News & Gossip

LCVM represents the voice-layer evolution of that platform engineered not merely to translate language, but to preserve emotion, cadence, identity and regional nuance across multilingual communication.

Music is emerging as a valuable asset class with singers and composers launching their own labels to make more money in royalty payments.

Vineet Jain, managing director of The Times Group, received the 'Lifetime Contribution to Media' award from the All India Management Association. Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan presented the honour in New Delhi. The award recognizes Jain's significant impact on the media industry.

Beamr Imaging has extended its partnership with leading streaming service JioHotstar, which relies on Beamr’s compression and optimization tools to manage its extensive video catalog. By using Beamr’s technology, JioHotstar significantly cuts storage and bandwidth expenses while still delivering premium video quality to millions of viewers.

JioStar has appointed Amit Malhotra as its new Head of International Business. Malhotra will be based in Singapore. His role involves shaping international market strategies and driving growth through launches and partnerships. He will focus on delivering value to consumers globally. Malhotra brings extensive experience from his previous leadership roles at Warner Media and The Walt Disney Company.

TV broadcasters are set to raise channel package prices by about 10 percent. This move aims to manage increasing content costs. Distribution platform operators are expected to resist these hikes. Viewers are moving to cheaper options like DD Free Dish and streaming services. This situation creates commercial tension between broadcasters and distributors.

New Delhi will host the DNPA Conclave 2026 on February 26. Policymakers, media leaders, and experts will gather. They will discuss news, governance, and digital innovation. Artificial intelligence is reshaping the news landscape. The conclave will explore AI's impact on content creation and distribution. It will also address revenue models and regulatory frameworks.

Indian TV companies face a sharp rise in signal theft. Smuggled set-top boxes are illegally beaming channels abroad, hitting revenues hard. Broadcasters are urging the government for stronger measures. They propose mandatory watermarking and stricter subscriber verification. These steps aim to curb losses and protect the DTH and Cable industry's future.

New Delhi authorities have taken decisive action against five OTT platforms. MoodXVIP, Koyal Playpro, Digi Movieplex, Feel, and Jugnu have been blocked. This move follows established procedures under the Information Technology Rules 2021. The government aims to uphold public decency and national interests. This action is in line with the Information Technology Act 2000.

WPP and Adobe are expanding their global partnership to integrate agentic AI capabilities, aiming to optimize media, drive growth, and scale creativity for global brands. This collaboration leverages Adobe's AI and WPP's expertise to create on-brand content and personalize experiences across channels, transforming marketing operations.

Dream Sports has named Arpith Kanade as the new Head of Studio for Dream Cricket. In this role, he will shape and execute Dream Cricket's vision to be the market leader and world's largest social cricket game.

A fresh controversy has erupted around the upcoming film 'The Kerala Story 2', with National Award-winning director Kamakhya Narayan Singh launching a sharp attack on actor Prakash Raj over his recent remarks about the movie on social media.

Streaming platforms are now buying satellite rights for films. This is a new trend for mid and small-budget movies. Digital rights are now more valuable than satellite rights. This shift is changing how movies are distributed. Streamers are also looking to build large content libraries for future monetization. This move helps them compete with traditional television.

Vineet Jain, MD of The Times Group, received the Lifetime Contribution to Media award from AIMA. The award recognizes his leadership in transforming the company into India's largest diversified multimedia enterprise, expanding into television, digital, radio, music, education, and sports. Jain's vision has built a media powerhouse across multiple platforms.

Music composer A.R. Rahman will credit the Junior Dagar Brothers for their contribution to the song 'Veera Raja Veera' from 'Ponniyin Selvan: II'. The Supreme Court recorded this submission. The credit acknowledges the Dagarwani tradition and the original 'Shiv Stuti' recording. This resolution follows a legal dispute. The modified credit will appear on platforms soon.

Mumbai Indians and BookMyShow Live's BrandLabs are launching The MIX, a two-day fan festival on March 21-22, 2026, at Jio World Garden, Mumbai. This event aims to redefine fan engagement by blending cricket, live music from international and Indian artists, immersive experiences, and exclusive merchandise, fostering a deeper connection with the #OneFamily universe.

Despite India's massive media industry, it hasn't achieved global content dominance due to capital constraints, Uday Shankar said. However, he believes AI offers a "once-in-a-generation opportunity" for India to become a content leader by reducing production costs, enhancing consumer interaction, and enabling dynamic commerce, urging the industry to embrace disruption.

India vs Pakistan T20 World Cup: The India versus Pakistan T20 World Cup match achieved record digital reach and consumption. JioStar reported 163 million digital viewers, surpassing previous ICC events. TV ratings also saw a significant jump. This fixture continues to be a major draw for fans and a key revenue generator for broadcasters. The tournament is on track for record overall digital reach.

Several upcoming films have been postponed to avoid clashing with March 19 release of two major Bollywood productions, Dhurandhar 2 and Toxic. These highly anticipated movies, starring Ranveer Singh and Yash respectively, are expected to draw massive audiences, potentially impacting other releases.

India's market regulator Sebi has issued a show cause notice to Zee Entertainment Enterprises and its top executives. The notice alleges fund diversion and governance lapses. Zee Entertainment has denied all allegations. The company plans to file a response and take legal steps to protect shareholder interests.

Anuj Gandhi has stepped into the role of Chief Business Officer for Digital Entertainment Services at Jio Platforms, where he will take the helm of JioTV and JioTV+. His new responsibilities also encompass steering the OS strategy for Jio TeleOS, with a keen focus on content planning and strategic partnerships.

Mukta Arts is embarking on a vibrant journey with Green Gold Animation, combining their strengths to reimagine the timeless tales from Mukta’s cherished film library. The aim? To enchant a fresh audience with engaging animations.

JioHotstar is introducing a new voice assistant powered by ChatGPT. Viewers can now discover movies, shows, and live sports by speaking their preferences. This feature allows for natural language queries across multiple languages. It aims to make content discovery more interactive and personalized. The integration will also provide JioHotstar recommendations when using ChatGPT.

JioHotstar-OpenAI deal: For more than a decade, digital entertainment has largely been a one-way experience: browse, click, watch. With this rollout, JioHotstar is positioning streaming as a two-way interaction that interprets nuance, layered prompts and cultural context in real time.

India's film, TV, and OTT sectors are now embedding generative AI into content creation. This integration spans scripting, casting, and post-production, aiming to cut costs and boost creativity. Companies are investing in AI-driven film projects and unified production systems. Experts believe AI will exponentially expand storytelling possibilities and improve commercial speed.

India's advertising market is set for significant growth, reaching over Rs 2 lakh crore by 2026. Digital advertising will lead this expansion, capturing a substantial share. Commerce-led formats are emerging as a fast-growing segment. This dynamic market is driven by innovation and evolving consumer behavior. Brands will focus on integrated omnichannel journeys to connect with consumers effectively.

Zee Entertainment Enterprises is enhancing its syndication strategy to maximize value from its content library. The company is adapting titles for micro-drama platforms and the short-form video ecosystem, while also expanding its MCN network for scaled digital distribution. Furthermore, Zee is venturing into the audio space and pursuing international expansion through dubbing and regional partnerships.

Warner Bros. Discovery is again considering an offer from Skydance-owned Paramount. This comes as Warner continues to support its deal with Netflix. Talks with Paramount will last for seven days. Warner's board still recommends shareholders approve the Netflix merger. A vote on the Netflix deal is scheduled for March 20.

Rishab Rikhiram Sharma transforms classical Indian music into a tool for mental health. His concerts blend breathing exercises, meditation, and traditional Dhrupad music with Bollywood melodies. Sharma's innovative approach creates community experiences, offering a pause from an overstimulated world. He is also exploring the science behind sound's impact on the brain. Sharma's pan-India tour focuses on well-being.

As traditional cable and DTH subscriptions decline, Indian TV distributors are innovatively migrating linear channels to Connected TV. This shift is not only about tapping into the rise of smart TVs in homes but also about keeping subscribers engaged.

Pocket FM is seeing significant creator success. Over 1% of its creators now earn more than ₹1 lakh monthly. Total creator payouts have surpassed ₹300 crore, with a target of ₹1,000 crore by 2026. This growth is fueled by AI tools and expansion into Indian languages. The platform's freemium model, combining paid unlocks and subscriptions, drives creator income.

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw urged global OTT platforms like Netflix to respect India's cultural context and legal framework, emphasizing the need to modulate content accordingly. This statement follows a controversy over a Netflix thriller, prompting the platform to rename it and remove promotional material.

This September, Excel Entertainment plans to issue the film adaptation of its web series 'Mirzapur, titled Mirzapur: The Movie'. A challenging aspect of film adaptations of successful IPs of TV and streaming platforms is they appear like extended versions of original medium of storytelling, producers say.

India is set to launch a 'Create in India' mission. This initiative aims to boost the country's Orange Economy. The goal is to establish India as a global creative hub. This mission will focus on industry and employment. It will also develop future-ready talent. Content creator labs will be established in schools.

India's television sector is experiencing a slowdown. Linear TV viewership is falling as more people switch to free platforms and digital services. Advertising revenue is shrinking, and subscription growth is slowing. Broadcasters are feeling the impact, with some reporting profit declines. Companies are adapting by focusing on broadband and IPTV to stay competitive.

On Valentine's Day, music legends revisit the 1990s. They share insights into why the decade's love songs remain special. Melodies from that era possessed a unique emotional depth and poetic quality. These songs connected deeply with audiences. They continue to resonate today, proving love's enduring power through music.

Almighty Motion Picture is developing a seven-part web series based on the alarming 'Digital Arrest' scam, a sophisticated financial fraud targeting Indian citizens. Inspired by a real investigation where law enforcement recovered significant funds, the series will expose an international cyber crime nexus.

Almighty Motion Picture is expanding its creative reach. The company has launched Almighty All In LLP. This new division will focus on high-end documentaries and premium brand films. It aims to build lasting legacies for brands through cinematic storytelling. The division will also explore advertiser-funded programming. This move signals a growing trend in brand engagement.

The landscape of online cricket gaming in India is undergoing a remarkable transformation. With real-money games facing restrictions, free-to-play and skill-centric platforms are stepping in to capture the excitement. As high-profile cricket tournaments kick off, an army of fans is eager to immerse themselves in fresh experiences.

The ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 has begun with record viewership. JioStar's digital and linear platforms saw a massive surge in consumption. India's opening match against the USA contributed significantly to this success. This unprecedented momentum highlights the passion for cricket and the quality of the tournament. The event promises continued engagement for fans.

JioStar has appointed Bhaskar Ramesh as Head of Entertainment Sales, Digital. Ramesh joins from Google. He will lead JioStar's push into data-driven advertising. His role focuses on building a modern advertising ecosystem. This will deliver measurable outcomes for brands. He will deepen advertiser partnerships. Ramesh brings strong digital expertise to the business.

Zee Entertainment has dismissed a proxy advisory firm's call for shareholder activism as biased, stating the issues raised are old and have been addressed. The company countered allegations of promoter influence and a $1 billion arbitration claim, asserting related-party transactions have declined and are conducted at arm's length.

Ratpack Stories and Mad Man Films are joining forces. They will produce two new feature films. Nikhil Bhat and Saket Chaudhry will direct these projects. This collaboration aims to support ambitious producers and filmmakers. The focus is on creator-first content. Both films are currently in development. They will span distinct genres. Strong theatrical appeal is a key objective.

JioHotstar is leveling up its tech and product divisions by welcoming industry leaders from renowned companies. This strategic shift will harness AI to create tailor-made streaming experiences. By enhancing discovery features and viewer engagement, the platform is gearing up for a future of smarter, more adaptive streaming that aligns with the evolving expectations of its user base.

India's final OTT accessibility guidelines offer streaming services a longer transition period, easing earlier strict obligations. Platforms now have 36 months to implement accessibility features for new content, with legacy catalogues addressed on a best-effort basis. The government has also refined the grievance redressal mechanism and clarified exemptions.

JioStar India is gearing up for a bold move by merging its TV distribution arm, IndiaCast Media Distribution, into the parent company effective April 1, 2025. This rapid merger aims to refine processes and cut down operational expenses. IndiaCast, responsible for a range of TV channel distributions, will cease operations seamlessly, minimizing disruption.

The sponsorship reflects Perot Jain’s long-standing belief in cricket’s growth potential in the United States and its commitment to strengthening the sport’s ecosystem, from grassroots development to elite international competition.

Dish TV India faces a massive Rs. 7,203 crore licence fee demand from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, adding to ongoing legal battles. The company has also booked significant impairments on its investments, including those in new-age technologies and assets from Videocon d2h, impacting its net worth. Fines were also levied for SEBI norm non-compliance.

JetSynthesys, backed by Sachin Tendulkar, has acquired EverMerge from Big Fish Games for an undisclosed sum. The popular merge puzzle game has generated over $350 million in lifetime revenue. JetSynthesys plans to expand EverMerge globally, particularly in high-growth markets like India, leveraging its expertise in community building and data-driven user acquisition.

Debate on age restrictions for social media in India is growing, with a lawmaker proposing a bill to ban accounts for those under 16. This move aims to protect children from exploitation and ensure data privacy, potentially impacting major platforms like Meta and Snapchat in the vast Indian market. Several Indian states are also exploring similar measures.