Author: Kashmeera Sambamurthy

Disney explores strategic options in India amid Star India’s fortunes shift: WSJ Report

Hotstar, once proud of its impressive milestone of 150 million monthly active users, was experiencing continuous growth, largely driven by its exclusive streaming rights to the Indian Premier League (IPL). However, this growing user base turned into a significant challenge when Hotstar lost the streaming rights of IPL to Reliance's JioCinema.

Hotstar is expected to lose 8-10 million subscribers in its fiscal third quarter. The report also states Star’s overall revenue for FY ending September 2023 is expected to drop around 20 percent to slightly less than $2 billion.

GST Council imposes 28% tax on online gaming, horse racing and casinos

Structural shifts toward a higher propensity to pay for in-game features and the burgeoning popularity of casual and midcore games are poised to play pivotal roles in shaping the landscape by FY28. (Representative Image via Unsplash)

It remains to be seen how the decision will impact the gaming industry in India.

Zee-Sony merger timeline uncertain amid regulatory challenges

Talking about Punit Goenka’s role in the new company, the order had said, “That very role in ZEEL is under question and therefore, till the final outcome of the proceedings in the instant matter, it would be appropriate that he is not part of the management of ZEEL or any corporate avatar of it.”

If the merger is able to overcome the challenges it is facing, it could create a powerful new player in the Indian media landscape.

Hasan Minhaj pays a hilarious tribute to Adobe’s PDF

In the second spot, Hasan Minhaj is seen talking to people about the importance of Acrobat and liberating them from the hassle of using paper and switching to the software. (Still from the ad)

Two ad spots were released by the software giant to celebrate PDF’s 30th anniversary.

Why is Viswanathan Anand sweating buckets in Subway’s new commercial?

The ad sees the ever-present dilemma of awkward social interactions and not being able to decide what and how to order at Subway. Vishy Anand is seen sweating copiously, unable to speak a word while thinking of what to order. He gives up and runs for the door, only to hit the glass door and fall.

Chess maestro Viswanathan Anand promotes Subway’s new ready-made range of sandwiches, Hotsellers.

DS Group elevates Rajeev Jain to senior vice president – corporate marketing

Rajeev Jain holds a bachelor in science specialising in biology, and holds a masters in business administration specialising in marketing and brand marketing from Ajmer University.

Rajeev Jain comes with an experience of more than three decades and his core competencies include new product development and launches, brand management, brand architecture and various others.

BGMI’s return sparks brand partnerships, sponsorships and revenue surge in India’s gaming landscape

Games like BGMI offer brands an opportunity to engage with Millennials and Gen Z. Brands can monetise through in-game ads, sponsorships, merchandise sales and create immersive experiences too. (Represengtative image: Glenn Carstens-Peters via Unsplash)

Experts foresee a 40 percent rise in overall cash flow for the gaming industry in coming days.

Finfluencers need to be regulated urgently: Zerodha’s Nithin Kamath

The billionaire head of the country's largest stock broking site added that digitisation also reduced customer onboarding risk significantly by cutting off multiple intermediaries and dealing with the customers directly with their digital identity, signature, and mandatory online in-person verification (IPV). (Image source: Moneycontrol)

The CEO and co-founder of the largest brokerage in the country shared how ambiguity around rules need to be addressed too.