,749 plans can enjoy increasing data limits, multiple SIM add-ons, and access to a bundle of 20+ OTT services along with Apple TV+ and Apple Music.
With Apple TV+ and Apple Music now exclusively bundled with Airtel, the telecom giant has upped the ante in India’s digital entertainment space. As content consumption continues to surge, Airtel is ensuring its users are at the forefront of the streaming revolution.
Mumbai: In a blockbuster deal that blends Bollywood glamour with business acumen, Serum Institute of India, CEO, Adar Poonawalla has acquired a 50 per cent stake in Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions for Rs 1000 crore. This partnership not only infuses the storied film production house with fresh capital but also marks Poonawalla’s strategic entry into the entertainment sector, broadening his portfolio beyond healthcare.
Dharma Productions, known for producing some of Bollywood’s biggest hits, will now benefit from Poonawalla’s business expertise and resources. The deal is set to drive the company’s expansion into new content forms and strengthen its position in the evolving Indian film industry. The acquisition also brings an added layer of financial strength and strategic backing that is expected to propel Dharma into new ventures.
Johar, expressing his optimism about the partnership, stated, “I am thrilled to welcome Adar Poonawalla to the Dharma family. His vision aligns with ours, and this investment will open up new avenues for us to create engaging and meaningful content.”
This agreement symbolises a fresh chapter for Dharma Productions, which has been a cornerstone of Bollywood for decades. With Poonawalla on board, the company aims to accelerate its growth plans, expand its reach across platforms, and capitalise on emerging digital opportunities. The funds are likely to be used for producing high-budget films, expanding the company’s digital content division, and exploring international collaborations.
Poonawalla commented on his latest investment, saying, “Bollywood has always fascinated me, and this partnership is a step towards not only investing in a successful business but also in the future of Indian cinema. I look forward to working closely with Karan Johar and the team at Dharma to achieve great things.”
The deal puts Dharma Productions in a stronger position to compete with other major players in India’s entertainment industry. Prior to Poonawalla’s entry, the stake was hotly contested, with Reliance and Saregama among the potential buyers. However, Poonawalla’s winning bid underscored his serious intent to diversify his investments beyond the pharmaceutical industry.
Industry insiders believe this move will encourage more industrialists to look at the entertainment sector as a viable investment avenue. With content consumption surging across digital platforms, Poonawalla’s financial backing could help Dharma Productions expand its footprint in streaming and international markets.
Mumbai: In a world where music elevates every visual experience, the quest for the right soundtrack is crucial yet challenging. Finding music that not only resonates with your project but also adheres to copyright laws can be a complex task for creators and businesses alike. As digital content grows exponentially, the need for accessible, high-quality, and copyright-safe music is more pressing than ever.
This is where innovative solutions by Hoopr.ai come into play. Founded by music director and entrepreneur Gaurav Dagaonkar, Hoopr.ai offers a comprehensive solution to the music licensing puzzle. Combining Dagaonkar’s engineering precision with his deep music industry experience, Hoopr.ai provides India’s largest library of original, copyright-safe tracks. The platform bridges the gap between creators and high-quality music, making it easier than ever to enhance content with the perfect soundtrack.
Delving deeper, Indiantelevision.com caught up with Hoopr.ai co-founder & CEO Gaurav Dagaonkar to know more about his music career, Hoopr’s inception, growth strategies, projects and initiatives, and more…
Edited Excerpts:
On the inspiration to start Hoopr.ai, and your background in music and business shaping its development; Also the key challenges you faced, and how did you overcome them
I did my engineering from Mumbai and my MBA from IIM Ahmedabad. This period of time really shaped my interest, inclination and exposure to music. Engineers are known to have a ‘jugaad’ or let’s-automate-it approach in life and coming from a premier business institute like IIMA, I was strongly instilled with business values where I got an opportunity to interact with some stellar peers, faculty and industry leaders.
I started my music career in 2007 and continued it till 2017. In these 10 years I realised that as a composer what was the legacy that I was building. The music and entertainment field can be quite short-lived as new talent comes in everyday and trends change at the drop of a hat. What is it that I can create which will be solely mine?
That’s when my co-founder, Meghna and I started Songfest in 2017. Songfest specialised in creating viral ads and campaigns for brands using music as a vehicle to build long-lasting and high-recall communication for the brand.
A few years into working on Songfest, we realised that not every brand can afford a large campaign but they may want to explore music as a strategy for their brands. This was also the unfortunate period when Covid struck and marketing budgets took a hit. Yet, digital content creation sky-rocketed with everyone aspiring to make content digitally. The OTT content boom also happened in this period. We felt that this was a massive opportunity. The Indian market clearly lacked a good music platform for copyright-safe music and there was a dearth of high-quality original Indian music on the existing platforms. That is how the idea of Hoopr was born in 2022. Today, two years later, we are India’s largest music library with over 12500 tracks, 6500 plus music artists working with us and 220,000 creators using our platform.
On Hoopr.ai differentiate itself from other music licensing platforms in the market
In the Indian market, Hoopr is a first-mover and a first-of-its-kind platform. There are several platforms available for stock music and royalty-free music. However, Hoopr is the only platform that covers a diverse range of original, high-quality Indian sounds, background music, instrumentals and soundtracks in multiple Indian languages.
For filmmakers, creators and brands, Hoopr becomes a one-stop solution for all their music needs – whether generic or bespoke.
We also work with a vast network of 220,000 plus creators via our music platform and hence we are equally capable of amplifying music and messaging through our platform, which is not available on any other platform currently.
We like to believe that we stand at the cusp of music, technology and community.
On Hoopr.ai supporting musicians in monetising their music, and the opportunities it offers them
I have worked as a singer-composer in the Indian music industry and continue to be associated with it for over 15 years now. I have realised that the music market is vastly driven by Bollywood or film music which is managed by labels and they are all at the end of the day for-profit companies looking to make profits on big releases. Due to this, they tend to get into a zone where they keep making more of what sells – the same type of songs, same artists and this makes breaking into the mainstream music scene very difficult for independent artists.
Hoopr provides a fair and equal platform for such artists. Doesn’t matter where they are based and what genre of music they make. As long as they are able to produce music that is original, platform-friendly and high quality, we are thrilled to work with them.
We are proud to state that today Hoopr has a network of over 6500 artists that we commission music from for our platform. This includes sound engineers, producers, singers, instrumentalists, etc.
On some success stories where Hoopr.ai significantly impacted a content creator or musician’s project
Yes, we are very proud of the work we have done with some top creators such as Chef Ranveer Brar, Tanya Khanijow and Gaurav Taneja (Flying Beast).
All of Ranveer’s content on social media is backed by copyright-safe music from Hoopr.
We also did a fabulous bespoke song for Gaurav Tanejas’s Desh ka Dhoni video called Zidd Hai.
With Tanya Khanijow we collaborated with an exclusive Hoopr track called Safar Anjana.
There are many such stories to mention.
On your innovative music contests like ‘Retro Reimagined’ and ‘Sing to Sync’ and these contests contributing to the growth and engagement of Hoopr.ai’s community of musicians and content creators
Sing2Sync is a platform-led property that we built that allows brands or labels to use our artist community to commission new tracks or create UGC recreations of their cult songs or language variations of their legacy soundtracks.
Retro Rewind was one such successful execution for a large music label, Universal Music Group. The mandate was to crowdsource multiple recreations of their cult track, Baahon ke Darmiyaan, from the classic film Khamoshi. They wanted to expand their existing catalog by adding innovative recreations. They also wanted to buy out the top five tracks and add it to their prolific catalog.
We executed this activity over a span of 90 days. The first step was to create an engaging contest page, which was promoted on social media and with our existing community of 6500 plus artists. We received close to 10,000 registrations, and 1270 submissions of which 160 songs qualified in the screening. We shortlisted the top 14 tracks for selection to the UMG panel. An esteemed panel from Hoopr and UMG jointly judged the shortlisted 14 tracks and finally UMG actually took home eight creations instead of the original commitment of five tracks.
On the upcoming projects or contests that Hoopr.ai has in the pipeline, and are there any new initiatives you’re working on as a music director
While we are not at liberty to discuss the details of upcoming projects, I can tell you that there are some major brand projects in the pipeline from some gigantic brands which you will see individual announcements about in the coming months.
Apart from that there are some major strides that Hoopr is poised to take in the music licensing industry but I would like to speak about it when the time is right.
I do miss my music as most of my time is now devoted to being a full-time CEO and running a company but yes there will be some interesting pursuits on that front as well.
On the trends you see emerging in the music licensing industry, and Hoopr.ai’s positioning to capitalise on them
There are a bunch of macro trends that are shaping the licensing landscape in India as we speak. The first of those being the music streaming stats in India which seem to be doubling every three years. In 2020, India was streaming 230mn music streams, and today in 2024 that number stands at 470mn. Today 80 per cent of the top trending videos across YouTube are music videos. Globally, music has become the highest form of content that is being consumed and it also has a high repeat value unlike other formats.
Music labels and artists are becoming increasingly aware and alert of the loss of monetisation that they incur every time their music is being used without proper licensing or remuneration. Hence, we’ve seen them coming down hard on brands that use their music in an unauthorised manner and we’ve seen massive brands being engaged in legal battles that result in loss of goodwill and huge legal penalties.
Lastly, the meteoric rise in the size of the creator market in India, which is growing at a CAGR of 20 per cent year on year. The current size of this marketing in India is three to five million at a pessimistic best. Of these, only the top 1.9 per cent are able to monetise their content. One major reason for this is the lack of awareness around the use of copyrighted music for their content.
Hoopr works are the intersection of music, technology and community where by using our platform, brands can have access to copyright-safe music which will save them precious legal dollars, and creators can effectively monetise their content without fear of take-downs. And all of this is driven by a tech-first platform.
On your future plans for Hoopr.ai and its growth in the next few years
We envision a geography-agnostic, platform-led, tech-driven marketplace ecosystem where music artists, creators, and brands exist and thrive. This marketplace will give artists the opportunity to collaborate with other artists, secure brand deals and employ creators for digital amplification.
For creators, this becomes a one-stop shop to secure brand deals and promotional projects that help them monetize their channels all while having access to the highest quality of original, copyright-free music.
For brands, this becomes a turn-key solution, where they can license sounds and music for their brand, collaborate with artists for bespoke solutions and use Hoopr’s creator-verse to amplify their brand messaging.
At some point, Hoopr also envisions itself as a massive, platform-led label with the best musical talent on its roster and the default tech platform for all music monetisation and licensing needs for all independent artists or full-blown labels in the music industry. We aim to build a vast catalog with the best quality music in the world. There will come a day when Hoopr will be synonymous to Google for music search. We want people looking for music to just Hoopr it!
Mumbai: The kickoff of the fall TV season in the US and the return of football provided audiences with an abundance of new content in September, fueling a 2.4 per cent rise in total TV viewing. The arrival of new broadcast programming provided the traditional lift that we’ve seen historically, but the 12.4 per cent increase in volume from August wasn’t enough to alter the trajectory of streaming usage, as streaming services captured 36.9 per cent of total TV usage, according to Nielsen.
Alongside the whopping, but perhaps not totally unexpected, 222 per cent increase in sports viewing on broadcast channels, audiences continued to overindulge on streaming content, resulting in yet another monthly high-water mark. Audiences also continue to expand their choice of streaming service, with YouTube hitting a new platform-best streaming record, claiming eight per cent of TV viewing and equaling Netflix’s July record high, Hulu securing its own record of 3.7 per cent, and Pluto TV capturing one per cent of total TV, enabling it to be showcased outside of the “other streaming” category. HBO Max also gained 9.9 per cent in volume thanks to House of the Dragon and Game of Thrones, pushing its share of TV to 1.3 per cent.
In several cases, increases in volume did not affect total TV share. For example, Amazon Prime Video usage increased 3.9 per cent in September on the strength of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power and specific Thursday Night Football games, but the platform’s share of total TV remained flat at 2.9 per cent. Similarly, Disney+ saw a 2.4 per cent increase in volume, yet its share of total TV stayed at 1.9 per cent.
Broadcast recorded the largest month-over-month gain, driven by the sports genre, which accounted for 25.1 per cent of broadcast viewing. That said, broadcast’s 24.2 per cent share in September was 7.1 per cent lower than it was a year ago. Cable also benefited from a 40 per cent bump in sports viewing, but the 0.4 per cent rise in usage wasn’t enough to move cable’s share of total TV. In fact, with the other categories gaining share in the month, cable dropped 0.7 share points to finish with 33.8 per cent of total TV, its lowest share ever reported by The Gauge. Cable viewing was 9.3 per cent lower in September compared with a year ago.
The return of football was the true spark in September, as it provided new content across broadcast, cable, and streaming. But even without sports, streaming—in all of its forms—continues to gain adoption, and it benefits from the emphasis that pure-play streamers and media companies alike are placing on it.
Mumbai: Amidst a video-obsessed world where ‘shorter is nicer,’ a quiet revolution has been brewing—of audio content that is immersive, habit-forming, and poised for greater growth.
Long stories are here to stay
The pandemic changed a lot in terms of our consumption habits. This also extended to our content preferences. With theatres shut, shopping going online, and content being on tap-OTT took over. And this has extended to audio content as well.
What’s changed?
Over the last two years, consuming entertainment and information through audio has become a viable option. What has been driving this growth?
“Better content” is the simple, most important factor. Equally important is the availability of local content, which has attracted more listeners. But what is the impact of this growth on the media landscape and how content is being consumed?
Before we answer this, it’s important to understand who’s listening to this content. A large chunk of podcast content is being heard by a younger audience—typically 18–30 years old. This audience is based in urban and semi-urban areas. The content they truly love to listen to includes self-help, motivational, fiction (crime and love do well together!) and a whole lot of content created by the people they like, look up to, or want to know more about—in short, influencers.
The impact
For most digital content, we are now attuned to thinking that ‘shorter is better’. Thanks to TikTok and other short-form video content platforms, short content rules the roost. But in podcasts, length is not a deterrent. A typical interview-format podcast can range from 20 minutes to 5 hours! Yes, five hours! And it has a large audience too.
Why are so many youngsters listening to long-form podcasts? A quick survey revealed that this mode allows them to go into depth about the topics they really care about. Plus, the fact that it is coming from a place of credibility and a source they trust makes it more compelling.
Another major reason for the increase is the ability to consume podcasts and audio content passively. Press play, stow away the mobile, and you’re good for a while. For price-sensitive consumers, data consumption is also less than video.
Should we all talk for hours?
Of course not! Especially if you aren’t an authority on your subject of choice! Long form audio will do well for knowledge-based content—whether it is a monologue or a dialogue. For fiction podcasts, keeping it short (in the podcast context) to about 20–30 minutes per episode is a sweet spot. Let the listener pace their listening… like with a good TV series, develop the story and put in hooks to keep the listener coming back for more.
This also begs the question of whether there is any place for short-form content (like with video) in the audio space. The answer is a resounding yes! But choose topics carefully. We are still in the early stages of discovering what works and what doesn’t. So expect a lot more experimentation in formats, lengths, genres, and topics.
In the last few years, a lot of news outlets have also taken to podcasts actively. The ease of reaching a large audience (about 95 million) that is engaged is a strong pull. The audio-led feature story will soon start to be an important part of content strategies. Whereas creating video documentaries can be cumbersome, expensive and time-limiting, audio will be able to offer a strong alternative.
And the money?
The short answer is that there is money for creators. Over the next few months, audio-first influencers will emerge. As the audience grows, brands have started exploring the medium.
Many have already made investments and had their first taste of the medium. Branded content, brand integrations, pureplay sponsorships, and advertising have all started the cycle of monetisation for creators and publishers.
To sum up, the biggest change that podcasts are bringing to the media landscape and how we consume content is they are putting the limelight back on in-depth storytelling and immersive experiences for audiences.
The author is Ideabrew Studios co-founder & CEO Aditya Kuber.
The acronym NFT stands for “non-fungible token.” This signifies that it’s a one-of-a-kind code that can’t be substituted with anything else. An NFT is nothing more than a digital representation of a physical item. NFTs have monetary or sentimental worth and can be bought, sold, or traded. You can own them because they are digital assets. They are one-of-a-kind digital assets in the form of cryptographic tokens. Bitcoin tokens can be thought of as blockchain-verified dollar bills, and NFTs are works of art or other media files that have been confirmed on the blockchain.
In the digital realm, the possibilities are limitless. NFTs are a gamechanger for digital content creation since they allow creators to create and sell art, music, books, films, and more. Digital marketers and content providers can communicate with customers on social media, give them valuable assets such as giveaway prizes, and more.
How do NFTs impact influencers?
NFTs have the potential to establish a new universe of intellectual property with copyright income for content creators and influencer-generated material that attracts influencers and content creators. We’ve seen over the last decade that viral moments may provide a monetary profit for their creators. Memes, short videos, and products are all examples of this. It can be used as a possible revenue stream for a variety of people and businesses, ranging from professional sports leagues to artists and others, who can now sell the NFT behind their brands instead of having to negotiate a three- or five-year usage of their image.
Influencers can earn a lot of money, but their resources are limited. To make money, they rely on brand partnerships and collaborations. But NFTs change that by offering a completely new way to make revenue and improve marketing strategies. Because of its unique setup, the creator economy has enabled individuals to generate digital content using blockchain-based technologies, potentially altering the financial environment for the creators involved. They’ve made it possible for artists to make millions from just one piece of work. NFTs are being explored by creators as a means to deliver unique, paid experiences and communicate with their followers.
NFTs also have the potential to be sold in the future. They can be configured to allow royalties so that when an asset is sold on the NFT marketplaces, the developer receives a portion of future sales.
Naturally, the scope of influencers in the fields of lifestyle, fashion, and art is nearly endless. These influencers can sell exclusive content, such as digital art, while NFT ensures its validity and value. Influencers in the gaming industry are also getting involved, selling in-game weaponry and artifacts as NFTs.
As a prize, NFTs can boost engagement. Influencers can organise a campaign and give away NFTs, which have a lot of value for their followers. NFTs are also excellent prizes for collaboration posts and user-generated content contests, particularly if they include a memorable moment, exclusive material, or a digital collectible.
MovingForward
NFTs aren’t just the latest craze; they’re digital assets that exist exclusively online yet have real-world value. We’re getting more digitally oriented, and NFTs bring a popular activity, an investment possibility, and a status symbol into the digital realm. We like physical objects that we can hold and feel, but digital assets are the way of the future. Companies and influencers have a one-of-a-kind way to monetize online content and intellectual property, from unique digital art to a virtual baseball card to an unforgettable moment.
It is critical to recognise that NFTs do not pose a threat to brand-influencer partnerships. On the contrary, by employing NFTs as a newer form of technology that will allow them to drive innovation, they will be able to improve their collaborations and continue to expand their ties.
NFTs are popular because of their uniqueness and collectability. Creating products through limited partnerships between companies and influencers will be a whole new revenue source for both the brand and the influencer. Customers can gain access to a unique piece of the digital world with NFTs.
Today, marketers are using Livestream product launches and other experience sessions with influencers in the form of tutorials to create experiences that are exclusive. The digital and crypto worlds are sweeping the globe as new generations of customers become increasingly accustomed to them and see the enormous value of this type of transaction and investment.
(The author is CEO of Mad Influence, a social media marketing platform. The views expressed in this column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Mumbai: E-sports company Nodwin Gaming, the material subsidiary of Nazara Technologies Ltd, has acquired a strategic 10 per cent stake in the digital content IP media network Rusk Media.
Continuing its ‘youth first’ philosophy, Nodwin Gaming aims to deepen and widen its portfolio of content IPs in the gaming and esports ecosystem by investing in Rusk Media, it said in a statement on Monday.
“As a leader of esports in the South Asian region, we aim to eventually have a significant presence across the entire ecosystem in this sector,” stated Nodwin Gaming managing director Akshat Rathee. “Through our investment in Rusk Media, we aim to take further steps in the massification of esports and gaming by creating entertainment-first gaming IPs for the GenZ.”
Rusk Media is India’s exclusive Gen-Z first digital content IP network. Nodwin Gaming’s investment in Rusk Media will enable the massification of entertainment-first gaming and esports content in the country and enable media platforms to have access to content that the above-mentioned cohort is looking for, said the statement.
“We are excited to have Nodwin Gaming as a part of our journey to revolutionize entertainment for the Gen-Z and millennial audience. We want to bring together the worlds of entertainment and esports and create digital-first IPs that are made for gaming fans,” said Rusk Media CEO Mayank Yadav.
Since its funding in March this year, Nodwin Gaming has been on an expansion and consolidation spree to augment its dominance in the Indian e-sports ecosystem. Recently, the company acquired the gaming and adjacent IP businesses of OML Entertainment, including the IP of the very popular Bacardi NH7 Weekender music festival.
Mumbai: Malayalam GEC Amrita has launched its OTT platform Amrita Live on Planetcast’s multiscreen digital platform on Monday.
Amrita Live will exclusively stream content related to spiritual leader Amritanandamayi Devi known to her devotees as Amma. As a part of the strategic partnership, Planetcast will host Amrita Live digital platform’s content from its library comprising over 5,000 hours and various live events, it said in a media statement.
“By launching our own OTT platform, we will offer our target customers, the luxury of watching content as per their convenience. We are committed to adopting technological & digital solutions for improving the overall operations,” said Amrita TV COO Jayakesh Nair.
Planetcast’s multiscreen digital platform is a SaaS platform, which offers an agile, advanced, easy to deploy, and easy to manage OTT ecosystem. “Amrita Live is actively strengthening its presence in the international market by launching its OTT service. Together, we will work for massive viewership with multilingual content through versatile apps available on popular platforms, devices, and appliances,” said Planetcast Media Services COO Sanjay Duda.
Mumbai: One Life Studios (OLS) has announced the partnership with Times Network’s Zoom and The Zoom Studios to distribute their youth-focused entertainment offerings in China and Africa.
With their diverse catalogue comprising fiction & non-fiction-based short series and celebrity shows and various other genres, OLS is all set to take this entire gamut of youth-oriented content from Zoom and The Zoom Studios to audiences all over the world, it said in a statement.
Before this, OLS had also inked a partnership with Sony Pictures Networks India for CIS, CEE region along with China & Japan, Pocket Films & Turmeric Vision Pvt Ltd (Food Food) to syndicate their entire catalogue across the globe.
Talking about the latest association, OLS head Siddharth Kumar Tewary said, “For us at One Life Studios, our effort is dedicated to offering the world audiences a choice of exciting & quality content in varied genres from fiction (long & short – thrillers/ romantic/ period/family) to non-fiction (lifestyle/travel/cookery/infotainment/fashion & celebrity). We believe in not just creating but also partnering with studios and producers who share our vision and take their content across the globe through our huge network syndicate. The narrative and conversational styles adopted by the creators for the zoom studios originals have made sure that the young viewers not just connect but also become a sustained and loyal fan base for their forthcoming ventures. Seeing how interestingly they’ve charted their course, we are certain that this content can create an even greater stir internationally.”
Times Network COO and executive president Jagdish Mulchandani said, “We are delighted to announce One Life Studios as our exclusive distributor of Bollywood & original content in China and Africa, strengthening our presence in the international markets. Zoom and The Zoom Studios are our pioneer brands, synonymous with powerful Bollywood and original content. I am confident with this partnership, viewers across the globe will experience our best-in-class Bollywood and original shows.”
