ITV

Tag: Short form content

  • Netflix shrugs off downturn fears as ad tech rollout bears fruit

    Netflix shrugs off downturn fears as ad tech rollout bears fruit

    MUMBAI: Netflix executives are feeling rather chirpier about their prospects, even as storm clouds gather over the global economy. During their Q1 2025 earnings call, co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters dismissed concerns about consumer belt-tightening, insisting that home entertainment has historically been “resilient” during lean times.

    “Entertainment historically has been pretty resilient in tougher economic times,” Peters told analysts. “Netflix specifically also has been generally quite resilient, and we haven’t seen any major impacts during those tougher times.”

    The streaming behemoth is ploughing ahead with its advertising ambitions, having just rolled out its proprietary ad tech platform in Canada and the US, with plans to expand to its remaining 10 ad markets in the coming months. Peters confidently predicted the company would “roughly double” its advertising revenue in 2025.
    “We aren’t currently seeing any signs of softness from our direct interactions with buyers,” he said. “Actually, to the opposite, we’re seeing some positive indicators from clients as we approach our upfront event.”

    The firm’s first-party ad tech platform is already yielding dividends, offering “more flexibility for advertisers” and “fewer activation hurdles,” according to Peters. In the US, Netflix has significantly expanded its targeting capabilities based on “life stage, interest, viewing mood” and third-party data.

    Sarandos reiterated that the company’s live strategy extends beyond sports, though he confirmed Netflix will broadcast a second NFL Christmas Day game in December 2025. The company will also stream the Taylor-Serrano boxing rematch in July, following on from the Tyson-Paul fight that generated substantial buzz.

    When questioned about potentially competing head-to-head with YouTube in short-form content, Peters struck a pragmatic tone: “We think the biggest opportunity we’ve got is actually going after the roughly 80% share of TV time that neither Netflix nor YouTube have today.”

    Meanwhile, chief financial officer Spence Neumann assured investors that excess cash flow would predominantly be returned to shareholders through buybacks, absent any “meaningful M&A.” The company maintains its full-year operating margin guidance of 29 per cent.

  • Kuku TV transforms India’s OTT space with vertical microdrama boom

    Kuku TV transforms India’s OTT space with vertical microdrama boom

    MUMBAI: India’s digital entertainment landscape just got a bold new entrant—Kuku TV. The country’s first vertical OTT platform has officially launched, redefining storytelling with serialised microdramas tailored for today’s mobile-first audience. Designed to be fast, engaging, and binge-worthy, Kuku TV is here to disrupt the streaming game with high-intensity, cliffhanger-driven episodes.

    With over five million downloads during its beta phase, Kuku TV is scaling rapidly, proving that Indian audiences are ready for a new era of content consumption. The platform delivers short episodic stories in a vertical format, optimised for smartphones—each episode lasting under two minutes, with series spanning over 50+ episodes.

    If you thought long-form drama was the only way to hook audiences, Kuku TV is here to prove otherwise.

    mini seires

    According to an Ericsson study, 57 per cent of global video plays come from mobile devices, with 94 per cent of users holding their phones vertically. Meanwhile, 90 per cent of Indian users consume short-form vertical videos daily, yet the OTT space had no dedicated premium platform to cater to this demand—until now.

    Kuku co-founder & COO Vinod Kumar Meena shared, “Traditional OTTs are stuck in an era where TV-sized screens were the norm. India’s audience has moved on—they’re watching content on their smartphones, in vertical mode, and in short bursts. With Kuku TV, we’re not just launching a streaming platform; we’re pioneering an entirely new way of storytelling. Given our experience with Kuku FM, where we scaled to 4.5 million paying subscribers, we understand what works for personalised content consumption, and we’re applying those learnings to video streaming.”

    Nearly 95 per cent of India’s creative talent remains undiscovered due to outdated distribution models. Kuku TV is bridging this gap by offering a direct-to-consumer channel for independent filmmakers, writers, and production houses to monetise their work and connect with millions of viewers. The platform is already collaborating with directors and producers to develop original microdramas and acquire rights to underrepresented films.

    Unlike traditional OTT platforms that rely on ad-based models, Kuku TV operates on a pure subscription model:

    . Annual subscription: Rs 899

    . Quarterly subscription: Rs 399

    Make Scrolling

    India already has 500 million plus OTT users and 100 million plus active paid subscriptions (Ormax Report). With over 900 million internet users in the country and 150 million already paying for content, the next digital shift is inevitable. As India surpasses the one billion internet user mark, the number of paid content subscribers is expected to reach 500 million, with 300 million potential users for vertical microdramas.

    Say hello to the future of vertical entertainment. By merging short-form content with compelling storytelling, it creates an immersive, binge-worthy experience designed for the new-age mobile viewer. With fresh content dropping every day, including one regional Indian microdrama daily, Kuku TV ensures a dynamic library spanning genres like Action, Bollywood, Sci-Fi, and Mythology.

    For filmmakers, investors, and creators looking to be part of this storytelling revolution, Kuku TV is now accepting applications for collaborations.

    Download Now:

    . Android: Google Play Store

    . iOS: Apple App Store

  • Rahul Sarangi quits MX Player to join Disney+Hotstar

    Rahul Sarangi quits MX Player to join Disney+Hotstar

    KOLKATA: Senior media professional Rahul Sarangi has joined Disney+Hotstar as vice president- head of short form & new content initiatives.

    Last year, when streaming service MX Player branched out into short-format video through MX TakaTak , it had appointed Sarangi as MX Player new business vice president and head.

    Sarangi was earlier with TVF, one of the pioneers in the online content ecosystem of India, as global head-content and business.

    He is an Emmy nominated content creator with nearly two decades of experience across digital and linear content as well as production & content operations (short and long formats across scripted, unscripted & live Sports), with a comprehensive understanding of media business across geographies. He is also an active angel investor.

    In the early days of his career, Sarangi worked with MTV Asia as the senior supervising producer. He worked in India and Singapore in the content team and was also part of the MTV’s regional brand solutions team. Later, he was also a part of the launch team of Colors. 

  • ShortsTV to showcase women-centric docuseries ‘Five’

    ShortsTV to showcase women-centric docuseries ‘Five’

    MUMBAI: ShortsTV, which recently became the exclusive presenter of the Academy Award-nominated short film theatrical releases, has signed a one-year exclusive distribution deal with Mastercard for Five, a collection of documentary short films from women directors about the perseverance and passion of women entrepreneurs.

    Through the partnership, ShortsTV’s aims to spotlight short-form filmmakers and diverse perspectives in association with Mastercard’s commitment to gender balance and supporting small business. The five highlighted films will be featured on ShortsTV’s linear broadcast channels such as Tata Sky ShortsTV, Airtel Shorts TV and ShortsTV Active on Dish TV and d2h in March 2021 to mark International Women’s Day.

    This five documentary film series has been commissioned by Mastercard and includes Harfa, Justice Of The Pies, Onganic Foods, Sarah’s Bag and Talento Incluir. They follow the journey of five women from five countries across the globe who have each set out to start a purpose-driven business to improve and uplift their communities. Earlier this year, Mastercard expanded its commitment to financial inclusion with a pledge to bring one billion into the digital economy by 2025, including a focus on providing 25 million women entrepreneurs with solutions that can help them grow their businesses. Spotlighting these five stories will bring further awareness to some of the world’s most critical issues challenging inclusion.

    “We are thrilled to be joining Mastercard in highlighting five great films about five great women from around the world who have overcome significant challenges to create thriving, community-enhancing businesses,” said ShortsTV founder & CEO Carter Pilcher. “Each one of these uplifting stories speaks to the triumph of an indomitable human spirit, the subtle power of women heroes, and the ability of visual storytelling in film to inspire us daily.”

    Five is also a part of Mastercard’s gender balance commitment to design a better world for women by cultivating opportunities, resources and communities that give women the tools they need to grow their businesses.

    “Film is a powerful medium, inspiring and educating people through human stories and personal connections. It’s a natural way to drive awareness and empathy for the critical issues women entrepreneurs face every day and we’re honoured to give these five women a platform to share their experiences,” said Mastercard chief marketing and communications officer Raja Rajamannar. “Working with such an innovative partner, ShortsTV, gives our Five documentary series the ability to connect with people all over the world, sharing meaningful messages of resilience, perseverance, community and comradery.”

    Harfa, directed by Elle Mische

    Learning is a lifelong pursuit, often brimming with a wealth of books and experts on every topic imaginable. But when Irena Orlovic went searching for ways to help teach her young daughter with a developmental disability, she discovered only empty bookshelves in her native language. What began as an educational journey of her own led her to start Harfa, a publishing house founded with an entrepreneurial spirit and a desire to help teach an entire country.

    Justice Of The Pies, directed by Michelle Marrion

    Basil key lime, blue cheese praline pear, lavender lemon—mouth-watering pies by chef Maya-Camille Broussard delight all five senses. Created to honour her father’s legacy as a Chicago criminal defence attorney who could never say no to a good pastry, Justice of the Pies serves not only the most inventive pies in town but also the city’s future talent, by teaching skills like nutrition and budgeting to kids from underserved communities while they bake their first delicious pie.

    Onganic Foods, directed By Lisa Madison

    After starting her own garden, journalist Ekta Jaju uncovered that modern farming practices were causing profound health effects on small farmers in her district. Curious and community-minded, Ekta began educating hundreds of farmers about the dangers of pesticides and showing them a better way through organic farming. Her mission quickly blossomed into a thriving business based on sustainable agriculture. Onganic Foods is living proof that one small seed of change can transform a countryside.

    Sarah’s Bag, directed by Nadia Naffa

    Sarah’s Bag follows the story of solicitous entrepreneur Sarah Beydoun. While working on her thesis in Sociology, Sarah’s eyes were opened to the struggles of women who had been left behind – enduring imprisonment, abuse, and prostitution. Feeling compelled to help, Sarah found local resources and damaged materials to make handbags, while using employment to give the women their dignity back and a means to support their families. Sarah’s Bag takes you inside the lives of those given a second chance.

    On 4 August 2020, an explosion occurred that severely damaged Beirut. The horrific blast was the scale of a nuclear explosion — the size of the blast being estimated as that equivalent of 200 to 300 tons of explosives. The impact killed more than 200 people, injured more than 7,000 and left up to 300,000 survivors without their homes. The blast ripped through Sarah's business of 20 years.  The roof collapsed on Sarah but she survived. She is working to rebuild her physical and online store, both domestic and internationally.

    Talento Incluir, directed by Renata Sette

    In a split second, life changed for Carolina Ignarra. Following a harrowing accident, she would need to traverse the crowded streets of São Paulo, Brazil, in a wheelchair forever. She quickly discovered the biggest challenge she was about to face wouldn’t be her own disability, but systemic workplace discrimination for the broader Sao Paulo disabled population. Driven to educate managers on the meaning and value of inclusivity, Carolina started Talento Incluir to help promote new pathways for employers to value, hire and redefine what it means to be top talent.

  • ZEE5’s HiPi gears up for India’s 1 billion video consumers

    ZEE5’s HiPi gears up for India’s 1 billion video consumers

    KOLKATA: Evolution is the key to sustain in a transforming ecosystem; India’s leading entertainment network Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd (Zeel) is following that route. While it has been charting its growth in the online ecosystem with over-the-top platform ZEE5, the latter is now venturing into short-format video too. It’s not a mere expansion but the ambition is to be able to create a sustainable business over a period of time which essentially addresses a billion users in India, as ZEE5 India expansion projects business head and product head Rajneel Kumar says.

    “Very soon we will have a billion Indians who will be consuming videos on a monthly basis. That time could be one, two or three years from now. That’s the overall market size we are gunning for. We have a very long-term strategy around short-form content where we will see new users who will start consuming this content. Of course,  we would like million and millions to come on the platform but our main ambition is to be able to create a sustainable business over a period of time which essentially addresses a billion users in India,” Kumar said in an interaction with Indiantelevision.com.

    Nearly two weeks ago, ZEE5 revealed the name of its short-form content platform, HiPi. The announcement came right after the Indian government imposed a ban on 59 Chinese apps including TikTok, the giant in the short-video segment. As opposed to launching as a separate app, HiPi will be a part of ZEE5. 

    “We have been working on it for over a year with consumer research, content research, product research as well as trying to understand what features consumers like. The timing was honestly coincidental; it was something we already planned in this quarter. However, once the news came out we did expedite certain priorities to be able to get this out as early as we can while not compromising quality or experience,” he added.

    ZEE5 is not waiting for consumers or influencers discover the platform once it launches the new segment. Rather, it is actively getting a lot of influencers who are on other platforms and onboarding them to ZEE5. With these influencers, their followers will be also able to find their content on the new platform. Initially, HiPi is launching with 300 influencers while it also has a list of other 200 influencers that will come on the platform very soon. 

    Moreover, it has opened the platform for new influencers as it is launching ‘Creators Dashboard' in the next couple of months. Through this, influencers can upload profiles for the kind of content they have created and references of other platforms where they exist. If they become verified, they would enter into a revenue-sharing model with ZEE5. There will be remuneration and compensation for all content they create. Currently, they can reach out to ZEE5 through the latter’s social handles.

    In the past, we have seen user-generated content platforms getting dragged into controversies for sensitive content. While the company is in the final stages of testing, it is highly focusing on user experience and brand safety. Kumar assured that both human and AI intervention will be there to filter content. “Unlike other platforms, no content which is uploaded goes straight and people can see it. Every content which is uploaded goes through a layer of both AI and human moderation,” he added.

    ZEE5 has several content pieces ranging from catch-up content to premium originals, news and sports. “Each one of them has individual experiences built up to see which is best for the users. When a user comes on the platform, he or she is able to see all the content which is available. Only when they start to consume a particular piece of content, whether it is a movie or a short-form content, the appropriate interface for the user comes up. The short-form content area will be a vertical scrolling video which is full-screen,” he added.

    Now a bunch of short-format video sharing apps are mushrooming as OTTs did two-three years ago; even Instagram launched Reel a few days back. Hence, despite the giant being gone, it is not easy to attract consumers. 

    “We have put together a very strong content team which will curate the kind of content to make it different and interesting for users. We will be launching different kinds of AR filters which will enable users to create interesting content. We are focused on a road map of engagement which is beyond just consuming content; so how can the user interact with other people, how can the user play games? We are working on those kinds of areas which will be part of our roadmap and essentially our distinguishing features,” Kumar sounded confident.

  • ShortsTV continues to maintain growth rate of 50k subscribers since launch month

    ShortsTV continues to maintain growth rate of 50k subscribers since launch month

    MUMBAI: Feature films have always had an edge over other forms of movies in India. But the internet boom has enabled more short-form content with engaging plots and fresh faces. Against this backdrop, ShortsTV, the world’s only TV channel dedicated to short movies, is creating an example. Though the channel is now in an exclusive partnership with Tata Sky, it is also in talks with other carriers to make it available across the country.

    The London-based television channel entered into a partnership with India’s leading DTH platform Tata Sky for the platform Tata Sky ShortsTV in last November. Along with availability on the telly screen, the service is also available on the mobile app as well as the DTH operator’s website.  With a growing library of over 5000 titles, the next step in the agenda is to launch its machine learning app in India which will personalise viewing for each customer based on his favourite genres and mood.

    Tata Sky aimed to target the new youth with the Rs 75 a month channel, a steep number in price-conscious India. But the channel seems to be picking up pace as earlier this year, it acquired 18 shorts from Terribly Tiny Tales.

    ShortsTV chief executive Carter Pilcher spoke to Indiantelevision.com on the deal with Tata Sky, future expansion plans along with other relevant issues.

    Edited excerpts:

    How has the partnership with Tata Sky panned out for you?

    Tata Sky is a great partner. I would say we spoke to lots of potential partners in India and Tata Sky probably is the most forward-thinking in terms of good content and technical delivery. They have a great digital programme and an extensive video-on-demand offering that the mobile app users also can enjoy. They are very creative as partners. We have really enjoyed working with them.

    How many subscribers have you acquired since the launch of the service?

    Tata Sky is the right company to tell you the exact numbers now. But we crossed 50,000 in the first month and maintained growth is at that rate since then. So, it’s been a very popular service.

    Are you considering deals with any other DTH platform or other carriers?

    Yes, we are exclusive with Tata Sky at this point but we are definitely talking with other carriers to bring ShortsTV all across India. That will happen towards the end of the year. We will be with Tata Sky for most of this year to promote the channel.

    Do you have any plan to talk to OTT platforms at this point?

    We talked to some but we are talking more to mobile operators and other satellite operators just because we think their business models are little more established.

    What has been the consumption trend so far, as you noticed?

    The things that really succeed, of course, are the big star films, the big films which are award winners. In Oscar month, we promoted a lot of Oscar-nominated shorts and we had great viewing numbers for the Oscar-nominated shorts. That’s always a popular thing, especially during the Oscar months. We also partnered with PVR Cinemas and released this year’s Oscar-nominated Live Actions and animated short films in theatres in more than 12 cities in India. That was a great initiative and I think pushed the viewership. The third area, always popular, is local stories. Our teams have been looking at and acquiring best shorts across India irrespective of language. We found great films in different regions and film cultures in different regions are very different. Now we are developing a catalogue that is particularly interesting that you can see how Maharashtrian films look opposed to Karnataka films as opposed to films from Bengal. Language is different, the set-up is slightly different. So, we find the audience really loves that exposure to different film cultures in India.  

    As you said local stories always work great so what’s your plan in front of regional content?

    We have our guys going to every part of the country and talking to production houses from different parts of the country. Definitely, we focused first on bringing films from Maharashtra, we also looked at Bengali films. We are looking at major film producing regions of the country and chasing great stories from there to add up to our catalogue.

    Have you noticed any particular segment of audience inclined to watch these short films?

    It’s hard to say because unlike online, it’s a little difficult to get this data as we are selling it to TV homes. We are not getting the exact data whether the grandmother, grandson, father or mother is watching. But we generally see in all of our territories, the first television audience that really loved us is the film enthusiasts. They are very committed to watching great shorts. We work very hard to provide the best experience and best shorts content. They understand the difference between a good and a bad film.

    Then, the second set of the audience we track are young people who have been interested in watching shorts. They may have a TV at home but they go for work, they travel on the bus or train then they can watch short films.

    How does the year look like for ShortsTV?

    2019 looks great. By the end of the year, we will have several more carriers in India and we are looking at growing in several other regions and markets internationally. I think audiences in India, the US and Europe, are getting accustomed to short releases.

    What has been the impact of the TRAI tariff order on ShortsTV, if any?

    We were already selling the channel individually so it has not really affected us. But we were afraid of the factor that could affect us is that there would be a lot of churn, people might say ‘I have to pay for everything now, this is too expensive’. However, we have not experienced that at all. 

  • Pay-TV in vital stage; service providers must innovate: Study

    Pay-TV in vital stage; service providers must innovate: Study

    SINGAPORE: Pay-TV has entered a period of significant change. Competition is set to increase dramatically, and, in order to grow, service providers will have to innovate strongly.
    Nagra, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and multi-screen television solutions, in partnership with MTM, has published the global learnings from the Pay-TV Innovation Forum. Findings from the Asia Pacific leg of the programme were released last month.

    According to the global findings, industry participants strongly believe that pay-TV, while still growing worldwide, has entered a period of significant change, creating both challenges and opportunities. 83% of executives stated that competition is set to increase dramatically and 78% agreed that in order to grow, service providers will have to innovate strongly over the next five years. However, the state of innovation varies by region. North American pay-TV service providers are notable for their innovation capabilities, offering the most advanced and diversified product and service portfolios. In comparison, pay-TV markets in Asia Pacific are much more fragmented, with market characteristics and service-providers’ innovation capabilities varying substantially by territory.

    Looking forward, executives cited strengthening their core pay-TV platform by going beyond traditional services as their main area of opportunity by focusing on multiscreen/TV everywhere services (76 per cent), new types of content (74 per cent), and new content pricing and packaging strategies (73 per cent). Just over half of executives also see opportunities in advance advertising and data (54 per cent), as well as standalone OTT services (53 per cent).

    Identifying opportunities for innovation globally, the research notes that many service providers have already started investing in new growth areas. North American providers, for example, see a significant commercial opportunity in new forms of content that appeal to Millennials and Generation Z such as digital-first short-form content, on-boarding of third-party OTT services, virtual reality, and gaming. Some European and Asia Pacific pay-TV service providers also see value in providing OTT or gaming services on their pay-TV platforms, particularly through partnerships. Only a smaller number of large scale operators currently address business adjacencies such as advanced advertising and Internet of Things (IoT).

    The research also identifies four major innovation success factors for the industry including strong customer and market insight, having the right platforms and processes, as well as strategic and collaborative partnerships with best-of-breed technology suppliers and content companies.

    “As broadband becomes more ubiquitous in several markets, competition from streaming media platforms intensifies and consumer TV and video journeys evolve, it is clear that the industry needs to innovate at a faster pace to satisfy its customers and remain relevant,” said Simon Trudelle, Senior Product Marketing Director for NAGRA. “Thanks to the work of the Pay-TV Innovation Forum, we now have a global view of the state of innovation around the world and a foundation of key learnings to ensure future success and growth for pay-TV service providers.”

    “The pay-TV industry is a global success story,” said Jon Watts, Managing Partner at MTM. “Despite some regional differences, the majority of executives expect to continue innovating around their core pay-TV services, improving user experience and developing new ways to price and package content, bringing new kinds of content onto their TV platforms, and continuing to invest in multiscreen offerings. The research programme also shows that successful service providers have focused strongly on developing their innovation capabilities, enabling them to adapt to new market conditions.”

  • Pay-TV in vital stage; service providers must innovate: Study

    Pay-TV in vital stage; service providers must innovate: Study

    SINGAPORE: Pay-TV has entered a period of significant change. Competition is set to increase dramatically, and, in order to grow, service providers will have to innovate strongly.
    Nagra, a Kudelski Group (SIX:KUD.S) company and the world’s leading independent provider of content protection and multi-screen television solutions, in partnership with MTM, has published the global learnings from the Pay-TV Innovation Forum. Findings from the Asia Pacific leg of the programme were released last month.

    According to the global findings, industry participants strongly believe that pay-TV, while still growing worldwide, has entered a period of significant change, creating both challenges and opportunities. 83% of executives stated that competition is set to increase dramatically and 78% agreed that in order to grow, service providers will have to innovate strongly over the next five years. However, the state of innovation varies by region. North American pay-TV service providers are notable for their innovation capabilities, offering the most advanced and diversified product and service portfolios. In comparison, pay-TV markets in Asia Pacific are much more fragmented, with market characteristics and service-providers’ innovation capabilities varying substantially by territory.

    Looking forward, executives cited strengthening their core pay-TV platform by going beyond traditional services as their main area of opportunity by focusing on multiscreen/TV everywhere services (76 per cent), new types of content (74 per cent), and new content pricing and packaging strategies (73 per cent). Just over half of executives also see opportunities in advance advertising and data (54 per cent), as well as standalone OTT services (53 per cent).

    Identifying opportunities for innovation globally, the research notes that many service providers have already started investing in new growth areas. North American providers, for example, see a significant commercial opportunity in new forms of content that appeal to Millennials and Generation Z such as digital-first short-form content, on-boarding of third-party OTT services, virtual reality, and gaming. Some European and Asia Pacific pay-TV service providers also see value in providing OTT or gaming services on their pay-TV platforms, particularly through partnerships. Only a smaller number of large scale operators currently address business adjacencies such as advanced advertising and Internet of Things (IoT).

    The research also identifies four major innovation success factors for the industry including strong customer and market insight, having the right platforms and processes, as well as strategic and collaborative partnerships with best-of-breed technology suppliers and content companies.

    “As broadband becomes more ubiquitous in several markets, competition from streaming media platforms intensifies and consumer TV and video journeys evolve, it is clear that the industry needs to innovate at a faster pace to satisfy its customers and remain relevant,” said Simon Trudelle, Senior Product Marketing Director for NAGRA. “Thanks to the work of the Pay-TV Innovation Forum, we now have a global view of the state of innovation around the world and a foundation of key learnings to ensure future success and growth for pay-TV service providers.”

    “The pay-TV industry is a global success story,” said Jon Watts, Managing Partner at MTM. “Despite some regional differences, the majority of executives expect to continue innovating around their core pay-TV services, improving user experience and developing new ways to price and package content, bringing new kinds of content onto their TV platforms, and continuing to invest in multiscreen offerings. The research programme also shows that successful service providers have focused strongly on developing their innovation capabilities, enabling them to adapt to new market conditions.”