OTT – storyboard18

Creative control or creative caution? What’s really driving content choices on Indian OTTs

The platforms that once promised to democratize storytelling and liberate Indian creators from the box office, are now boxed in by the very commercial priorities they claimed to transcend.(Representative Image: Bastian Riccardi via Unsplash)

There is a broader unease brewing among Indian creators: has the OTT revolution become too risk-averse, too data-led and too scared to trust artistic instinct?

EXCLUSIVE: Prasar Bharati gears up for massive D2M trials, bidding to begin in a year

Telecommunications companies have voiced opposition to the D2M initiative, citing potential business losses in video consumption, one of India’s fastest-growing market.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) had referred the Direct-to-Mobile (D2M) broadcasting proposal to a committee of secretaries.

‘OTT platforms help brands transact with premium consumers,’ JioStar’s Ajit Varghese

High-cost OTT content volumes fell 12% in 2024, FICCI 2025 report says.

India has over 70 OTT platforms across entertainment, news, audio, and gaming, which serve ads, sell subscriptions, and engage with viewers.

Rs 9 billion cinema ad surge driven by PVR-INOX: FICCI-EY Report

Very low cost theaters (with a capital investment below INR4 million each) will also come into being across approximately 88 cities with populations between 100k and 500k, and in the next 300 to 500 even smaller towns with populations below 100k. These theaters, which will thrive on mass and spectacular films, will have lower ticket and food and beverage prices, and will help in growing footfalls from underserved markets.

Given the environment of caution in 2025, fewer films will be produced on account of rising production costs, less digital and broadcast pre-funding/ pre-sales of rights, and higher dependence on theatrical revenues, especially for certain categories of small or mid-budget films.

Parliamentary panel proposes unified media council to regulate digital, print, and broadcast content

The committee also suggested merging MIB, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and the Department of Telecommunications to address regulatory challenges arising from technological convergence.

Prasar Bharati collaborates with Eros Universe’s Eros Now; aims to enhance digital content delivery

As part of the collaboration, Eros Now will leverage Immerso AI’s next-generation AI-driven capabilities, ensuring hyper-personalized content, immersive storytelling, and seamless content discovery, creating a truly intelligent entertainment ecosystem.

This partnership is built on cutting-edge AI and blockchain technology, ensuring seamless integration between the two OTT platforms.

Cable operators demand regulatory parity as FAST ‘blurs’ broadcasting boundaries

As part of the long-term vision for nurturing creative talent, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) and the Maharashtra government.

The cable operators’ association has also written to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB), urging it to direct these OTT platforms to restrict the transmission of live channels.

Bollywood’s nostalgia boom: Surprising success of Bollywood’s re-release trend

Unlike past re-releases, which often filled gaps in the release calendar, Sanam Teri Kasam returned to cinemas in a competitive environment.

While re-releases have proven to be a reliable revenue stream, the question remains: how long can Bollywood ride this wave?

Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave: Media leaders urge caution on AI investments amid industry shifts

Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave: Sanjay Sindhwani, Hemant Jain, Vinod Thadani, Ranjana Mangla, Manavdeep Singh, and Sunny Sen

At the Storyboard18 DNPA Conclave, media and entertainment industry experts caution against investing heavily in emerging technologies, advising instead to “let it evolve”.

India’s entertainment industry battles a relentless foe: Digital Piracy

Streaming Pakistani channels in India is illegal and poses a potential national security threat. The Kerala Police are now considering filing more serious charges against the accused, depending on further investigations.

Despite advanced security measures, streaming platforms and filmmakers struggle to curb the rapid spread of pirated content, costing billions in lost revenue.