How it Works – Page 20

Global gender equality still 134 years away, JPMorgan warns of stagnation

Among all sectors, Global Capability Centers (GCCs) have made the most progress in improving gender diversity, with female workforce representation rising from 31.4% in 2020 to 38.3% in 2024.

In the U.S., just 10% of the most influential corporate roles—CEO, COO, and CFO—are held by women, with high-paying jobs still dominated by white men.

Nazara expands into short-form video with $250K ReelSaga investment

ReelSaga targets India's mobile-first youth with short, serialized video series. The app will offer bite-sized entertainment, with episodes lasting one to two minutes, and monetize through per-episode microtransactions and subscription options for high-spending users.

Nazara Technologies and its esports arm, Nodwin Gaming, have a history of investing in mobile-first digital media, notably backing Rusk Media in 2021.

Businesses gear up for DPDP Rules with privacy policy updates, appoint Data Officers

Tech giants Google, Meta, YouTube, and Snap have earlier raised similar concerns over the Digital Personal Data Protection Act's restrictions on behavioural tracking.

From Meta to Muthoot Fincorp and Fynd, companies across sectors are looking for Data Protection Officers to comply with draft Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Rule, while also strengthening data security measures and building data governance structures.

DoT to issue notice to Vi for missing date to submit Rs 6,091 crore bank guarantee

Although the bidding has already taken place on April 11, the bid offer is valid for up to another 180 days.

Department of Telecommunications (DoT) earlier directed Vodafone Idea to either furnish the guarantee or make a cash payment of Rs 5,493 crore by March 10.

Who can replace Big B on KBC? Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai top polls

"Amitabh Bachchan should continue till he can” was the response of as much as 42% of the respondents surveyed, as per the IIHB and Rediffusion’s Red Lab report.

As Sony TV considers Amitabh Bachchan’s successor as the host of KBC, research by the Indian Institute of Human Brands and Rediffusion’s Red Lab has shortlisted top contenders, including Shahrukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, MS Dhoni, Harsha Bhogle, and Anil Kapoor.

75% of women in comms seek upskilling, bias persists: WICCI iLead report

Women in communications are increasingly leveraging AI, automation, and data-driven insights, but many face tech adoption barriers due to generational divides. (Image via Unsplash)

According to the report, women make up 65% of the PR industry, yet they continue to face unconscious bias, limited mentorship, pay inequities and barriers to workforce re-entry.

Global smartwatch market witnesses first-ever decline; fell 7% in 2024

Weakness in the basic smartwatch market originated in India, where consumer demand waned due to a slow replacement cycle, lack of innovation, and unsatisfactory user experiences among first-time buyers, according to the Counterpoint report. (Image source: Unsplash)

According to the Counterpoint Research report, the smartwatch market is expected to recover slowly and witness single-digit percentage growth in 2025. Both Android and iOS smartwatches are expected to integrate more AI capabilities and advanced sensors.

Keep tobacco, alcohol ads and their proxies off IPL: Health Ministry tells Cricket Board

The health ministry letter to IPL emphasised the crucial role of sports in promoting public health, noting that tobacco and alcohol are major risk factors for non-communicable diseases.

In a letter to IPL Chairman Arun Singh Dhumal, Director General of Health Services Atul Goel has urged to ban all tobacco and alcohol advertising during matches, related events and on TV broadcasts.

Short-video platforms’ adex to surge by 30%; advertisers split over homegrown apps’ effectiveness

India’s short video platforms generated around $100 million in FY24, contributing ~2% to the digital ad spend.

Homegrown short-video platforms are seeing renewed advertiser interest despite ongoing concerns over monetization, content moderation, and algorithmic shortcomings. While YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels dominate the market, homegrown platforms are banking on hyper-local content to carve out a niche.

NASSCOM opposes DPDPA rules on cross-border data transfer restrictions

NASSCOM opposed the government's plan to restrict cross-border data transfer by SDFs, asserting that the proposal risks causing unintended uncertainty about international data transfers.

Indian non-governmental trade association and advocacy group, NASSCOM, has opposed the government’s plan to restrict cross-border data transfer by significant data fiduciaries, asserting that the move could discourage investment, impact global competitiveness, and increase compliance costs for companies.